What You Need To Know About Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia disorder is a chronic muscular condition characterized by hypersensitivity to pain in certain areas of the body without any associated organic cause. It shows a wide range of symptoms that include muscle aches, extreme fatigue, sleep disturbances and mood swings. Here is everything you need to know about fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia was recognized as a disorder in the 90s. Since then, several have thought it was a somatic disorder. In other words, patients suffer from symptoms without a physical cause. Recent studies show that the cause is neurological. More specifically, it is the result of imbalances in the central nervous system.

Who affects fibromyalgia?

F ibromyalgia disorders affect between 2-5% of the population. Several cases occur in countries such as Italy, Germany, Portugal and Spain. The largest risk group suffering from this disorder are mainly women. In fact, women are 10 times more likely to be affected than men. High-risk groups also include:

• People with rheumatoid arthritis.
• Patients with autoimmune diseases.
• People aged 20-50 years.

Principal agent

Fibromyalgia disorders appear to be related to changes in the central nervous system. However, the causative mechanism as a whole remains unknown. Possible causes also include neuro-hormonal changes, genetic factors and environmental factors such as diet or stress.

The main causes are overactive and hypersensitive nociceptive pathways in the central nervous system. In other words, this is a central nerve sensitivity. And the sensitivity usually results in repeated, painful stimulation. Unfortunately, this can lead to more pain.

Symptoms

• Headache.
• Depression.
• Allodyni.
• Muscle stiffness.
• Sleep disorders.
• Hyperalgesia.
• paroxysmal movements.
• Fatigue and extreme fatigue.
• Increasing touch sensitivity.
• Nonspecific, intense muscular pain.
• Changes in hearing (tinnitus) and vision (phosphene).

Associated diseases

The condition occurs more frequently in patients with arthritis diseases. For example, this could be rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis. It also appears to be associated with autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus. In addition, fibromyalgia disorder is a risk factor for celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

Associated disorders

Most patients suffering from this condition have difficulty sleeping. Or they can only achieve restless sleep, which aggravates other symptoms. These patients also tend to experience everyday life through drowsiness and painful night cramps. At the same time, certain mood swings, depression and anxiety crises are also sometimes the consequences of fibromyalgia.

Diagnosis and suffering criteria

There are no concrete or definitive diagnostic criteria for detecting fibromyalgia. The diagnosis is usually due to an elimination process. In other words, all other possible ailments must be discarded as an option by the supervising physician to reach the diagnosis.

The lack of specific tests to detect fibromyalgia disorder prevents the diagnosis. Meanwhile, professionals continue to discuss whether fibromyalgia disorder is an actual disorder or a syndrome. Or it may be due to various symptoms.

To diagnose fibromyalgia, a patient must experience at least 11 of the 18 painful pressure points. These pains point to diagnosis because they are most common among patients with this disorder. General pain that lasts for at least 3 months is also another diagnostic criterion for the disorder.

However, the criteria are very sensitive and specific. For example, over 85% provide the opportunity to establish various diagnoses from other arthritis diseases. It is also important to mention that a high percentage of those affected do not receive a diagnosis due to the difficulties involved in the process.

Treatment

Nutritional therapy and weight loss strategies constitute one of today’s most effective treatments for the treatment of fibromyalgia. Gluten-free diets, for example, have been shown to be effective in treating the symptoms.

And in conjunction with drug therapies, various types of antidepressants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and muscle relaxants can treat fibromyalgia. In addition, there are positive results from transcranial magnetic stimulation as a treatment. This aims to reduce pain significantly. And it can lead to better health.