Not formally recognized until fairly recently fibromyalgia is a complex condition that is made up of a number of seemingly unrelated symptoms. For this reason is it important to gather as much information on fibromyalgia as possible to ensure that you are covering all the possible treatment options.
In the United States alone, estimates suggest that around 3% to 5% of the population is suffering from fibromyalgia (also shortened to ‘fibro’). There are more and more cases of fibromyalgia being reported, however the cause is as yet unknown.
The increase in diagnosis may be down to fibromyalgia being a late newcomer to disease classification. In previous years, manifestations of fibromyalgia cases were often misdiagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis, viral flu or simply put down to the effects of migraine.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic or long-term medical condition. It does not change the physiology of the body or lead to life-threatening problems. But the symptoms can be severe and progressive and often a source of fear and discomfort for many that have this ailment.
Causes and Symptoms
Although there has, and continues to be, numerous research efforts into better understanding fibromyalgia, its cause has still not been determined. That is because this disease is so complicated. Leading theories include fibromyalgia being the result of hereditary factors, while others look to nutritional and biological conditions that lead to the ailment.
Sleep disorders, once thought to be a symptom of fibromyalgia, may in fact be a cause. It has been well documented that fibromyalgia sufferers have difficulty sleeping and because of this don’t seem to get enough deep sleep. This is the part of the sleep cycle that allows the body time to heal and without it pain can increase.
Immune system abnormalities have also been highlighted as a possible cause. Either through having an over or under-active immune system that attacks healthy cells or doesn’t deal effectively with bad cells, allowing toxins to build up.
Symptoms of fibromyalgia include severe pains in the joints and in the musculoskeletal muscles and areas of the body, low to moderate fever, headaches, sleeplessness, depression and chronic fatigue. In the past, these symptoms were mistaken for other diseases, but now, doctors are more skilled in differentiating those ailments and diagnosing fibromyalgia.
Agreement about the most effective treatments has not been reached because doctors still don’t know what causes this disease, which makes treatment and prevention measures difficult to establish.
Each patient will be different and will require a different treatment approach. Also as symptoms can reduce or flare up in severity, treatments will need to be adjusted to suit the situation.
If you think you are suffering from fibromyalgia, the best action would be to immediately seek expert help. Although this is not a life-threatening disease, it can start to become all encompassing and interfere with other aspects of your life.
Keep reading for some useful tips and to sign up for the Fibromyalgia newsletter offering natural ways to overcome fibromyalgia symptoms.
When visiting your doctor try following these tips:
o Write down any questions you have so that you don’t forget to ask them.
o Read up on some of the fibromyalgia treatments available so you know what your doctor is talking about and also so you can make suggestions for them to consider.
o Keep the lines of communication open. Tell your doctor about any new symptoms or if a particular treatment is working. They will be able to help you better if they are kept informed.
In the near future, researchers will hopefully be able to determine the exact causes of fibromyalgia and therefore targeted treatments.
In the meantime, you’ll need to find all the information on fibromyalgia that you can to ensure you cope with your condition in the best way possible.
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Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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