Fibromyalgia Symptoms
Fibromyalgia is a soft tissue and muscle affliction. Symptoms include chronic muscle pain, incapacitating fatigue, sleep problems, and painful spots on the body, or “trigger points.” It also includes depression; inability to concentrate or focus; social anxiety; deep, stabbing pains in the muscles; temporomandibular joint disorder; muscle twitching and burning; and shoulder, back, and hip pains. Many patients also experience abdominal pains; dryness of nose, mouth and eyes; chronic headaches; rheumatoid arthritis; lupus; hypersensitivity to hot or cold; inability to concentrate; incontinence; irritable bowel syndrome; numbness or tingling in hands and feet; and muscle stiffness.
Now with all those diverse symptoms, is it any wonder there are skeptics out there?
It is estimated that worldwide, there are 100 million sufferers, with about 12 million in the U.S., mostly women. FM strikes women at 10 times the rate of men. There is no cure for FM and no treatment except to alleviate symptoms of the disease or syndrome.
Known Risk Factors
Risk factors for FM seem to include gender – women bear the brunt of this illness -- genetic disposition, menopause and the loss of estrogen, poor physical conditioning, trauma to the brain or spinal cord, surgery, injuries from accidents, certain illnesses, and emotional stress.
Fibromyalgia -- Myriad Theories of Existence
Theories of why FM occurs are as diverse as the range of symptoms and risk factors. Genetics, hormonal disturbances and stress are three items put forth as the cause of FM. Most researchers think FM results from a combination of physical and emotional stressors. Theories abound. They include: