Fibromyalgia Symptoms
Symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary greatly and be somewhat difficult to recognize, which is one reason why the condition is so hard to diagnose. If you find it difficult to describe your symptoms don't be surprised. Signs of fibromyalgia can hit all across the board and can appear very similar to signs and complaints of other illnesses. Many patients report vastly different symptoms fibromyalgia causes from one person to the next. Some people experience many problems, like pain, fatigue, aching joints and shooting pains, and other people only experience one very intense symptom, like an overwhelming exhaustion. It can be frustrating to not know the cause of your pain, fatigue or mental struggles.
At FMS Health Clinic, our medical specialists are experienced and expertly trained at recognizing symptoms of fibromyalgia in patients. While there is not blood test to diagnose the condition, there are a number of physical exams which can tell doctors about your FMS
The most common FMS symptoms include:
* Widespread pain in the body
* Anxiety
* Headaches
* Fatigue
* Irritable bowel syndrome
* Depression
* Tender Points
* Sleep disorders
* Problems with urination
* Painful menstrual periods
* Swelling or numbness in the body
* Tingling or pins and needles feeling in the skin
* Concentration or memory difficulties ("Fibro Fog")
* Morning stiffness
* Muscle twitches or spasms
Pain
Pain is the most common complaint associated with fibromyalgia is usually the tipping factor that causes patients to seek treatment. Most people complain about a widespread pain, which means it affects both sides of the body, above and below the waist. Patients describe the pain as feeling sharp, deep, throbbing, or aching originating in joints, muscles and tendons throughout the body. Some patients describe the pain as coming in waves, flaring up and then fading down without warning. The pain is described as very similar to arthritic pain, except that there is no actual deterioration or damage to the joints in an FMS patient.
Tender Points
Not only do patients suffer deep, general muscle pain and soreness, but they also get what are referred to as tender points. Tender points are specific spots on the skin, usually surrounding a joint, that is painful or tender when pressure is applied. The pain experienced at a tender point is not a deep, aching pain, but a shallow, superficial pain right below the skin. These points typically appear in a recognized pattern of 18 points in fibromyalgia patients and doctors can use tender points as a helpful way to diagnose fibromyalgia in a patient. Most experts consider anyone exhibiting pain in 11 or more tender points to have FMS. It should be noted that when tender points are pressed on a healthy person's skin, there is no reaction, but in a FMS patient, the pressure can be unbearably painful.
Fatigue
Next to deep tissue pain and localized tender points, fatigue is the other biggest complaint from patients. This kind of fatigue can be a severe exhaustion when there hasn't been any activity or noticeable cause to warrant feeling tired. Some patients report sleeping well for 8 hours and wake up with no energy for the rest of the day. The feeling can be lingering for days or for weeks, and can feel similar to aching tiredness caused by the flu. Fatigue can make you feel too tired to work, do everyday activities, and even too tired to participate in activities that you usually love.
Track your symptoms
Because there is such a wide variation of symptoms experienced in fibromyalgia patients, the more information you can give your doctors about your affliction, the better treatment they can provide you with. At the FMS Health Clinic, we recommend patients to keep a symptoms journal to note what kind of ailments they experience, the intensity, and the duration of each one. For example, describing the location of the pain (hands, arms, joints, muscles), what it feels like (sharp, dull, throbbing, aching), the intensity (mild, severe, unbearable) and how long the episode lasts (minutes, hours, days). Providing your doctor with the most accurate descriptions can greatly increase the accuracy of treatment and relief.
Symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary greatly and be somewhat difficult to recognize, which is one reason why the condition is so hard to diagnose. If you find it difficult to describe your symptoms don't be surprised. Signs of fibromyalgia can hit all across the board and can appear very similar to signs and complaints of other illnesses. Many patients report vastly different symptoms fibromyalgia causes from one person to the next. Some people experience many problems, like pain, fatigue, aching joints and shooting pains, and other people only experience one very intense symptom, like an overwhelming exhaustion. It can be frustrating to not know the cause of your pain, fatigue or mental struggles.
At FMS Health Clinic, our medical specialists are experienced and expertly trained at recognizing symptoms of fibromyalgia in patients. While there is not blood test to diagnose the condition, there are a number of physical exams which can tell doctors about your FMS
The most common FMS symptoms include:
* Widespread pain in the body
* Anxiety
* Headaches
* Fatigue
* Irritable bowel syndrome
* Depression
* Tender Points
* Sleep disorders
* Problems with urination
* Painful menstrual periods
* Swelling or numbness in the body
* Tingling or pins and needles feeling in the skin
* Concentration or memory difficulties ("Fibro Fog")
* Morning stiffness
* Muscle twitches or spasms
Pain
Pain is the most common complaint associated with fibromyalgia is usually the tipping factor that causes patients to seek treatment. Most people complain about a widespread pain, which means it affects both sides of the body, above and below the waist. Patients describe the pain as feeling sharp, deep, throbbing, or aching originating in joints, muscles and tendons throughout the body. Some patients describe the pain as coming in waves, flaring up and then fading down without warning. The pain is described as very similar to arthritic pain, except that there is no actual deterioration or damage to the joints in an FMS patient.
Tender Points
Not only do patients suffer deep, general muscle pain and soreness, but they also get what are referred to as tender points. Tender points are specific spots on the skin, usually surrounding a joint, that is painful or tender when pressure is applied. The pain experienced at a tender point is not a deep, aching pain, but a shallow, superficial pain right below the skin. These points typically appear in a recognized pattern of 18 points in fibromyalgia patients and doctors can use tender points as a helpful way to diagnose fibromyalgia in a patient. Most experts consider anyone exhibiting pain in 11 or more tender points to have FMS. It should be noted that when tender points are pressed on a healthy person's skin, there is no reaction, but in a FMS patient, the pressure can be unbearably painful.
Fatigue
Next to deep tissue pain and localized tender points, fatigue is the other biggest complaint from patients. This kind of fatigue can be a severe exhaustion when there hasn't been any activity or noticeable cause to warrant feeling tired. Some patients report sleeping well for 8 hours and wake up with no energy for the rest of the day. The feeling can be lingering for days or for weeks, and can feel similar to aching tiredness caused by the flu. Fatigue can make you feel too tired to work, do everyday activities, and even too tired to participate in activities that you usually love.
Track your symptoms
Because there is such a wide variation of symptoms experienced in fibromyalgia patients, the more information you can give your doctors about your affliction, the better treatment they can provide you with. At the FMS Health Clinic, we recommend patients to keep a symptoms journal to note what kind of ailments they experience, the intensity, and the duration of each one. For example, describing the location of the pain (hands, arms, joints, muscles), what it feels like (sharp, dull, throbbing, aching), the intensity (mild, severe, unbearable) and how long the episode lasts (minutes, hours, days). Providing your doctor with the most accurate descriptions can greatly increase the accuracy of treatment and relief.
