Have You Heard About Fibromyalgia Disorder?

Over the past years noteworthy advancements have been made in the medical field. Thanks to modern technology and in-depth research, doctors are now able to successfully diagnose and treat many diseases, some of them once considered as having no cure.

Unfortunately, no matter how advanced the diagnostic techniques or equipment are, there are some diseases which can be easily mistaken for others. Such is the case of Fibromyalgia, a pain disorder, with unknown cause.

Fibromyalgia affects around 4% of the global population and it usually takes from several months to around 5 years for a patient to get an accurate diagnosis. The disorder is usually mistaken for depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, inflammatory arthritis, lupus, irritable bowel syndrome, multiple sclerosis or hypothyroidism. Believe it or not many patients are sent to a psychiatrist and are told that everything is only in their heads.

There are no laboratory tests to detect Fibromyalgia and other illnesses must be ruled out to get an accurate diagnosis. The disorder affects 20 women for every one man, and in the US alone there are more than 10 million people affected by this incurable disorder.

Wondering if you have Fibromyalgia? Here are some  of the most common Fybromyalgia  symptoms:

• Fatigue
• Chronic general pain
• Sleep disturbance
• Nausea
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Brain fog
• Bowel disturbances
• Palpitations
• Cognitive overload
• Inability to multi-task
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Tender points

Indeed, if we are to take a look at these symptoms, we can see how easy it is to think of numerous other diseases and disorders. Fybromyalgia symptoms vary from individual to individual. What really helps doctors determine an accurate diagnosis is the chronic generalized pain, a characteristic of more than 97% of the patients with Fybromyalgia disorder.

The causes for Fibromyalgia vary from stress, trauma, illness, hormonal disturbances, chemical imbalances, low level of serotonin to hereditary causes. No matter what the cause is, if you experience any or several of these symptoms, go and see a doctor. It might take some time to find a Fibromyalgia doctor, that is why you have to talk to your primary care doctor first. Although Fybromyalgia cannot be cured, symptoms can be eased through several treatments.

Ana Savin