Aches and pains throughout the body that affect a person’s muscles and joints are the classic symptoms of fibromyalgia. Other symptoms are problems with memory, mood, sleep, and fatigue.
Because these symptoms can also be associated with other illnesses, and because there is no test to diagnose the condition, getting a proper diagnosis can be tricky. Fibromyalgia is frequently misdiagnosed as hyperthyroidism, anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme disease, or multiple sclerosis.
On the converse, nearly 60 percent of clients who are initially diagnosed with fibromyalgia are actually suffering from a different illness. Let’s take a deeper look into the symptoms of this mysterious disease and how it is different from other health conditions.
Signs of Fibromyalgia
There is no cure for the disease, so the goal is to try to control the symptoms and prevent further episodes. The big three classic symptoms of fibromyalgia are:
- Widespread pain
- General fatigue
- Cognitive difficulties (known as the “fibro fog”)
It is also frequently accompanied by other conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), and migraine headaches.
Causes of the Condition
Affecting women more often than men, fibromyalgia often presents after a physical trauma, an event of tremendous stress, or a surgery. Other cases have no clear defining origin, and the symptoms appear gradually over time.
The medical community believes that fibromyalgia involves the overstimulation of nerve endings. This causes the brain to change its biochemistry, resulting in an overabundance of certain pain-inducing chemicals in the brain.
The brain actually seems to develop a memory of the pain caused by the receptors, making them overly sensitive and causing them to overreact to pain signals.
How Is It Diagnosed?
A doctor will diagnose a client with fibromyalgia after a thorough medical analysis that rules out all other conditions which cause the same symptoms. If the client has been experiencing widespread bodily pain for over three months and there are no underlying health issues, then fibromyalgia will likely be the diagnosis.
Because the physician must first rule out other ailments, tests may be run. The doctor may conduct blood tests and scans, such as an MRI or CT scan.
What Can I Expect if I Have Fibromyalgia?
You and your doctor can work together to identify triggers and alter your treatment plan accordingly, minimizing triggers and their responses. Even with a solid treatment plan, people with fibromyalgia may continue to experience symptoms – especially during periods of greater stress.
Medications like antidepressants can greatly help treat a person’s altered brain chemistry, and this type of medicine has shown great promise in reducing symptoms significantly. When combined with other forms of therapy, like acetaminophen coupled with low-impact exercise, even more relief can be obtained.
Wellness Clinic in Fort Worth
Speak to a medical professional if you are experiencing the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Be ready to keep a pain diary to assist the doctor in determining whether fibromyalgia is present or whether it might be something else.
List any weather-related reactions, medications, dietary habits, or foods that seem to cause symptoms, and the dates, times, and duration of them. This will not only help your doctor with diagnosis, but it will also help you learn any triggers so that you may try to avoid them in the future.
Contact us today at the AlphaCare Wellness Center – you can request an appointment online or call (817) 550-6332. We can help you start living better and enjoying life!
