Fibromyalgia history and symptoms
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
The defining symptoms of fibromyalgia are chronic, widespread pain and tenderness to light touch.
History and Symptoms
The defining symptoms of fibromyalgia are chronic, widespread pain and tenderness to light touch. Other symptoms include:[1][2] [3][4][5][6][7]
| Organ system | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Systemic |
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| CNS |
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| Musculoskeletal |
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| Abdominal |
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| Eyes |
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- Other symptoms often attributed to fibromyalgia that may possibly be due to a comorbid disorder include myofascial pain syndrome, diffuse non-dermatomal paresthesias, functional bowel disturbances and irritable bowel syndrome (possibly linked to lower levels of ghrelin, genitourinary symptoms and interstitial cystitis), dermatological disorders, headaches, myoclonic twitches, and symptomatic hypoglycemia.
- Although fibromyalgia is classified based on the presence of chronic widespread pain, pain may also be localized in areas such as the shoulders, neck, low back, hips, or other areas.
- Many patients also experience varying degrees of facial pain and have high rates of comorbid temporomandibular joint disorder and are often aggravated by unrelated illness.
- Symptoms can have a slow onset, and many patients have mild symptoms beginning in childhood, that are often misdiagnosed as growing pains.
- The disorder does not cause inflammation as is characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis, although some NSAIDs may temporarily reduce pain symptoms in some patients.
The following factors have been proposed to exacerbate symptoms of pain in patients:
- Increased psychosocial stress
- Excessive physical exertion (exercise seems to decrease the pain threshold of people with fibromyalgia but increase it in healthy individuals)[8]
- Lack of slow-wave sleep
- Changes in humidity and barometric pressure (see RSD, CRPS, Thermography)
References
- ↑ Leavitt F, Katz RS, Mills M, Heard AR (2002). "Cognitive and Dissociative Manifestations in Fibromyalgia". J Clin Rheumatol. 8 (2): 77–84. PMID 17041327.
- ↑ Frank Leavitt. "Fibrofog, Fibromyalgia and Dissociation -- Understanding why some memory-impaired patients with fibromyalgia score normally on neuropsychological testing".
- ↑ Musculosketal symptoms and non-REM sleep disturban...[Psychosom Med. 1975 Jul-Aug] - PubMed Result
- ↑ Fibromyalgia: the gastrointestinal link. [Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2004] - PubMed Result
- ↑ Cognitive dysfunction in fibromyalgia and chronic ...[Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2006] - PubMed Result
- ↑ Comorbidity of fibromyalgia and psychiatric disord...[Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2007] - PubMed Result
- ↑ Tander B, Atmaca A, Aliyazicioglu Y, Canturk F (2007). "Serum ghrelin levels but not GH, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels are altered in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome". Joint Bone Spine. 74 (5): 477–81. doi:10.1016/j.jbspin.2007.01.024. PMID 17689128.
- ↑ Staud R, Robinson ME, Price DD (2005). "Isometric exercise has opposite effects on central pain mechanisms in fibromyalgia patients compared to normal controls". Pain. 118 (1–2): 176–84. PMID 16154700.