FIBROMYALGIA is pain in many areas of the body for over three months due to increased pain sensitivity of the brain. There are related symptoms which accompany pain such as tenderness in many areas. The common accompanying complaints are sleeplessness, depression, slow or impaired cognition, forgetfulness, anxiety, stiffness, social and occupational impairment.
FMS (Fibromyalgia syndrome) is 7 times more common in women than man and 90% of cases occur in women. It is estimated that 3.5 % of women might have this syndrome. Between the ages of 70 and 79 it is estimated that 7.5% of women have it.
Related illnesses are:
- CFS (Chronic fatigue syndrome
- IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)
- Migraine headaches
- Tension headaches
- Mood and sleep disorders
It is thought that other pain or increased sensitivity related problems such as painful bladder (IC-interstitial cystitis), vulvadynia (painful vulva), mastalgia (painful breasts), chronic pain, PMS (pre- menstrual syndrome), RLS (restless leg syndrome), TMJ (temporomandibular joint) related bruxism (grinding of teeth at sleep) could be present in some of these patients. OAB (overactive bladder) could be seen in some.
The causes are thought to be stress, OA (osteoarthritis), RA (rheumatoid arthritis), hypothyroidism, SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus), EM (endometriosis) and Lyme disease. There is a FM (fibromyalgia) website wwww.fibromyalgiahcp.com. Treatments are available and you should have a visit and exam for this.