Ten million Americans are currently dealing with chronic pain in their bodies such neck and or back pain, light sensitivity, irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, restless leg syndrome and much, much more. But what are all these seemingly random symptoms the cause of? The answer, Fibromyalgia.
According to the National Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Association (NFMCPA), “fibromyalgia is a common and complex chronic pain disorder that affects people physically, mentally and socially”. FM can occur in both men, women and even children. “The literal translation of the word Fibromyalgia is pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons”. Basically, FM is an umbrella that covers a list of symptoms and is associated with other illnesses such as cancer and lupus (30% of people suffering from lupus also have FM).
Check out some of the symptoms for FM below. As reported by NFMCPA:
Still others include sleep apnea, non-cardiac chest pain, acid reflux, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, chemical sensitivities, nasal congestion, numbness and tingling sensations in the extremities, difficulty focusing eyes, dry or burning eyes and mouth, dizziness or feeling faint, sweating, muscle weakness and balance issues can occur.
Has this information made a light bulb come up yet? Maybe you’ve had some of these symptoms for a while and just said to yourself “it’s just how my body works”. FM effects millions of people in different ways so don’t just brush off it’s symptoms with your own diagnosis. FM can also cause problems such as difficulty sleeping, fatigue and the most prevalent issue, pain. “FM pain has been described as stabbing and shooting pain and deep muscular aching, throbbing, and twitching”.
Have you checked off three or more of these symptoms from your list? Take this post as a learning tool and contact your physician immediately so that they may counsel you on the proper treatments should you be officially diagnosed with FM. Again, please don’t ignore the signs your body is giving you. If you sense something is wrong or just have questions, don’t hesitate to contact your physician to express your concerns.
I hope this post was helpful readers. Thanks so much for stopping by.
Dr. O
Picture source: http://dherbs.com/articles/fibromyalgia-265.html
