Fibromyalgia: symptoms, causes and treatment

Definition

What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a muscoceletal disorder characterized by aches and pains all over the body. In addition, it is often accompanied by fatigue, drowsiness, memory problems, and mood swings. This disorder affects the brain in processing pain in the body.

Symptoms generally appear after physical trauma, surgery, infection, or psychological stress. However, in some cases, symptoms can appear gradually without a specific event or condition triggering it.

This condition lasts for a long time (chronic) and can affect the daily activities of the sufferer. Often the symptoms are mistaken for another disease, making fibromyalgia quite difficult to diagnose.

In addition, sufferers of this condition are also at risk of experiencing complications such as tension headaches (tension headache), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), temporomandibular joint syndrome, and depression.

How common is this condition?

Fibromyalgia is a fairly common health condition. It is estimated that 1 in 25 people experience this condition with some degree of severity.

This condition can occur in patients of any age. However, most cases are found in patients aged between 30 and 50 years. However, it is possible that children and the elderly can also experience it.

In addition, the incidence of this disease is higher in female patients than in men. About 80-90% of sufferers of this disease are women.

Fibromyalgia is a condition that can be treated by controlling the existing risk factors. To find out more information about this disease, you can consult a doctor.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia signs and symptoms may vary from person to person. However, the most important symptom is diffuse pain. These are common signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia, including:

1. Pain that spreads

One of the most common symptoms experienced by people with fibromyalgia is muscle pain that extends all over the body. Generally, the pain is most felt in certain areas, such as the back or neck.

The pain is usually continuous, although sometimes it gets better or gets worse. The pain that feels is usually a burning or aching sensation like being stabbed.

2. Fatigue and disturbed sleep quality

Fatigue is another symptom of fibromyalgia that is quite common. Even if you've slept for a long time, you will still feel tired. Not infrequently, sleep is also often disturbed because the body feels sick and uncomfortable.

3. Headache

In addition to fatigue and muscle cramps and stiffness, you may experience frequent headaches, ranging from mild to severe. Sometimes, these headaches are also accompanied by nausea and want to vomit.

4. Cognitive disorders

Fibromylagia can also be characterized by cognitive impairment, which is a condition related to your mental work. For example, you may become unable to concentrate and have difficulty absorbing information.

If you have this condition, you may have difficulty remembering or learning new things. In addition, the ability to focus and communicate may decrease.

There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

When to see a doctor?

Pain and lack of sleep can interfere with your productivity at home and at work. Many people experience headaches, depression, and anxiety, as well as stomach cramps.

You should call your doctor immediately if you have chronic muscle pain and excessive fatigue, and if these symptoms are enough to interfere with your daily activities.

Each sufferer's body shows signs and symptoms that vary. To get the right treatment and according to your condition, check any symptoms you are experiencing to the doctor or the nearest health service center.

Cause

What causes fibromyalgia?

Basically, the condition that causes the appearance of muscle pain all over the body is not yet known with certainty. However, there are several possible causes of fibromyalgia, including:

1. Chemical imbalance

An imbalance of certain chemicals such as the hormones serotonin, noradrenaline, cortisol, or dopamine in the brain is thought to be one of the causes for your developing fibromyalgia.

Disruption of the levels of these hormones can trigger this condition because these hormones play a role in regulating mood, appetite, sleep schedule, behavior, and the response of the human body when under stress.

These hormones are also in charge of processing pain signals sent from the nervous system. Hormone increases or decreases can mess with these signals.

2. Genetic conditions

Apart from a chemical imbalance in the brain, another cause of fibromyalgia is a genetic condition. Yes, fibromyalgia has the potential to be a hereditary condition in the family.

Therefore, if one of your family members has this condition, you may also experience it. Some people are born with genetic conditions that make it easier for their bodies to develop this disease.

3. Physical and psychological trauma

Fibromyalgia can also be triggered by several conditions, especially medical events or procedures that cause physical or psychological trauma. Some of the traumas that can cause fibromyalgia are:

• Injury.
• Viral infection.
• Give birth.
• Operation.
• Unhealthy family or romantic relationships.
• Physical or psychological abuse.
• Losing the closest person.

Risk factors

What are the factors that can increase the risk of fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a condition that can occur in almost anyone, regardless of age and race group. However, there are several factors that can increase a person's risk for developing this condition.

It is important for you to know that having one or more risk factors does not mean you will definitely be exposed to a disease or health condition.

In some cases, it is possible that you may suffer from certain diseases or health conditions without any risk factors.

The following are risk factors that can trigger fibromyalgia:

1. Increasing age

Although fibromyalgia can affect people of all ages, it is more common in people aged 30-50 years. Meanwhile, this risk increases with age.

2. Female gender

Fibromyalgia is a condition that occurs more frequently in female patients than in men.

3. Family members who have fibromyalgia

If you have family members who have this disease, there is a chance that you can experience it too. This is believed to be related to the presence of hereditary genetic disorders.

4. Certain disease conditions

Several rheumatic diseases and joint or bone problems, such as osteoarthritis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis are often associated with fibromyalgia.

Diagnosis & treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How is fibromyalgia diagnosed?

Diagnosis for fibromyalgia is quite difficult, because there are no specific tests that can detect this disease directly.

When you are examined by a doctor, you will be asked about your symptoms, as well as how severe they are. In addition, the doctor may also check for other disorders or diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis or chronic fatigue syndrome.

In diagnosing, your doctor may also order blood tests which include:

• Complete blood count test
• Erythrocyte level test
• Cyclic peptide test
• Thyroid function test

Several criteria can determine whether you have fibromyalgia or not, including:

• You have severe pain in 3-6 different parts of your body, or mild pain in 7 different parts of your body.
• The symptoms did not improve for 3 months.
• There is no disease or other health condition that triggers the symptoms.

How to treat fibromyalgia?

Although there is no known cure for fibromyalgia, there are several treatments that can be done to control the symptoms that often appear. Here are some of the treatments for fibromyalgia:

1. Pain relievers

Several types of pain relievers that can be used to treat fibromyalgia are acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium. These drugs are usually used as muscle pain relievers.

2. Antidepressant drugs

These medications may also be recommended by your doctor to help relieve pain or fatigue caused by fibromyalgia. Your doctor may also prescribe amitriptyline medication or a muscle relaxant to help you sleep better.

3. Anti-seizure drugs

Other drugs that can also be used to relieve fibromyalgia are drugs that are usually used to treat epilepsy.

4. Physical therapy

Apart from drug use, another way to treat fibromyalgia symptoms is to undergo therapy. This therapy is good for maintaining muscle strength, flexibility, and your stamina. The most effective physical exercise to help reduce pain is water sports such as swimming.

5. Counseling

You can also undergo counseling to help manage fibromyalgia you have. Talking to a counselor may be able to help you deal with stress or psychological stress that you are experiencing.

You will also be trained to be stronger in dealing with and formulate strategies so that you do not get stressed easily when faced with a fairly tough situation.

Home remedies

What are the lifestyle and home remedies that can be done to treat fibromyalgia?

If you are diagnosed with fibromyalgia, you need to learn as much as you can about this condition. Understanding your condition is one way to help you survive fibromyalgia.

In addition, there are a number of things you can do at home to help with treatment and relieve symptoms. Here are some steps you can take to treat fibromyalgia at home, including:

1. Take control of stress

In fact, if you know how to manage stress well, you may not need to consult a counselor. The thing that needs to be done to deal with fibromyalgia independently is to manage stress.

For example, understand what increases stress for you and try to avoid it. You can give yourself a break to be more relaxed and less stressed.

As long as you know your weaknesses and understand how to deal with them, you may be able to get relief from these fibromyalgia symptoms.

2. Get enough rest

According to Medline Plus, getting enough sleep is another way you can treat fibromyalgia. That way, the fatigue that arises from fibromyalgia can be treated properly. In addition, practice sleeping and waking up on time every day.

3. Apply a healthy lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle includes exercising regularly and having a healthy diet. For example, increase your intake of vitamin D which is good for bone and muscle health, and avoid unhealthy foods, such as flavorings, which can increase your brain's nerve cells to be more sensitive to pain.