What Is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is defined as a chronic disorder which negatively affects the mind and body. It can devastate an active lifestyle and is characterized by overwhelming fatigue, muscle and joint pain and much more.

The exact medical translation of the term, fibromyalgia, is "pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons." However, if you suffer from fibromyalgia, you will know that this definition falls far short of explaining the range of effects the condition causes you.

Difficult to Diagnose

Searching for a diagnosis and relief from the symptoms of fibromyalgia can be frustrating and you may experience a long journey of medical tests to rule out other conditions such as lupus, thyroid and arthritis.

The pain and other symptoms of fibromyalgia may vary at times - even causing you to experience energy and freedom from pain one day but complete lack of motivation, plus extreme pain the next day.

The variability in type and frequency of symptoms has made effective diagnosis and study very elusive. This has led to many instances of misdiagnosis.

When health professionals have not managed to connect the dots, the symptoms have often been attributed to alternative conditions, or the symptoms treated in isolation. Many sufferers report years of condescending attitudes from doctors and even loved ones, hinting at hypochondria due to not having a "real" diagnosed condition.

Debilitating and Far-reaching

The chronic pain and fatigue caused by this disorder may cause some people to withdraw from activities they used to enjoy and failure to work at the pace they need.

Many who suffer with the condition lose their jobs and are unable to properly care for children or take care of other normal and on-going responsibilities.

Physical repercussions of fibromyalgia may include irritable bowel syndrome and overactive bladder - making it even more difficult to leave home or socialize with others.

Mental and Emotional Health Affected

Depression and anxiety may often accompany the symptoms of fibromyalgia, especially if the person feels emotionally unsupported. The domino effect of this heinous disorder can cause a person to give up on ever enjoying a normal life again.

Fibromyalgia isn't new. In fact, it's been around for centuries and perhaps diagnosed as rheumatism or other diseases of the joints and muscles.

The medical community has been slow to accept the disorder as a viable state of chronic pain originating in the body's tissues, but most have recently come around to the fact that fibromyalgia is a distinct medical syndrome.

Women Most Often Affected by Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is complex - affecting more women than men. Children can also suffer from the disorder. It can affect people of all ages, backgrounds and body structure. Intensity of pain may vary from one person to the other and be more intense some days than others.

The disorder of fibromyalgia continues to confound the medical community in many ways, but hope for relief of the pain and suffering it causes is strong for the coming years due to increasing awareness of the extent of the condition.

New scientific research is reducing the stigma of chronic pain and identifying more ways to help sufferers regain their quality of life without turning to opioids or invasive surgery.

Incurable, but Manageable




Although fibromyalgia is incurable, it can be effectively managed. Self-management strategies such as meditation, exercise and medications may help to relieve some of the symptoms of fibromyalgia and get your life back on track.