About the disease
Fibromyalgia is a syndrome that affects the muscles and skeleton. Pain signals are sent to the brain in the absence of any injury, making it difficult to diagnose and assess. As a result, the emotional state of the sufferer can also be affected, causing mood swings, depression and fatigue.
Although fibromyalgia is believed to be caused by previous physical trauma or great emotional stress, there have been cases where the onset of symptoms could not be attributed to any apparent conditions. In this case, fibromyalgia could be attributed to a genetic predisposition caused by certain genetic mutations, which disorganize the muscle signals that are sent to the brain. There is also a theory stating that fibromyalgia can be caused by low levels of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates pain threshold in the body. If there are low levels of serotonin in the body, sensitivity to pain is increased.
Fibromyalgia mostly affects women and is usually accompanied by headaches and general irritation. Men tend to produce much higher levels of serotonin and do not suffer from as many hormonal and biochemical changes as women do. This could perhaps explain why only 10% of all cases of this disease are attributed to men. According to WebMD, almost 12 million people are affected by this disease in the USA alone.
Symptoms
- Lasting dull ache in the muscles, which lasts longer than 3 months
- Mood swings
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Irritability
- Headaches
- Cramps in the lower abdomen
- Problems with bowel movement
Diagnosis
- During a general examination, the doctor presses specific points on the patient’s body to locate where the pain is. Another indicator for a diagnosis of fibromyalgia is pain that is present for more than 3 months and is not related to any other disorders or traumas.
- A blood count test is used to rule out other causes of pain, such as an infection or rheumatism, which can affect the same areas of the body and cause similar symptoms.
- An X-ray can be used to see if fibromyalgia has affected or damaged the skeleton.
Treatment
- Doctors generally use conservative treatment to alleviate the pain and reduce the symptoms as much as possible. Pain relievers are prescribed to ease the patient’s pain and to improve their sleep. Drugs that are specifically designed to treat nerve pain are currently used for the treatment of fibromyalgia. Some of these drugs were primarily designed to treat shingles and spinal injuries, but have been reported to help with fibromyalgia as well. Antidepressants and sessions with a psychologist are also commonly used to help patients deal with this condition and to balance their emotional state. Acupuncture and several courses of professional massage can also ease the pain.
Authors: Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova, Dr. Sergey Pashchenko
