Fibromyalgia Is a Rather Mysterious Condition, With

Fibromyalgia is a rather mysterious condition, with no known cause and no known cure. The symptoms of fibromyalgia consist primarily of muscle and joint pain and heightened sensitivity to pain, experienced globally. Secondary symptoms, which are also common in sufferers, include chronic fatigue, cognitive and memory dysfunction, sleep disorders, and mood disorders. Women are far more likely to suffer from fibromyalgia than men, and age of onset is generally between 30 to 50 years.

A combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions are recommended, with the latter taking precedence over the former in evidence-based practice. Prognosis is relatively good when the right combination of lifestyle and treatment options is employed. Etiology The cause of fibromyalgia remains a mystery. Recent research reveals the possibility of a genetic marker for pain sensitivity in fibromyalgia patients, in that haplotypes of the COMT gene and genotypes of the Val158Met polymorphism play a key role on pain sensitivity," in patients with the disease (Martinez-Jauand, et al., 2013, p. 16).

Fibromyalgia does seem to be familial (Mayo Clinic, 2015). However, genetic research on the disease is in its infancy. Fibromyalgia has no biological or physical markers, but may be related to brain chemistry and the way the brain processes sensory input or stimuli. Persons with other rheumatic issues are also more likely to have fibromyalgia, as are persons with lupus (Mayo Clinic, 2015). Traumatic events, surgery, and stress can trigger symptoms, but symptoms may also develop gradually over time (Mayo Clinic, 2015).

Population About seven times more women than men suffer from fibromyalgia (Mayo Clinic, 2015). Age of onset is variable but most commonly, symptoms emerge between the ages of 30 and 50. It is estimated that more than two percent of the population suffers from the disease (Fitzcharles, et al., 2013). Signs and Symptoms The primary complaint is the "fluctuating and diffuse" musculoskeletal pain that characterizes the disease (Fitzcharles, et al., 2013, p. 119). Pain may be felt in deep muscle tissue, joints, neck, or back, and usually moves and shifts periodically.

Muscle stiffness, sensitivity to pain stimuli, headaches, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, and irritable bowel syndrome are also common physiological symptoms of fibromyalgia. Mood swings, irritability, sleep disorders, memory problems, anxiety, and depression are some of the most common psychological symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. There are no targeted tests or diagnoses used for assessing patients with precipitating complaints, although blood tests can be used to rule out other conditions. Because symptoms are generalized and shared in common with other diseases, fibromyalgia may be difficult to detect in some patients.

Doctors used to use tenderness points on the body as a type of assessment, but now tend more to ask if a patient has had widespread pain for 3 months or more with no known medical cause (Mayo Clinic, 2015). Treatment There is no cure for fibromyalgia, only symptom management. Medications include pain killers and antidepressants or sleep aids. However, "pharmacological treatments provide only modest benefit," (Fitzcharles, et al., 2013, p. 119). Relaxation exercises and physical exercises can be helpful.

The best approach to treatment is a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, because only medication or only alternatives thereof are not as effective as both together (Neusch, et al., 2011). Prognosis When treatment objectives are individualized, "patient-tailored and symptom based," as well as aimed at "reducing global complaints and enhancing function," prognosis is good. Community Resources Patients with fibromyalgia.