What Are The Symptoms of Fibromyalgia?

What is Fibromyalgia?

It is a chronic condition that causes pain throughout the body and can cause:

• Sleeping problem
• Fatigue
• Emotional & mental distress.

What are the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia?

The well-known or classic symptoms of fibromyalgia such as:

• Widespread pain
• Joint pain
• Fatigue
• Sleeping problems
• Difficulty concentrating

Are not very distinctive, therefore the condition itself is often misdiagnosed and misunderstood.

There are less known symptoms of fibromyalgia which can include:

• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Headaches
• Menstrual problems
• Jaw issues
• Hypersensitivity to noise and light

Due to the wide variety of the symptoms, it can be hard to pinpoint the fact that it is fibromyalgia. You could have all the symptoms above and still not have the condition.

Since there are no lab or imaging tests for it, when you go to get a diagnosis, your doctor will ask about your symptoms to decide if you have fibromyalgia. The process of determining the cause of a patient’s symptoms when other conditions have similar features is called a differential diagnosis.

Tracking Your Symptoms:

Once you have decided to speak with your doctor, it might be a good idea to track your symptoms. This will ensure that nothing is forgotten. You never know what might be useful to help in your diagnosis.

Below is a list to help you track and monitor your symptoms:

• Sleep duration and quality
• Pain levels during the day and at bedtime
• Medications taken and the effect on symptom(s)
• Supplements taken and the effect on symptom(s)
• Exercise and pain increase or decrease afterward
• Foods eaten and any problems afterward
• Any psychological treatments used, such as visualization or cognitive behaviour therapy, and the results
• Any massage or other therapies and the results
• Pain levels
• Fatigue levels

The Importance of Treatment

If left untreated, chronic pain could cause permanent changes in how the body perceives pain. Early diagnosis and treatment are important to prevent further disruptions in the body’s pain-signaling system. The good news? Swedish research suggests that the earlier fibromyalgia pain is treated, the greater the chances that you’ll respond to certain drug treatments.

For more information and support about fibromyalgia, please feel free to read more here.

 

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