Fibromyalgia: Symptoms, Causes, Risk Factor, Diagnosis and Treatment

Fibromyalgia is a condition or disorder which are characterized by pains in the muscle, bone, area of tenderness. Other symptoms of it are lack of sleep, fatigue change of mood e.t.c. According to experts on the field, these symptoms are considered subjective (they can't be determined or measured by tests) while in often times, Fibromyalgia are confused with those of other diseases such as arthritis or joint inflammation.

What is it Symptoms?

The symptoms of Fibromyalgia ranges from widespread pain to sleeping problems, to pain in the muscles. Other common symptoms include:

• Fatigue
• Trouble sleeping 
• Sleeping for a long period of time and still not rested
• Headaches
• Depression 
• Anxiety 
• Difficulties paying attention 
• Pain in the lower abdomen 
• Irregular bowel syndrome 
• Sensitivity to cold or heart

Symptoms of Fibromyalgia are the result of the nerves and brain misinterpreting or overreacting to normal pains signal

What causes Fibromyalgia?

The precise cause of Fibromyalgia is unclear. But it is of the believe that Fibromyalgia is as a result of varieties of factors working together such as;

• Infections: an illness that may trigger Fibromyalgia.
• Genetics: There is the high tendency of developing Fibromyalgia if it runs in the family 
• Stress and traumatic events such as child abuse, a car accident  can also trigger Fibromyalgia

What are the risk factors for fibromyalgia

According to the CDC, the known risk factors include;

• Age: Fibromyalgia can affect people of all ages, including children. However, most people are diagnosed during middle age and you are more likely to have fibromyalgia as you get older.
• Lupus or Rheumatoid Arthritis: If you have lupus or rheumatoid arthritis (RA), you are more likely to develop fibromyalgia. 

Some other factors have been weakly associated with the onset of fibromyalgia, but more research is needed to see if they are real. These possible risk factors include:

•    Sex: Women are twice as likely to have fibromyalgia than men.
•    Stressful or traumatic events, such as car accidents, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
•    Repetitive injuries: Injury from repetitive stress on a joint, such as frequent knee bending.
•    Illness (such as viral infections).
•    Family history.
•    Obesity.

What is the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is difficult to diagnose due to the difficulty of identifying the cause of Fibromyalgia. There isn't any lab test that can be used in detecting Fibromyalgia, but blood testing may be used to help rule out other potential causes of chronic pain.

What is the treatment of Fibromyalgia

The common treatment/medication of Fibromyalgia include Pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil), acetaminophen (Tylenol), Antidepressants such as duloxetine (Cymbalta) and milnacipran (Savella). Other natural ways of treating Fibromyalgia include; Physical therapy, Acupuncture, Meditation, Yoga, Regular Exercise, Massage Therapy, A Balanced and Healthy diet.