Fibromyalgia is a health condition in which people experience musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. It amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain and spinal cord process painful and nonpainful signals. The symptoms of this condition begin after an event, such as physical trauma, surgery, infection or significant psychological stress. The symptoms gradually accumulate over time with no single triggering event. Women are more likely to develop fibromyalgia than are men. Many people who have fibromyalgia also have tension headaches, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety and depression.
Fibromyalgia often co-exists with other conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, migraine and other types of headaches, interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome, temporomandibular joint disorders, anxiety, depression, and postural tachycardia syndrome. While there is no cure for This condition, a variety of medications can help control symptoms. Exercise, relaxation and stress-reduction measures also may help.
It is believed that repeated nerve stimulation causes the brain and spinal cord of people with fibromyalgia to change. This change involves an abnormal increase in levels of certain chemicals in the brain that signal pain. The brain’s pain receptors seem to develop a sort of memory of the pain so that they can overreact to painful and nonpainful signals. The changes can be influenced by genetics, infections, and physical and emotional events.
To be diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, one has to experience in at least four of these five areas; Left upper region, Right upper region, Left lower region, Right lower region, and Axial region. Treatments for fibromyalgia include both medication and self-care strategies. Examples of medications that are effective for managing the symptoms include pain relievers, antidepressants and anti-seizure drugs. The therapies include physical therapy, occupational therapy, and counseling. Harvard style