Fibromyalgia is a condition that is not well understood yet but does manifest with multiple pains in the body. There is no known cause for fibromyalgia. It is commonly diagnosed in female patients. The common symptoms include:
- Tender spots throughout body
- Pain in muscles and soft tissues
- Difficulty thinking clearly
- Headaches
- Flu like symptoms
- Morning stiffness
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Depression and anxiety
- Bladder pain or urinary frequency or urgency
- Menstrual pains
- Problems with the jaw
There is no particular test for fibromyalgia, however new blood tests have arrived but their accuracy is not very high. For this reason, most diagnoses are based on symptoms and ruling out other conditions. This may involve a series of imaging and labs.
There also is not a well known treatment for fibromyalgia. The symptoms of fibromyalgia may come and go and they certainly may never go away completely. However, keeping a positive attitude with fibromyalgia is part of the treatment. Be open to trying. Your healthcare provider may try a series of medications that will help with mood and pain. In addition, physical therapy, exercise, and behavioral counselling will be encouraged. Please speak to a healthcare provider today to determine if your symptoms possibly fall in line with fibromyalgia.