Fibromyalgia

 

1: Intro & Symptoms

Fibromyalagia

What is fibromyalgia?

Previously unrecognized as a genuine medical condition, fibromyalgia is now known to afflict many Americans. It is a disorder that causes widespread muscle pain and generalized fatigue. The word fibromyalgia is derived from the Latin word for fibrous tissue (fibro) and the Greek words for muscle (myo) and pain (algia).

Teaching Point: Fibromyalgia is a disease of both muscle and connective tissue.

Causes:

Current traditional medical belief is that there is no known cause to fibromyalgia. Additional theory is that people with this condition are more sensitive to pain due to increased sensitivity within the brain to pain signals.

Teaching Point: Fibromyalgia has no known cause.

Symptoms:

The symptoms of fibromyalgia include: Tender points on specific spots on the body-
Neck
Upper chest
Upper back
Mid arm
Lower back
Upper thigh
Mid leg

Other symptoms:
Trouble sleeping
Morning stiffness
Headaches
Chronic fatigue
Depression
Numbness or tingling of hands and feet
Difficulty concentrating
Anxiety
Painful menstrual periods
Dry skin, eyes and mouth

Teaching Point: Symptoms of fibromyalgia are varied but often include specific tender trigger points on muscle and other symptoms, including fatigue and/or mood disorder.
 
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