...Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as fatigue and multiple tender points — places on your body where slight pressure causes pain. Fibromyalgia is more common in women than in men. Previously, fibromyalgia was known by other names such as fibrositis, chronic muscle pain syndrome, psychogenic rheumatism and tension myalgias. Although the intensity of your symptoms may vary, they'll probably never disappear completely. It may be reassuring to know, however, that fibromyalgia isn't progressive or life-threatening. Treatments and self-care steps can improve fibromyalgia symptoms and your general health. Signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary, depending on the weather, stress, physical activity or even the time of day. Common signs and symptoms include: • Widespread pain. Fibromyalgia is characterized by pain in specific areas of your body when pressure is applied, including the back of your head, upper back and neck, upper chest, elbows, hips and knees. The pain generally persists for months at a time and is often accompanied by stiffness. • Fatigue and sleep disturbances. People with fibromyalgia often wake up tired and unrefreshed even though they seem to get plenty of sleep. Some studies suggest that this sleep problem is the result of a sleep disorder called alpha wave interrupted sleep pattern, a condition in which deep sleep is frequently interrupted by bursts of brain activity similar...
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...Introduction It is approximated that 3 to 17 million Americans [have] fibromyalgia.(New Harvard Guide to Women's Health, 2004). Fibromyalgia is a debilitating disease that attacks people of every age, race, and gender. It is a disease that may develop out of nowhere, or be brought on by a stressful event. With it comes pain, both physically and psychologically. There is hope though as there are several ways to try and alleviate the pain, or reduce the symptoms. Medications are available, and of course there is always hope for a cure. This disease does not only affect those afflicted, but their families and loved ones too. Cause Fibromyalgia can manifest in a person for many different reasons. One of the major causes of the disease is stress. It can be from simple everyday stresses, like working a tough job, or worrying about how to make ends meet. Other stresses are more physical, such as car crashes or childbirth, both of which put immense strain on the physical body. Another cause is Post- Traumatic Stress disorder. Post-Traumatic Stress can be the result of horrible events, such as war or abusive childhoods. In other cases the disease can simply manifest one day out of the blue (Fibromyalgia & Chronic Myofascial Syndrome, 1996). It is a disease that can hit any gender, but about 80% of known cases are women in their fifties (New Harvard Guide to Women's Health, 2004). Symptoms Many cases of Fibromyalgia are undocumented, mainly because some people don’t even know they have...
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...Fibromyalgia Jamie A Cothran Mod 04 writing assignement Fibromyalgia: The Pathophysiology Abstract The mystery surrounding fibromyalgia has been long and tedious. At first neurology did not want to claim it saying it was a psychiatric problem, then psychiatric said no the pain of the disease gives you depression and anxiety , and they pushed it off to musculoskeletal system. Where ever it starts, for the patient, the pain is real, it’s their perception. It’s not up to us to judge, but up to us to help ease the pain, and hopefully one day find a cure. But first we must understand how it manifests. With no concrete scientific evidence and only theories to date, we can at least see ways to help ease the pain; therapies to help make the patients more active and have a better quality of life. Fibromyalgia: The Pathophysiology Much debate of Fibromyalgia has existed since the first diagnosis. Some people are lead to believe that it replaced Chronic Pain Syndrome and/or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Did it, we will examine that here. Depending on who you talk to Fibromyalgia exists, Endocrinology says no and Neurology says yes. Who’s right, which is what we will find out? What we do know; “Fibromyalgia is a chronic musculoskeletal syndrome characterized by widespread joint and muscle pain, fatigue, and tender points” (McCance RN & Huether RN, 2010, p. 1606). If that is Fibromyalgia does that not describe Chronic Pain Syndrome? Well yes and no, Chronic...
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...Fibromyalgia [pic] Exercise for Special Populations February 17, 2012 Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is a debilitating neurological disorder characterized by chronic widespread pain and fatigue. It affects approximately 2% of the population, and is more common in women than in men. Central nervous system sensitization affects the entire body, leading to many secondary symptoms. This paper will cover the history, symptoms, and causes of FMS as well as known treatments and exercise prescription for the syndrome. Fibromyalgia has been described as a full-body migraine. Another common explanation is to compare everyday life with FMS as being similar to the aches and pains associated with a severe case of the flu. FMS patients experience intermittent flares, which are episodes of increased symptoms. Flares usually occur in response to physical or emotional stress, a schedule change, an illness or injury, a new job, the birth of a child, etc. While fibromyalgia is not considered a degenerative disorder, its symptoms usually become more severe if the patient also has a degenerative disorder such as arthritis. First, a patient must have experienced continuous pain in all four quadrants of the body for at least three months (Wolfe et al., 1990). Doctors will usually order many tests in order to rule out other conditions that might be confused with fibromyalgia. The key diagnostic tool for FMS is the tender point exam. No more than...
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...“Fibromyalgia is a disorder of unknown etiology characterized by chronic widespread pain, abnormal pain processing, sleep disturbance, fatigue and often psychological distress” (Pain Physician, 2011). The central symptom of fibromyalgia, namely widespread pain appears to result from neuro-chemical imbalances including activation of inflammatory pathways in the brain which results in abnormalities in pain processing (Sept, 2011). The brains of fibromyalgia patients show functional and structural differences from those of healthy individuals, but it is unclear whether the brain anomalies cause fibromyalgia symptoms or are the product of an unknown underlying common cause. Some research suggests that these brain anomalies may be the result of childhood stress, or prolonged or severe stress (October 2008). Fibromyalgia (also known as FM or FMS) is estimated to affect 2-4 % of the population (October 2007) with a female to male incidence ratio of approximately 9:1 (2009). The pain associated with fibromyalgia is described as a constant dull ache, typically arising from muscles. FM is characterized by additional pain when firm pressure in applied to specific areas of your body. These are called tender points and include the back of the head, between shoulder blades, top of shoulders, front sides of neck, upper chest, outer elbows, upper hips, sides of hips, and inner knees. In order to be diagnosed you must have 11 out of the 18 total tender points. Not all Fibromyalgia patients are...
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...Fibromyalgia is a common and potentially disabling condition predominantly affectinhg young to middle-aged women.1 Fibromyalgia has a varied and fluctuating clinical spectrum. The symptoms of Fibromyalgia are musculoskeletal pain and tenderness, sleep issues and significant levels of fatigue. The other key symptoms include cognitive disturbances, particularly problems with concentration, memory, and high distress levels.2 Fibromyalgia can be considered part of a group of clinical syndromes, including chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple chemical sensitivities and irritable bowel syndrome, whose clinical features reflect similar pathophysiological processes – termed by some as ‘central sensitivity syndromes’.3 These different diagnoses are used depending on the predominant clinical features. For example, patients with fatigue as their most severe symptom may receive a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome. Fibromyalgia has been thought to be caused by the development of changes in the central nervous system (CNS)4,5 that alter the processing of afferent sensory input, and can be grouped together under the term ‘central sensitisation’.6 Central sensitisation changes are often triggered by long-standing psychological or physical stress.7 These changes result in the intensity of usually non-painful stimuli being amplified and experienced as painful. Other effects include abnormality in the sleep cycle, where patients are unable to achieve deep, restorative, stage IV non-REM...
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...Fibromyalgia: The Pathophysiology Abstract The mystery surrounding fibromyalgia has been long and tedious. At first neurology did not want to claim it saying it was a psychiatric problem, then psychiatric said no the pain of the disease gives you depression and anxiety , and they pushed it off to musculoskeletal system. Where ever it starts, for the patient, the pain is real, it’s their perception. It’s not up to us to judge, but up to us to help ease the pain, and hopefully one day find a cure. But first we must understand how it manifests. With no concrete scientific evidence and only theories to date, we can at least see ways to help ease the pain; therapies to help make the patients more active and have a better quality of life. Fibromyalgia: The Pathophysiology Much debate of Fibromyalgia has existed since the first diagnosis. Some people are lead to believe that it replaced Chronic Pain Syndrome and/or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Did it, we will examine that here. Depending on who you talk to Fibromyalgia exists, Endocrinology says no and Neurology says yes. Who’s right, which is what we will find out? What we do know; “Fibromyalgia is a chronic musculoskeletal syndrome characterized by widespread joint and muscle pain, fatigue, and tender points” (McCance RN & Huether RN, 2010, p. 1606). If that is Fibromyalgia does that not describe Chronic Pain Syndrome? Well yes and no, Chronic Pain Syndrome usually stays, is always with you all the time, whereas Fibromyalgia...
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...3 How Body Systems are Affected Symptomatically by Fibromyalgia Symptoms and their occurrence may vary from person to person. Symptoms can cause problems in both work and social settings. Symptoms impact the central nervous system (CNS), the musculoskeletal system, the respiratory system, and the digestive system. Nervous System Symptoms of Fibromyalgia • Brain fog, or fibro fog, occurs mainly in women (88.89 percent of female patients) and after the age of 40. Fibro fog is more frequently seen in patients after age 50. The symptoms are moderate but negatively affects the quality of life and can include: o Mental malaise; o Mental confusion and forgetfulness; o Problems with concentration and attention caused by a lack of sleep; o Impaired...
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...The Symptoms of Fibromyalgia The Symptoms of Fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that usually causes pain throughout the body in connective tissues, or the muscles, tendons and ligaments. These fibrous tissues result in the “fibro” prefix, and “myalgia”refers to muscle pain. Unfortunately, the exact causes of the condition are not completely known, and some physicians consider fibromyalgia to be a disease of the nervous system and brain instead of the soft tissues. Regardless of cause, fibromyalgia causes real symptoms and pain for the 8 percent of the population that it affects by the age of 70. About 5 million people in the United States currently suffer from this disorder. The Most Common Fibromyalgia Symptoms The core symptoms of fibromyalgia in unrelenting, chronic pain that often grows worse with stress, increased physical activity and other environmental stimuli. These pain accelerators might include bright lights, heat or cold, loud noises and other intrusive incitements. The pain can present in various ways because people often experience their symptoms differently. Your pain might feel similar to the following descriptions: Deep pain in the legs, arms, shoulders and back Aching pain...
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...Alex Bramham Task 8.1b – Disorders and Dysfunctions of the Musculoskeletal System Fibromyalgia: Introduction: Fibromyalgia (FMS) is a long lasting syndrome/condition that causes pain everywhere on the body. Symptoms people with fibromyalgia may also experience consist of: • A lowered pain threshold • Fatigue/excessive tiredness • Stiff muscles • Problems with sleeping • Issues with memory and concentration • Frequent headaches • IBS also known as irritable bowel syndrome What Causes Fibromyalgia: It’s not clear what causes people to develop fibromyalgia. There are a few factors that can contribute towards it including; having a stressful incident, including physical stress or psychological stress, a chemical imbalance, genetics and viral infections....
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...How Acupuncture Is Beneficial In Reducing Fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia affects nearly 5 million Americans, particularly women. This disorder is described by diffuse tenderness and widespread pain. Even though there would not be cure, tailored acupuncture may offer some welcome respite as per a new study. Though very hard to categorize, fibromyalgia seems to be a rheumatic condition as it will impair soft tissues as well as joints by causing pain. Along with it, fibromyalgia carries many other life-disrupting symptoms varying from one individual to other. Some of these symptoms include headaches, stiffness, irritable bowel syndrome and also sensitivity to sounds, temperature and bright lights as well. The accurate cause of fibromyalgia is not well understood, but hypothesized culprits include stressful or traumatic life events along with repetitive injuries. There may also be connections to several other diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Some researchers even believe that there would be a genetic element at work. As there would not be any...
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...Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is a musculoskeletal illness (which causes chronic pain) and a chronic Fatigue disorder. It can also change sleep patterns and cause the following: digestive disorders, chronic headaches, painful menstrual periods, temperature sensitivity, morning stiffness, numbness or tingling of extremities, and even cognitive memory problems. The name fibromyalgia comes from "fibro" in Latin meaning tissue, "my" in Greek meaning muscle, and "algia" meaning pain. 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. This syndrome is diagnosed with a history of at least three months of widespread pain and tenderness in eleven to eighteen of tender-point sites. These points include: the neck, the shoulders, the chest, the rib cage, the lower back, the thighs, the knees, the arms (mainly the elbows), and the buttocks. The pain in these areas is defined as an overwhelming characteristic of FIBROMYALGIA and is long standing. Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic and debilitating disease that in the U.S.A. has been estimated to affect as many as 5 million individuals, mainly women in a ratio of 3:1.1. Patients with FM are characterized by the presence...
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...Fibromyalgia (FM) is a complex chronic pain disorder that causes widespread pain and tenderness to touch that may occur body wide or migrate over the body. The pain itself waxes and wanes over time. Fibromyalgia affects people physically, mentally and socially. Approximately 10 million Americans have FM with a ratio of about 8 to 2, women over men. It occurs in people of all ages, including children. Healthcare providers diagnose FM based on a combination of relevant symptoms, including fatigue, tenderness, functionality, and overall well-being. Additional common symptoms may include depression or anxiety, migraines, tension headaches, pelvic pain, irritable or overactive bladder, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), TMJD (including tinnitus),...
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...Susan L. Keeno MBA504 JIU Dr. Laura Pogue April 5, 2014 Introduction Hello everyone, my name is Susan L. Keeno; I have two young adults a girl and boy. I currently live in Darlington, South Carolina born and raise, for the past four years I lived in Warner Robins, Georgia, and just recently moved back home after the death of my mother. I lost my husband on December 23, 2011, from a long time illness. I have my Associates of Science in Business Administration Degree, and just recently gotten my Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Degree, and also my Master’s in Marketing and Business Administration. Hopefully, I will soon be able to open my own Gym for Patients with Fibromyalgia. I am disabled as well, I have Fibromyalgia, along with Lupus with some other chronic pain disorders I do not care to mention, but I’m maintaining my life just fine. I have accomplished a lot for myself and still plan to accomplish a lot more. This is my main reason why I want to open this Gym in order to help disabled individuals cope with their life style and deal with their pain a whole lot better. Being that, I’ve experience this first hand it would really help many others to deal with their illnesses a whole lot better. My daughter is 24; her name is Tempestt S. Gavins has graduated from Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina, she is presently teaching English in China for one year with plans to continue to her education there...
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...Fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia has been shown to be genetic. It frequently becomes evident after stressful events. The stressful events may be emotional (such as a traumatic life event), physical (such as a motor-vehicle accident), or medical (such as certain infections). The chronic pain of rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and other autoimmune diseases can trigger the development of fibromyalgia. The manner in which the brain and spinal cord process pain sensations is abnormal in fibromyalgia. The threshold at which stimuli cause pain or discomfort has been proven to be lower in fibromyalgia. The pain felt is more intense because the pain is amplified by the abnormalities in the central nervous system and in pain processing. Because of this, things that are not normally painful may be painful for someone with fibromyalgia. In addition, fibromyalgia causes the pain from any given cause to be worse. For example, a patient with fibromyalgia may find a massage painful instead of pleasant. In addition, back pain that someone without fibromyalgia experiences as moderate may be experienced as severe by someone with fibromyalgia, because the pain is amplified by abnormalities in pain processing by the central nervous system. Syndrome The defining feature of fibromyalgia is chronic widespread pain. This means pain in multiple areas of the body, most commonly in muscles, tendons, and joints. The pain is generally above and below the waist, on the left side of the...
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