Fibromyalgia
Monday, June 30th, 2008Fibromyalgia is a condition that results in severe muscle pain. It affects soft tissues and connecting tissues and results in pain at various points of the body. People with fibromyalgia have trouble sleeping and this is often a cause of the condition. Due to lack of sleep, fibromyalgia sufferers are unable to get the rest required fro the body to repair and rejuvenate itself. Currently there is no known cure for fibromyalgia.
Symptoms of Fibromyalgia
The main symptom associated with fibromyalgia is pain in the muscles. This can also carry on to pains in the face, chest and abdomen. Patients may also experience skin tingling, menstrual pain and nerve pain. Other non-pain symptoms include mood changes, dry skin, eyes and mouth, dizziness, irritable bowel, memory problems and several other symptoms.
Treatment of Fibromyalgia
Although there is no cure for fibromyalgia, there are relief measures that sufferers can take. Some people have seen good results with analgesics. Others use muscle relaxants or even anti-depressants as relief from the symptoms. It is important to note that all of these treatments are used to relieve symptoms rather than cure the illness.
It is vital that fibromyalgia patients get a good nights sleep. The sleeping environment needs to be attended to as a priority in the treatment of fibromyalgia as it is lack of sleep that is the major cause of the symptoms.
Ensure that the room you are sleeping in has some air flow and the temperature is comfortable. There should be no noises or light coming into the room at night time. This includes alarm clock lights and other small LED lights; all should be switched off at the mains. The patient must also have a very comfortable mattress and pillows. All of these measures may seem extreme, but they have the potential to help the symptoms of fibromyalgia if enough rest is achieved each night.
Fibromyalgia more commonly affects women with less then 20% of sufferers being men. The reason for this is unknown. Diagnosis of fibromyalgia is difficult as the symptoms are similar to many other disorders and there are no tests that can decide whether the patient has fibromyalgia. Generally a doctor will determine fibromyalgia when up to 18 points of tenderness on the body are confirmed after the patient has complained of a history of pain.
Scientists are constantly working on a cure for fibromyalgia but until then, patients should stick to a very healthy diet and do all they can to sleep well every night in order to let the body recover.