HomeHealthPain Relief:  Fibromyalgia: Widespread Pain

Specific Pain Characterizing Fibromylagia

Fibromyalgia pain has long been a point of contention because it is such a widespread, debilitating pain that is difficult to diagnose correctly. For years, fibromyalgia was not recognized as a real medical condition because its symptoms are easily confused with other medical problems, like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and rheumatism. Fibromyalgia has been on the rise in recent years, and many people face serious depression on receiving a diagnosis because it is frequently believed to be an untreatable condition that has very dramatic negative functions on muscular function and mobility.

Details of Fibromyalgia Pain

Fibromyalgia pain, through very widespread, occurs in very specific spots in the body. The fibromyalgic tender spots are the elbows, knees, lower back, lower hips, and front and back of the neck and shoulders. In addition to this pain, other symptoms of fibromyalgia include chronic muscle pain, aching, stiffness, lack of sleep, depression, and fatigue. Because it was such a long time coming in being recognized as a legitimate medical condition, specific criteria were only finally developed in the 1990s to help distinguish fibromyalgia from other similar conditions.

The specific criteria distinguishing fibromyalgia as a distinct medical condition is widespread pain for three months or longer in at least eleven of the eighteen tender spots. Other specific signs are worsening symptoms due to certain factors like emotional stress of temperature changes, swelling and numbness, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, intolerance of cold and exercise, and general weakness.

The primary cause of the pain that characterizes fibromyalgia is essentially attributed to a lack of oxygen reaching the muscles. Oxygen flow to the muscles is restricted because of a dysfunction in the nervous system that causes the blood vessels to constrict and prevent adequate oxygen flow. Because too little oxygen reaching the muscles is the primary culprit, many of the most effective treatments rely on improving oxygen flow. Chiropractic adjustments, supplements that aid in oxygen transport, exercise to stimulate oxygen flow, and reducing muscular stress all have positive effects in alleviating fibromyalgia pain because they function to bring more oxygen to the deprived muscles and reduce blood vessel constriction.

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