Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia (pronounced: fy-bro-my-AL-ja) is a long-term or chronic disorder. It's associated with widespread pain in the muscles and bones, areas of tenderness, and general fatigue.
Etymology
The term "Fibromyalgia" comes from three Latin words: "fibro" meaning fibrous tissues such as tendons and ligaments, "my" indicating muscles, and "algia" meaning pain.
Symptoms
Symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary widely. The defining symptoms are:
- Chronic pain: The pain associated with fibromyalgia often is described as a constant dull ache, typically arising from muscles.
- Fatigue: People with fibromyalgia often awaken tired, even though they report sleeping for long periods of time.
- Cognitive difficulties: A symptom commonly referred to as "fibro fog" impairs the ability to focus, pay attention and concentrate on mental tasks.
Causes
While the exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, it's thought to involve a variety of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors. It is believed that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain and spinal cord process painful and nonpainful signals.
Treatment
Treatment for fibromyalgia tries to ease some of your symptoms and improve quality of life, but there's currently no cure. Treatment tends to be a combination of:
- Medication: such as antidepressants and painkillers
- Talking therapies: such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
- Lifestyle changes: such as exercise programmes and relaxation techniques
Related Terms
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A disorder characterized by extreme fatigue that can't be explained by any underlying medical condition.
- Myofascial Pain Syndrome: A chronic pain disorder. In this syndrome, pressure on sensitive points in your muscles (trigger points) causes pain in the muscle and sometimes in seemingly unrelated parts of your body.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Fibromyalgia
- Wikipedia's article - Fibromyalgia
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