Fibromyalgia Symptoms - Often Confused As Flu
Fibromyalgia afflicts approximately 5% of the population. The majority of these are women. Fibromyalgia is a syndrome. The most common Fibromyalgia symptoms and diagnostic tool are the widespread pain. The pain associated with fibromyalgia can range in intensity from mild to severe. The severe end of the spectrum can be debilitating and disabling. In its milder forms, fibromyalgia is similar to the flu. The muscles and other soft tissues of the body just ache constantly.
Although pain is the main symptom of fibromyalgia, it is by no means the only symptom. Fibromyalgia, like other chronic pain syndromes, has a variety of symptoms associated with it. The first of these is fatigue. People afflicted with fibromyalgia often feel tired all the time. Upon waking from a night's sleep, they do not feel rested. Sleep is the body's way of regenerating. However, if the sleep is disturbed too often and the body is never allowed to enter into the deep restorative stage, then fatigue is inevitable.
People with fibromyalgia also suffer from chronic headaches. These headaches come in two main forms, but a person with fibromyalgia can also suffer from a combination of the two. The first type, called tension headaches, is caused by the continuous contractions of the muscles in the neck, upper back, shoulders and jaw. These contractions cause the muscles to tense. The tension leads to pain beginning in the neck and spreading to the temples. The other type, migraines, is caused by the constriction of the blood vessels. Stress and anxiety causes the blood vessels to slow circulation to the brain. Then, suddenly, the vessels dilate again which causes the pain.
A less common, but extremely frightening symptom of fibromyalgia is called costochondritis. Costochondritis is the inflammation of the seven bits of cartilage between the sternum and the rib cage. This inflammation is often accompanied by sharp chest pains that mimic cardiac problems such as a heart attack or stroke. The pain can cause anxiety which contributes to the fear of a heart attack.
Constochondritis can last for months and chronic conditions are not unusual for fibromyalgia patients. - 17268
Although pain is the main symptom of fibromyalgia, it is by no means the only symptom. Fibromyalgia, like other chronic pain syndromes, has a variety of symptoms associated with it. The first of these is fatigue. People afflicted with fibromyalgia often feel tired all the time. Upon waking from a night's sleep, they do not feel rested. Sleep is the body's way of regenerating. However, if the sleep is disturbed too often and the body is never allowed to enter into the deep restorative stage, then fatigue is inevitable.
People with fibromyalgia also suffer from chronic headaches. These headaches come in two main forms, but a person with fibromyalgia can also suffer from a combination of the two. The first type, called tension headaches, is caused by the continuous contractions of the muscles in the neck, upper back, shoulders and jaw. These contractions cause the muscles to tense. The tension leads to pain beginning in the neck and spreading to the temples. The other type, migraines, is caused by the constriction of the blood vessels. Stress and anxiety causes the blood vessels to slow circulation to the brain. Then, suddenly, the vessels dilate again which causes the pain.
A less common, but extremely frightening symptom of fibromyalgia is called costochondritis. Costochondritis is the inflammation of the seven bits of cartilage between the sternum and the rib cage. This inflammation is often accompanied by sharp chest pains that mimic cardiac problems such as a heart attack or stroke. The pain can cause anxiety which contributes to the fear of a heart attack.
Constochondritis can last for months and chronic conditions are not unusual for fibromyalgia patients. - 17268
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