Fibromyalgia is a very real
syndrome. It is not "all in your head". Fibromyalgia
occurs in as much as 2% of the US population. It often occurs
in conjunction with other diseases including SLE. It is not
known what causes Fibromyalgia.
Definition:
A syndrome characterized by
diffuse or specific muscle, joint or bone pain, fatigue and a
wide variety of other symptoms. Fibromyalgia causes pain
and tenderness when you press on certain spots on the body known
as tender points.
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Symptoms:
Fibromyalgia can have many,
many different symptoms. Just a few of the most common symptoms
include widespread pain in muscles and joints, headaches,
fatigue, generalized weakness, numbness and tingling, nerve
pain, non-restful sleep, irritable bowel, urinary urgency,
difficulty in thinking and concentration, dizziness, Raynaud's
syndrome, temporal mandibular joint dysfunction, anxiety,
depression, allergies, and many more!
Diagnosis:
There are 2 qualifications
for a Fibromyalgia diagnosis. The first is a history of at
least 3 months of widespread pain that occurs both above and
below the waist as well as on both sides of the body. The
second diagnostic criteria is 11 of 18 tender points causing
pain when gentle pressure is applied. Fibromyalgia is
often mistaken for a Lupus flare, but blood tests can help
distinguish them.
Treatment:
NSAIDS are used to treat
pain.
Aerobic exercise, physical
therapy, relaxation techniques and coping skills have proven
very effective in Fibromyalgia treatment.
Low doses of sedating
tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline and trazadone
are traditionally used to treat sleep disturbances.
Selective Serotonin
Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly used as well.
A muscle relaxant such as
cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) may be used for pain and sleep disturbance.
Narcotic pain relievers are
typically avoided when possible.
