subject: Fibromyalgia: When Everything Hurts [print this page] The pain usually appears on the shoulders and arms, then spreads throughout the body, reaching to the bones, tendons, muscles and joints. You can drag on for days, months and even years. Along with these symptoms may come an unexplained tiredness, sleep that does not relax.
Also some people complain of difficulty concentrating, depression, tingling in arms and legs, headaches and even stomach cramps. To get rid of the problem, the patient usually go through several specialists before the diagnosis of fibromyalgia.
This delay in reaching the conclusion that the link to fibromyalgia pain lies in the fact that there is no lab or radiological tests to prove the diagnosis, which is exclusively and requires clinical history and physical examination. Thus, medical reports and based on rapid tests do not bring results, making patients go through several doctors, performing a series of tests without reaching any diagnosis.
Among patients with the problem, 90% are women. The cause is attributed to an imbalance of neurotransmitters responsible for inhibiting or generate pain, such as serotonin. There is a substance directly related to the mechanisms of fibromyalgia: is substance P - which means pain.
Surveys show three times more substance P in the body of patients with the syndrome, together with the reduction in the production of serotonin. Too many agents that send painful information, coupled with the reduction in the levels of that suppress pain.
Triggers Pain
It is believed that there are people with genetic predisposition to fibromyalgia, but only manifest in the face of the crisis triggers. The main ones are: physical or emotional trauma, infectious diseases (such as influenza and hepatitis C), prolonged loss of sleep, hormonal changes and major climate changes. There are studies suggesting that 60% of patients with fibromyalgia have relatives with the disease, or disease related to serotonin.
The diagnosis of the problem is complex. Radiological or laboratory tests do not reveal the syndrome, which has its clinical diagnosis only, through history and physical examination and palpation of 'tender points' or points of tension. Altogether there are 18 criteria and the American College of Rheumatology for the diagnosis is the presence of widespread pain in the body for at least 3 months and 11 in the presence of 18 tender points.
Treatment and prevention
There is no vaccine or other methods that can prevent the spread of the disease. What you can do is take simple actions to make the circumstances less favorable to fibromyalgia, which is not guaranteed to be out of danger.
The important thing for those who have the syndrome is to keep the quality of life, since so far there is no cure. Many of the symptoms can be alleviated with the help of medicines and therapies such as acupuncture, massage and relaxation sessions.
Diet: There is expectation with respect to sources of tryptophan, the amino acid precursor of serotonin, which helps to inhibit pain. This amino acid is supplied in insufficient quantity in the organism of patients with the syndrome. Tryptophan can be found in bananas, corn, rice, vegetables, milk and honey.
Exercise: untrained muscles are more vulnerable to injury and therefore trigger the trauma that can boost the development of fibromyalgia. The recommendation is to perform physical exercises slow and progressive in nature, individualized, and under the guidance of an expert.
Stress: look away from sources of stress and develop better ways to manage it as breathing techniques, yoga, meditation and acupuncture. The more stressed people suffering with pain, insomnia and irritability, factors that may trigger fibromyalgia.
Sleep: lost several nights sleep can become a source of fatigue and pain. The most recommended is to set a time to sleep and avoid alcohol and drinks containing caffeine and exhaustive physical exercise in the evening.
Family history: who is familiar with fibromyalgia should maintain balanced diet, exercising and having a good nights sleep. If the pain begins, forget the painkillers and seek an expert. Early treatment can prevent chronic pain.
