What Is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a musculoskeletal pain and fatigue disorder. There are no X-Rays or blood tests available to determine whether you have this. Thus, it is not called a disease but is either a syndrome or a disorder.

The diagnostic critiera, established in 1990, rely on the history of symptoms and the presence of widespread pain over time AND 11 out of 18 tender points at specfic sites.

FMS or Fibromyalgia Syndrome can be the primary illness or FMS can be a secondary illness, A secondary illness means that you developed the symptoms of FMS when you had another condition like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis,etc.

Major Symptoms:

• Widespread Pain - Usually described as having flu-like "aches and pain all over." This occurs throughout the body and can be felt in different areas of the body at different times of the day. Stress, the weather, doing too much or even too little activity can intensify the pain causing a"flare" , a period of intense pain and discomfort.

• Fatigue - Some experience this more than others. Agsin, it is like the exhaustion that cimes with a bad case of the flu. Any effort results in feelings of weakness.

• Morning Stiffness - Especially after a night's sleep, morning stiffness can vary from 15 minutes to an hour or more. Often, sitting in one position for as short a time as a half hourcan result in severe stiffness.

• Non-restorative Sleep - no matter how long a night's sleep, one wakes up feeling sore and more tired as if one hasn't slept at all.