Fibromyalgia is the persistent pain felt at specific places in the body, unlike the pain in the tender points of injury which all of us go through. It is mostly the women are affected by fibromyalgia during middle ages, though men and children can also suffer from this.
Patients suffering from other chronic medical conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, generally suffer from fibromyalgia more.

In fibromyalgia (FM) there is the presence of chronic widespread pain and tactile allodynia. Since this involves more than just pain has led to the frequent use of the term "fibromyalgia syndrome", though the causes are not exactly known. This disease is not contagious, and fibromyalgia may be genetically predisposed. This disease is also not life threatening.

Fibromyalgia Symptoms

The symptoms of fibromyalgia include the following:

Widespread muscle pain

Tenderness to touch

Fatigue

throbbing, aching, stabbing or shooting pain

stiffness, specially in the morning

difficulty sleeping

headaches

numbness

Depression.

The symptoms generally come slowly and then aggravate. A continuous uneasiness remains in the patient who is suffering from this disease.

Difference from Arthritis

Fibromyalgia is different from arthritis as it doesn't cause inflammation. It also does not result in damage to the joints or muscles. Most people Most of the symptoms appear and disappear with time, though sometimes few symptoms tend to remain. The most affected part in this disease are the elbows, hip joints, knees, and the neck.

Causes of Fibromyalgia

Though there is no definite proved reason that causes this illness, but certain factors that have been found responsible in different case studies of fibromyalgia patients are as follows:

Lower levels of chemical serotinin

Disturbed sleep

Significant life event like bereavement or illness

Genetic predisposition

Result of environment

Dopamine abnormality

Human growth hormone

Deposition disease

Though the causes cannot be clearly identified, but there are certain conditions that trigger off the pain. They are as follows:

Increased psychosocial stress

Excessive physical exertion

Lack of slow-wave sleep

Changes in weather conditions

Diagnosis of fibromyalgia

Since the symptoms of fibromyalgia are similar to those of influenza, or arthritis most of the time, it is not easy to diagnose it. Some of the methods are as follows:

Mappings

Diagnosis of fibromyalgia is made with the help of a specialized technique called mapping, which is a gentle palpitation of the muscles to detect lumps and areas of spasm that are considered to be caused by an excess of calcium in the cytosol of the cells.

Tender point examination

This is the detection of the trigger points that characterize the myofascial pain syndrome.

While this hypothesis does not identify the causative mechanism in the kidneys, it proposes a treatment known as guaifenesin therapy. This treatment involves administering the drug guaifenesin to a patient's individual dosage, avoiding salicylic acid in medications or on the skin. Often products for salicylate sensitivity are very helpful. If the patient is also hypoglycemic, a diet is designed to keep insulin levels low.

Other diseases

From the entire hypothesis, it is seen that fibromyalgia is a co morbid disease, occurring in combination with other diseases.

A number of other disorders are seen to produce similar symptoms like that of fibromyalgia. They are:

Chronic fatigue syndrome

Depression

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

Gulf War syndrome

Influenza

Lead poisoning

Lupus erythematosus

Lyme disease

Mercury poisoning

Multiple chemical sensitivity

Myofascial pain syndrome

Tendinitis

Thyroid disease

Vitamin B12 deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency

Whiplash-associated disorder

Fibromyalgia Treatment

It is true that there is no particular cure for fibromyalgia, still there are a number of remedial processes which can help one to get this disease under control. They are as follows:

Painkillers and anti-inflammatory medication

Antidepressants

Physiotherapy

Low-impact aerobic exercises

Emotional support

Counseling and antidepressant therapies

lifestyle changes

Occupational therapies

relaxation therapy

massage

acupuncture

osteopathic manipulation

Stress management

enough sleep

healthy diet.

Medications

Muscle Relaxants

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

Anti-seizure drugs

Dopamine agonists

Cannabis and cannabinoids

Topical Remedies