Fibromyalgia

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Fibromyalgia

• By Candace
  Taylor

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What is Fibromyalgia?

• Painful disorder that affects muscles, ligaments,
  and tendons.
• Some patients describe the disorder by stating,
  My body feels like its screaming!

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The History of Fibromyalgia

• This is a young disease that was barely heard of
  until the end of the 20th century.
• In1977 two Canadian researchers published an
  article that proposed testing information for the
  diagnosis of Fibromyalgia.
• 1987 marks the year that the Journal of the
  American Medical Association published an
  editorial describing Fibromyalgia as a common
  cause of pain.
• An increase of interest occurred after the
  editorial was published and a committee was
  formed to define the disorder in 1990.

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What are the Symptoms?

• Severe Fatigue
• Disturbed Sleep
• Morning Stiffness
• Headaches
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Numbness Tingling
• Burning Pain Throughout the Body.

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A cause remains unknown.

• Possible factors include
• Metabolic dysfunction
• Viral infection
• Immune system dysfunction
• Genetic disorder
• Injury
• Trauma
• Victimization
• Prolonged stress

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Diagnosis

• Patients experience persistent pain throughout
  the entire body.
• Patients diagnosed with the disease have regions
  throughout their body that are extremely tender.
• Detection of an exaggerated pain in at least 11
  of the 18 tender points is a sure sign that the
  patient suffers from fibromyalgia.

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PREVELANCE of FIBROMYALGIA

• 2.4 of the general American adult population are
  affected.
• The disease is 7 times more common in women than
  in men.
• Highest rates are found in women who are 50 years
  of age or older.
• Caucasians are more likely to be diagnosed.

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Treatments

• Medicine that boost the bodys level of serotonin
  for better sleep.

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• Anti-inflammatory drugs and medications to help
  reduce pain.

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Physical therapy, exercise, and relaxation
techniques are also helpful treatments.
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How would life be different with Fibromyalgia?

• Due to the chronic pain and fatigue, a person
  suffering from this disease may not be able to
  continue performing his or her job.
• There will be a restriction of activities that
  can be performed.
• The patient will lose much sleep and may not find
  a suitable means of treatment for the disease.

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Research

• Bennet, R.M. (1986). The Fibrostis/ Fibromyalgia
  syndrome current issues and perspectives. The
  American Journal of Medicine, 81, 3a.
• Fischer, A.A. (1998). Muscle Pain Syndromes and
  Fibromyalgia pressure algometry for
  quantification of diagnosis and treatment
  outcome. New York, NY Haworth Medical Press.
• Fries, J.F. (1995). Arthritis help book a tested
  self-management program for coping with arthritis
  and fibromyalgia. (4th ed.). Reading, MA
  Addison- Wesley.
• Greenhalgh, S. (2001). Under the Medical Gaze
  Facts and Fiction of Chronic Pain. University of
  California Press.
• Starlanyl, D. (1996). Fibromyalgia and Chronic
  myofacial pain syndrome a survival manual.
  Oakland, CA New Harbinger Publications.