What Is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a “musculoskeletal disorder” with extreme sensitization of central nervous system (connecting brain and spinal cord) which sends amplified pain signals to the body. People with Fibromyalgia have over sensitized central nervous system affecting all the senses of the body. Harsh light, loud sounds, eating spicy foods, inhaling heavy perfumes or vapors, or even a light touch of hand can be extremely painful. The pain is at its highest or severe upon waking in morning and gradually reduces as the day progresses.
People with Fibromyalgia not only feel pain for something that will not hurt others, but also feel amplified pain. A knock on the knee, which wouldn’t leave a bruise or scratch, can cause swelling, soreness and stiffness in a Fibromyalgic person. Fibromyalgia is not a localized pain condition such as back pain or joint pain, but is body-wide, with a heightened sense of pain and flu-like aching.
Fibromyalgia is an amplified perception of pain and sensitivity caused due to the imbalance of neurochemicals - messengers of central nervous system. When a body is injured, a neurochemical called “Substance P,” which transmits pain signals throughout the body, is released into the spinal cord. In persons with fibromyalgia, the neurochemical “Substance P” is produced in large quantities, and so the brain thinks that the body is in a greater pain than it actually is.
Fibromyalgia is not a disease, as it does not degenerate the body, but a syndrome - a collection of symptoms, which fail to satisfy the criteria of disease. The central nervous system becomes over sensitized in Fibromyalgic persons due to a phenomenon called “wind up” in which the FM person experiences a longer and greater pai...
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... and when pressed, are more painful than other points. The accompanying diagram shows the 18 tender points on the body.
Diagnosis of FM is extremely difficult as FM has many overlapping and common characteristics with various other diseases such as chronic fatigue syndrome, Myofacial Pain Syndrome, Arthritis, Lupus (an autoimmune disease in which antibodies attack skin, kidney and joints), Thyroid problems especially hypothyroidism, and Raynaud’s phenomenon (a condition in which fingers and toes are hyper sensitive to cold temperatures).
Diagnosis of FM is an important and vital step in mitigating the problem and wrong diagnosis (as it happens in many cases of FM) leads to wrong treatment, and the patient has to live his entire life with FM. So, the most important step is to find a good doctor who has experience in diagnosing and treating FM.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease affecting the myelination of the central nervous system, leading to numerous issues regarding muscle strength, coordination, balance, sensation, vision, and even some cognitive defects. Unfortunately, the etiology of MS is not known, however, it is generally thought of and accepted as being an autoimmune disorder inside of the central nervous system (Rietberg, et al. 2004). According to a study (Noonan, et al. 2010) on the prevalence of MS, the disease affects more than 1 million people across the world, and approximately 85% of those that are affected will suffer from unpredictably occurring sessions of exacerbations and remissions. The report (Noonan, et al. 2010) found that the prevalence of MS was much higher in women than in men, and that it was also higher in non-Hispanic whites than in other racial or ethnic groups throughout the 3 regions of the United States that were studied.
Even over the short course of my clinical experience thus far, various consultants have asked my colleagues and I about the pathophysiology of AF, the causes of AF and most have been asked to describe the rhythm of the pulse of AF. Hospital doctors do not have to look far to find a patient with the often symptom less disorder, and quiz medical students on it. A study conducted in Trinity College, Dublin by Finucane et al (2011) reported that 10.8% of Irish men over the age of 80 are living with AF2. They also reported prevalence across all age groups of 3.2%. AF is highly prevalent in Ireland today, and is set to become more prevalent in the country, in keeping with our agei...
The diagnosis for MG is often very difficult. Since there are many disorders that cause weakness, a number of tests may be used to determine a diagnosis of MG. In addition to a complete medical and neurological evaluation, a blood test for the abnormal antibodies can be completed to see if they are present. Three studies are used for the diagnosis of MG, anit-AchR antibody titers, the Tensilon test, and electromyography, including both the Jolly test and single fiber EMG. Used together, these three studies are almost 100% sensitive for Myasthenia Gravis.
In the United States 54 million people have a disability and only 15 percent were born with a disability (Jaeger & Bowman, 2005). If a person lives long enough, it is statistically likely that they will develop some kind of disability in their advancing years (Jaeger & Bowman, 2005). At some point in your life you could have experience a fractured bone, a minor cut, or had some type of surgery. Imagine after some minor injury that you may not even remember and then experiencing a constant pain so agonizing that no amount of pain medication can make you comfortable (Lang & Moskovitz, 2003). Some additional symptoms that you may also experience are severe burning pain, changes in bone and skin, excessive sweating, tissue swelling and extreme sensitivity to touch (Juris, 2005). These symptoms are associated with a disease that is called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) but more recently termed as complex regional pain syndrome, type 1 (CRPS 1) (Juris, 2005). For simplification purposes this disease will be referred to as RSD throughout this paper.
With MS, most people experience exacerbations, where symptoms get progressively worse, which are then “followed by periods of reduced or no symptoms,” indicative of remission (PubMed Health 2013). Though for many it is “common for the disease to return (relapse), […for some] the disease may continue to get worse without periods of remission” (PubMed Health 2013). Also, the severity of the disorder can be amplified by exposure to extreme heat in addit...
Because symptoms are wide - ranged and studies for treatment of FMS did not begin until the 1980's, it is one of the most popularly misdiagnosed conditions in the medical world. The main symptoms are widespread pain and fatigue as well as tender points on the body. The muscular pain often may feel like a pulled muscle and may burn or twitch. (Source 3)
Although there is no known cure for this condition despite the advent of science and technology, the good thing is that there are numerous options to offer relief for fibromyalgia patients. You must have heard about being dependent to certain types of medicines or those people who no longer respond to low dose analgesia. In this case, most patients look for natural remedies to avoid complications later on. Even top-notch medical specialists believe that the treatment and management for fibromyalgia should be a balanced and holistic approach that comes with complementary medicine, appropriate exercise and therapy.
... gastrointestinal tract, causing stomach cramps that are consistent. Sleep disturbances or lack of good sleep, usually caused by some form of sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome (RLS) that does not allow the body to completely relax and fall into an uninterrupted deep sleep. Temperature sensitivity, when it’s warm, it feels too hot for them or vise versa for cold or cooler weather. It affects Sensitivity to loud noises or bright lights, limiting their ability to be in a noisy environment like a restaurant or even drive a vehicle at night. Cognitive issues with thinking and memory, such as concentration or disorganized thinking. It also causes the inability to stay focused and cognitive recognition, such as seeing a pen on the counter but not being able to say the word pen. This is very common with fibromyalgia and is often called “fibro fog” (Huffington Post).
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, affecting more than 27 million Americans (LeMone, Burke, Bauldoff, 2011). It is caused when the cartilage in the joints breaks down, causing the bones of the joint to rub against one another. This causes pain, stiffness, and loss of motion in the joint. Osteoarthritis is most prevalent in those 65 and older, but can affect those of any age. In addition, African Americans and Hispanics report a higher incidence of arthritis than Caucasians (LeMone, Burke, Bauldoff, 2011). Although the cause is unknown, it is believed that the increasing age of the population, prevalence of obesity and injuries add to the progression of the condition. Osteoarthritis can affect any joint in the body; however, those of the hand, hip, and knee are often the most common. This condition may be asymptomatic, or may present symptoms including soreness, stiffness and pain. The symptoms are more common in the older population, those with limited activity levels, and those who are obese. Joint cartilage thins over time, causing an increased risk for symptoms in the elderly, and obesity puts extra pressure on the joints during activity. Osteoarthritis is commonly diagnosed with the use of a physical assessment along with results of radiology testing such as X-Ray and MRI.
Fibromyalgia, also known as fibromyalgia syndrome and fibromyositis, is a chronic pain disorder that affects people physically, socially, and mentally. It can affect any area of the body and affects multiple areas. This disorder is most common in women, but it can also affect men and children of all ethnic groups. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of twenty and fifty. People who have Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, or Spinal Arthritis have an increased risk of developing Fibromyalgia. This disorder cannot be transmitted from person to person.
Fibromyalgia is an extremely disabling condition associated with chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain and reduced pain thresholds (Wolfe et al., 2010)(Kelley et al., 2011). Observational studies have shown that over a 12 month period 25% of men and women surveyed over the age of 65 will consult a primary care physician for musculoskeletal pain (Jordan et al., 2010). Overall, between 46% and 80% of people over the age of 65 report experiencing pain on a daily basis and 15% of women and 10% of men over 50 report widespread musculoskeletal pain (Soldato et al., 2007; Thomas et al., 2004). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated in xxxx that fibromyalgia patients generated $6000 per patient per year in healthcare costs where as another recent study of administrative claims found that fibromyalgia healthcare costs may exceed $18,000 per patient annually (Wolfe et al., 1997). In a population study of ten chronic diseases, fibromyalgia was highest ranked for healthcare not received in the previous year and in long-term disability, pain, and poor self-rated health by survey participants (Kasman and Badley, 2004).
Korczyn, A. D. "Autonomic Nervous System Disturbances in Parkinson’s Disease." Advances in Neurology. Vol. 53, 1990, Pp., 463-468.
Considering the Beverly’s complaints, she has been undergoing through a season of stressful moments. She kept wondering why she couldn’t do the things she used to before. The doubt presented by her family members and her husband made her discouraged. This kept her depressed. She also engaged in hard activities that triggered other physical challenges that harbor the existence of Fibromyalgia and depression at the same time. Her daily activities forces her to take bed rest in order to fight the fatigue developed from the previous day’s hard labor. These are the major contributing factors to the condition affecting the
After meeting with our patient twice, I believe we have set into place a relationship where the patient is very open to us about her health. This is helpful for my partner and I as an open and honest patient is beneficial as we assist them in their health. Goals for next semester include reducing our patient’s blood sugar as well as reducing our patient’s fibromyalgia pain. Our patient has expressed to us that her glucose is high but she is ok with the high number as long as she is feeling relatively healthy. We hope to give practical ways to reduce blood sugar throughout next semester so hopefully we can reduce that number by semester’s end. Our patient is going to see her physician soon, so we hope to get an update on the patient’s fibromyalgia
Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis is a genetic disorder that is inherited by an autosomal recessive pattern. This means that both parents have a damaged NTRK1 gene, and they pass it on to their offspring. They themselves do not show any sign of CIPA, but this combination of the damaged genes activates it for their children and mutates eleven genes, which can lead to diseases. Since the NTRK1 gene is supposed to produce proteins needed for neurons (nerve cells) to develop and survive, but is damaged, it makes proteins that don’t transmit the signals (usually about temperature, pain, and touch).