Fibromyalgia is a medical condition which causes a person to experience pain throughout their body, often due to stimuli which typically do not cause pain, such as light pressure, touch, odors, sounds, and changes in temperature. Other symptoms which typically accompany fibromyalgia include:
- Cognitive dysfunction (delirium or a confused state)
- Severe and chronic fatigue
- Tingling
- Numbness
- Sleep Interruptions
- Bowel problems
- Bladder problems
- Stiffness of the joints
- Difficulty swallowing
In addition, fibromyalgia is often accompanied by psychiatric disorders, notably:
- Anxiety disorders
- Depression
- Stress related disorders (including PTSD)
The actual symptoms experienced vary from case to case. The defining condition is the chronic pain and sensitivity to pressure or touch. The other conditions may be present in any combination. Fibromyalgia is much more common among women than among men, with nine times as many women than men diagnosed with the condition.
There is some disagreement about whether fibromyalgia is a neurological/psychiatric condition or a musculoskeletal condition. The most widely accepted belief today is that it is primarily neurological. There is no cure for fibromyalgia, though there are a number of treatment options available which can improve the quality of life.
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- Common Symptoms of Fibromyalgia
- Five Body Systems Affected
- Miscellaneous Symptoms
- Hypoglycemia Syndrome
- What Causes Fibromyalgia?
- Treatment and Cure
- Reference Links
