What is Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals.
There doesn’t seem to be a set of rules that fibromyalgia follows either. Some patients will have pain in some areas of their body while others will not have pain in that part of the body. The pain can be chronic at times and often occurs at night, interrupting sleep for those that suffer from this disorder.
Not only are there muscular pain issues, but often gastrointestinal issues like constipation, nausea, or passing excessive amounts of gas affect those that have this disorder.
Many also experience anxiety, mood swings, depression, nervousness, forgetfulness, and lack of concentration along with some sensory issues like pins and needles and sensations of coldness. The interruption of sleep for most is the biggest issue along with the pain.
There is no known cure, so those that suffer, end up treating their symptoms with a host of medications that all have their own long list of side effects, which may be worse that the issue they are trying to fix.
Me, I can’t often differentiate between some of the Fibro and RA issues that I have. I know that my hands and feet aching like being squeezed in a vice is my Fibro. I’m sure some of the fog is fibro and the nausea is from the fibro. Some days my issues are attributed to “Rheumatoid Fibro Arthritis”.
