What is Fibromyalgia
Whether you are a new or seasoned Fibro Fighter, or you are a loved one trying to educate yourself on the topic, this site is designed for all of you and will not be redundant for any one group in particular. In fact, my website is designed to differ from every other Fibro site for that reason as well as to provide more information, from more sources, in one place. I will provide you with new research and information that goes beyond the basics found on other sites. The majority of what is found on my website is compiled from resources in medical books, medical based websites, books about Fibro written by specialists and more. Although this website is unbiased and research based, I also offer first hand information through the lense of somebody who lives the Fibro Life.
I started having Sleep Terrors and Sleep Walking every night at age three. I would lay in bed with my parents, sobbing in excruciating pain for hours because of what we were told were "Growing Pains". I knew even as a little girl that this pain deep in my body was not normal. By age 10 I was getting Migraines. Recurrent Yeast all through my teenage years, peppered with chronic UTI's and other Reproductive Issues. I had trouble concentrating and often mixed up words (Cognitive Impairment), in addition to bouts of IBS. My body was always very stiff and injury plagued just about every athletic event that I tried to enjoy. I was exhausted - but not defeated. I never felt sorry for myself but I did lay awake at night so many times and purely wonder..Why?
Why is my body like this? Some people are afflicted with one or maybe two of the things that I was - but not all, and not this young. I knew something wasn't right in the back of my mind but kept just dealing with the next big hurdle on a case-by-case basis... until my mid-twenties when it all came to a head and I was forced into a corner: confront whatever it was that had my body under seige and don't stop until I have an answer. It took years but I was finally diagnosed correctly ...with Fibromyalgia
(for My Story see What Makes 'Me' Different).
The point of my story is this: When I say I have spent my short little life researching how things work in the body, I genuinely mean it. It is my sincere hope that readers will gain a clearer sense of Fibromyalgia through my delivery, that you can arm yourself with the most current and correct information when you walk into a discussion with your physician or with your loved one, and overall to encourage the Community as a whole to engage in the Information Share.
You Are Not Alone
Fibromyalgia can be overwhelming to deal with. Not only do you feel like a prisoner in your own body, shackled by the immense pain shooting through you, but slightest touch is excruciating to you. Things like putting on jeans or blush is unbearable. You dred the most loving of human touch, receiving a hug, as you know how painful it will be (and truly fear the inevitable back-pat!). You are sleep deprieved due to pain and the sleep disorders that underly Fibromyalgia. Emotions run high because of the guilt and worry over medical bills, household duties left undone, and the distress that you are causing family and friends. To wrap it all up in a bow, you can barely understand the disorder that is storming through your life. You are not alone: nearly 10 Million People in the United States alone have been diagnosed with FMS since the most recent survey. Below is a link that you may find helpful:
Readers Respond: Making Sense of Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a multi-faceted disorder and it takes a lot to understand it - empower yourself and read on.
Disease vs. Disorder
Fibromyalgia is a disorder, or syndrome, characterized by chronic and widespread musculoskeletal pain. Let's dissect that sentence, because it is the pillar of this baffling disorder and one of the most commonly used assessments. Fibromyalgia is a disorder, or syndrome (these words are used interchangeably along with 'condition') and not a disease. The difference between a syndrome/disorder and a disease is that a syndrome's cause is unknown and can't be identified using traditional laboratory tests (there isn't a blood or urine test, for example, to diagnose Fibromyalgia. This isn't to say that there aren't other ways to diagnose it, however. More on that in the Diagnosis section.) A disease's cause is known and can be identified through traditional laboratory testing. In short, researchers don't yet know what causes Fibromyalgia but it does not mean that Fibromyalgia is any less important, painful or valid of a disorder. Next part of the sentence: chronic and widespread [pain]: chronic in this case means that the pain persists for a minimum of 3 months consecutively, in all four quadrants (upper right, upper left, lower right, lower left) of the body.
Some ways that FM are described are Musculoskeletal pain - pain throughout the muscles and skeletal system (bones). Myofacial pain, meaning pain in the muscles and it's sheath of fibrous, connective tissues. In fact, the term "Fibromyaglia" derives from Greek and breaks down to: Fibro - "fibrous tissues", myo- "muscle", algos- "pain"; so Fibromyalgia literally means "muscle and connective tissue pain. Unfortunately for Fibro Fighters (and researchers) however, Fibromyalgia spreads further than pain in the muscles and connective tissues, as it causes nerve and cognitive issues as well as a constellation of symptoms and overlapping syndromes. Fibromyalgia is one of the most complex illnesses in the medical community.
Who Gets FMS?
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition and it affects more than 10 million people in the United States alone - and that is just what is reported and diagnosed. Of those 10 million most are women, but men and children can also be affected. Signs and symptoms vary widely from person to person and the intensity can range from moderate to debilitating, depending on the person. For every person who has FMS however, it is unfortunately something that will never go away. Once that switch in your body is turned on, it can't be turned off. There are ways to manage Fibromyalgia and get it down to a medium roar, but just as the degree of the disorder varies, the degree of successful relief does, too. For information on everything from Eastern to Western to hippie-dippie-try-anything-to-feel-better methods, please fight the good Fibro Fight and visit my page on Treatment.
Fibro-My-What? Interpreting The Pain.
Some say that it feels like the body aches of the flu (except every single day) as well as "lightning jolts" of pain that shoot throughout the body (painful nerves firing off all day, everyday) and any tactile sensation is almost unbearably painful. Fibromyalgia is typically only associated with pain and stiffness, but there is another very important piece to this puzzle. Associated Symptoms and Overlapping Syndromes are two very important components to acknowledge as a part of Fibromyalgia as a whole. Associated Symptoms are not always painful, in-and-of-themselves, but are the symptoms which occur alongside FMS. Overlapping Syndromes are the conditions and illnesses which occur alongside FMS; conditions which can occur solo but typically in patients with FMS occur one-on-top of the other.
The severity of the symptoms of Fibromyalgia, Associated Symptoms and Overlapping Syndromes are specific of every individual's body and condition, their treatment plan, and even their geographic location in the world (warmer weather-dwellers sometimes experience less severe symptoms in daily life.)
For more information please visit my section on Associated Symptoms and Overlapping Syndromes
Flare-Ups
Fibro and all or some of its symptoms can be worse for some people - and just as this is true, the same is true for the number of and the severity of Flare Ups. Fibromyalgia Flare Ups are marked by times of off-the-charts pain (different than the every-day an vary from person to person. Fibromyalgia Flare Ups also depend on the individual but these are something that can have common triggers. FMS Flare Ups are times of extreme spikes in pain and stiffness, more so than the everyday. The situation can peak so much that often patients can't get out of bed, walk, or do anything at all. Known and common triggers are stress - emotional, psychological, physical, infection, sugar-consumption, caffeinne, and too much physical activity (as little as ten minutes of walking can throw some patients into Flare Ups.), weather and more.
The pain of FM is often in the spotlight, what isn't often discussed however is the fact that the pain comes in three forms. For information on this, please see 3 types of Pain section. Fibromyalgia is not fatal, but it’s a chronic illness that won’t go away. Fortunately there are many things you can do to alleviate and manage this condition and all of this information and more can be found in the pages of this website. And remember: keeping current matters so Empower Yourself and Engage in the Information Share. Also, check back with 'Fibromyalgia and Me' for news, resources, updates and don't be afraid to communicate via the 'FMe' (hey we all feel that way with this disorder and we all need a good laugh most days!) Facebook!
What Is The Central Nervous System & Why Does it Come Up in FMS Convo?
In addition to pain, patients experience a batch of associated symptoms such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (occuring in 90% of FMS patients), memory issues (otherwise known as Cognitive Impairment or Fibro Fog), sleep issues (such as Insomnia, Sleep Terrors, and Sleep Walking.) These of course occur in people that do not have FMS but the difference is that people with FMS have all of them. Fibromyalgia's associated symptoms may not all cause pain but they are all related to your having Fibro. Why? 3 words; Central Nervous System. In fact, it is purported by many that a flawed CNS are to blame for the cause of Fibromyalgia. Thanks to a funky CNS, Overlapping Syndromes - These are always less symptoms and more illnesses; things like Migraines, Irritable Bowel Disease, Anxiety, Reproductive Issues and Raynauds Syndrome, will occur as well as all of the aforementioned associated symptoms.
Fibromyalgia is recognized as a disorder by the US National Institutes of Health and the American College of Rheumatology. Fibromyalgia, a central nervous system disorder, is described as a 'central sensitisation syndrome' caused by neurobiological abnormalities which act to produce physiological pain and cognitive impairments as well as neuro-psychological symptomatology. In short this means that Fibro is a pain syndrome, and this is due basically to a malfunctioning Central Nervous System: our brains are wired differently. It is important to remember that everything is inter-connected in our bodies so when wires are crossed in your brain there is an affect on your nerves, your muscles, your memory, your sleep, your everything. One great example of this is that patients with Fibromyalgia seem to be more sensitive to sounds than those without the condition (one of the associated symptoms). This increased sensitivity is due to an abnormality in sensory processing by the central nervous system.
Hypothesize That
While there is no clear reason as to what causes Fibromyalgia, or why so many people fall so ill with this condition, there are quite a few hypotheses. Some believe that symptoms of Fibro begin after a physical trauma, surgery, infection or significant psychological stress. In other cases, symptoms may gradually accumulate over time with no single triggering event. Additionally, it is thought by some researcher that FM is hereditary and the patient is susceptible therefore once stimulated after aforementioned physical traumas/surgery/infection/significant stressors, a person will get FM. In some instances, a person may just simply inherit be born with the disorder as a Central Nervous dysfunction. Women are much more likely to develop Fibromyalgia than are men or children. For an in-depth discussion on some of the suspected Causes of Fibromyalgia, please visit the Causes page.
I started having Sleep Terrors and Sleep Walking every night at age three. I would lay in bed with my parents, sobbing in excruciating pain for hours because of what we were told were "Growing Pains". I knew even as a little girl that this pain deep in my body was not normal. By age 10 I was getting Migraines. Recurrent Yeast all through my teenage years, peppered with chronic UTI's and other Reproductive Issues. I had trouble concentrating and often mixed up words (Cognitive Impairment), in addition to bouts of IBS. My body was always very stiff and injury plagued just about every athletic event that I tried to enjoy. I was exhausted - but not defeated. I never felt sorry for myself but I did lay awake at night so many times and purely wonder..Why?
Why is my body like this? Some people are afflicted with one or maybe two of the things that I was - but not all, and not this young. I knew something wasn't right in the back of my mind but kept just dealing with the next big hurdle on a case-by-case basis... until my mid-twenties when it all came to a head and I was forced into a corner: confront whatever it was that had my body under seige and don't stop until I have an answer. It took years but I was finally diagnosed correctly ...with Fibromyalgia
(for My Story see What Makes 'Me' Different).
The point of my story is this: When I say I have spent my short little life researching how things work in the body, I genuinely mean it. It is my sincere hope that readers will gain a clearer sense of Fibromyalgia through my delivery, that you can arm yourself with the most current and correct information when you walk into a discussion with your physician or with your loved one, and overall to encourage the Community as a whole to engage in the Information Share.
You Are Not Alone
Fibromyalgia can be overwhelming to deal with. Not only do you feel like a prisoner in your own body, shackled by the immense pain shooting through you, but slightest touch is excruciating to you. Things like putting on jeans or blush is unbearable. You dred the most loving of human touch, receiving a hug, as you know how painful it will be (and truly fear the inevitable back-pat!). You are sleep deprieved due to pain and the sleep disorders that underly Fibromyalgia. Emotions run high because of the guilt and worry over medical bills, household duties left undone, and the distress that you are causing family and friends. To wrap it all up in a bow, you can barely understand the disorder that is storming through your life. You are not alone: nearly 10 Million People in the United States alone have been diagnosed with FMS since the most recent survey. Below is a link that you may find helpful:
Readers Respond: Making Sense of Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a multi-faceted disorder and it takes a lot to understand it - empower yourself and read on.
Disease vs. Disorder
Fibromyalgia is a disorder, or syndrome, characterized by chronic and widespread musculoskeletal pain. Let's dissect that sentence, because it is the pillar of this baffling disorder and one of the most commonly used assessments. Fibromyalgia is a disorder, or syndrome (these words are used interchangeably along with 'condition') and not a disease. The difference between a syndrome/disorder and a disease is that a syndrome's cause is unknown and can't be identified using traditional laboratory tests (there isn't a blood or urine test, for example, to diagnose Fibromyalgia. This isn't to say that there aren't other ways to diagnose it, however. More on that in the Diagnosis section.) A disease's cause is known and can be identified through traditional laboratory testing. In short, researchers don't yet know what causes Fibromyalgia but it does not mean that Fibromyalgia is any less important, painful or valid of a disorder. Next part of the sentence: chronic and widespread [pain]: chronic in this case means that the pain persists for a minimum of 3 months consecutively, in all four quadrants (upper right, upper left, lower right, lower left) of the body.
Some ways that FM are described are Musculoskeletal pain - pain throughout the muscles and skeletal system (bones). Myofacial pain, meaning pain in the muscles and it's sheath of fibrous, connective tissues. In fact, the term "Fibromyaglia" derives from Greek and breaks down to: Fibro - "fibrous tissues", myo- "muscle", algos- "pain"; so Fibromyalgia literally means "muscle and connective tissue pain. Unfortunately for Fibro Fighters (and researchers) however, Fibromyalgia spreads further than pain in the muscles and connective tissues, as it causes nerve and cognitive issues as well as a constellation of symptoms and overlapping syndromes. Fibromyalgia is one of the most complex illnesses in the medical community.
Who Gets FMS?
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition and it affects more than 10 million people in the United States alone - and that is just what is reported and diagnosed. Of those 10 million most are women, but men and children can also be affected. Signs and symptoms vary widely from person to person and the intensity can range from moderate to debilitating, depending on the person. For every person who has FMS however, it is unfortunately something that will never go away. Once that switch in your body is turned on, it can't be turned off. There are ways to manage Fibromyalgia and get it down to a medium roar, but just as the degree of the disorder varies, the degree of successful relief does, too. For information on everything from Eastern to Western to hippie-dippie-try-anything-to-feel-better methods, please fight the good Fibro Fight and visit my page on Treatment.
Fibro-My-What? Interpreting The Pain.
Some say that it feels like the body aches of the flu (except every single day) as well as "lightning jolts" of pain that shoot throughout the body (painful nerves firing off all day, everyday) and any tactile sensation is almost unbearably painful. Fibromyalgia is typically only associated with pain and stiffness, but there is another very important piece to this puzzle. Associated Symptoms and Overlapping Syndromes are two very important components to acknowledge as a part of Fibromyalgia as a whole. Associated Symptoms are not always painful, in-and-of-themselves, but are the symptoms which occur alongside FMS. Overlapping Syndromes are the conditions and illnesses which occur alongside FMS; conditions which can occur solo but typically in patients with FMS occur one-on-top of the other.
The severity of the symptoms of Fibromyalgia, Associated Symptoms and Overlapping Syndromes are specific of every individual's body and condition, their treatment plan, and even their geographic location in the world (warmer weather-dwellers sometimes experience less severe symptoms in daily life.)
For more information please visit my section on Associated Symptoms and Overlapping Syndromes
Flare-Ups
Fibro and all or some of its symptoms can be worse for some people - and just as this is true, the same is true for the number of and the severity of Flare Ups. Fibromyalgia Flare Ups are marked by times of off-the-charts pain (different than the every-day an vary from person to person. Fibromyalgia Flare Ups also depend on the individual but these are something that can have common triggers. FMS Flare Ups are times of extreme spikes in pain and stiffness, more so than the everyday. The situation can peak so much that often patients can't get out of bed, walk, or do anything at all. Known and common triggers are stress - emotional, psychological, physical, infection, sugar-consumption, caffeinne, and too much physical activity (as little as ten minutes of walking can throw some patients into Flare Ups.), weather and more.
The pain of FM is often in the spotlight, what isn't often discussed however is the fact that the pain comes in three forms. For information on this, please see 3 types of Pain section. Fibromyalgia is not fatal, but it’s a chronic illness that won’t go away. Fortunately there are many things you can do to alleviate and manage this condition and all of this information and more can be found in the pages of this website. And remember: keeping current matters so Empower Yourself and Engage in the Information Share. Also, check back with 'Fibromyalgia and Me' for news, resources, updates and don't be afraid to communicate via the 'FMe' (hey we all feel that way with this disorder and we all need a good laugh most days!) Facebook!
What Is The Central Nervous System & Why Does it Come Up in FMS Convo?
In addition to pain, patients experience a batch of associated symptoms such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (occuring in 90% of FMS patients), memory issues (otherwise known as Cognitive Impairment or Fibro Fog), sleep issues (such as Insomnia, Sleep Terrors, and Sleep Walking.) These of course occur in people that do not have FMS but the difference is that people with FMS have all of them. Fibromyalgia's associated symptoms may not all cause pain but they are all related to your having Fibro. Why? 3 words; Central Nervous System. In fact, it is purported by many that a flawed CNS are to blame for the cause of Fibromyalgia. Thanks to a funky CNS, Overlapping Syndromes - These are always less symptoms and more illnesses; things like Migraines, Irritable Bowel Disease, Anxiety, Reproductive Issues and Raynauds Syndrome, will occur as well as all of the aforementioned associated symptoms.
Fibromyalgia is recognized as a disorder by the US National Institutes of Health and the American College of Rheumatology. Fibromyalgia, a central nervous system disorder, is described as a 'central sensitisation syndrome' caused by neurobiological abnormalities which act to produce physiological pain and cognitive impairments as well as neuro-psychological symptomatology. In short this means that Fibro is a pain syndrome, and this is due basically to a malfunctioning Central Nervous System: our brains are wired differently. It is important to remember that everything is inter-connected in our bodies so when wires are crossed in your brain there is an affect on your nerves, your muscles, your memory, your sleep, your everything. One great example of this is that patients with Fibromyalgia seem to be more sensitive to sounds than those without the condition (one of the associated symptoms). This increased sensitivity is due to an abnormality in sensory processing by the central nervous system.
Hypothesize That
While there is no clear reason as to what causes Fibromyalgia, or why so many people fall so ill with this condition, there are quite a few hypotheses. Some believe that symptoms of Fibro begin after a physical trauma, surgery, infection or significant psychological stress. In other cases, symptoms may gradually accumulate over time with no single triggering event. Additionally, it is thought by some researcher that FM is hereditary and the patient is susceptible therefore once stimulated after aforementioned physical traumas/surgery/infection/significant stressors, a person will get FM. In some instances, a person may just simply inherit be born with the disorder as a Central Nervous dysfunction. Women are much more likely to develop Fibromyalgia than are men or children. For an in-depth discussion on some of the suspected Causes of Fibromyalgia, please visit the Causes page.