What are the symptoms?
• You experience persistent pain for more than three months.
• You feel especially stiff and tired in the morning.
• Your sleep pattern is interrupted.
• At times you experience pain in some points of your body more intensely than in others.
• You have frequent headaches.
• Your periods are very painful.
• You feel discomfort in the bowels and during urination.
• You react to cold and heat, sharp smells and noise.
• Your body temperature rises for no reason.
• You experience unaccountable sensations in your body, especially in your limbs: numbness, burning, swelling etc.
• You find it difficult to concentrate and remember things.
• You feel constantly irritated or are depressed.
Know the Facts
1. Fibromyalgia is not a disease, it is just subjective sensations
Fibromyalgia is one of the most common disorders of the musculoskeletal system. But little is known about it and it is still unknown what exactly causes it.
2. It only affects elderly women
Children may also be affected by fibromyalgia. But a majority are usually diagnosed between the years of 20 to 50 years of age. Statistically, it is more common in women, but men do suffer from fibromyalgia too.
3. The pain is tolerable
This is far from the truth. Fibromyalgia can be rather painful. It also increases the risk of stroke, particularly in young people.
What to Do:
1. Firstly, consult a doctor. Only a doctor will properly be able to diagnose whether you have fibromyalgia and prescribe the right treatment.
2. You may also need drug therapy. As a rule, analgesics and anti-inflammatories are prescribed to treat fibromyalgia, but antidepressants may also be prescribed.
3. Engage in physical activity, massage and other treatments that will help restore the body's mobility. In Japan, short sessions of cryotherapy are used. Yoga or swimming are also excellent choices.
4. Find ways to restore emotional balance. Think of ways you can reduce and relieve negative attitudes and depression. Doctors even recommend pet therapy to reduce the symptoms of the illness.
Pain Points Map:
A great way to check if you suffer from fibromyalgia is to press the marked points as illustrated in the diagram above. As a rule, the resulting pain is dull and shallow and its focal area isn't too large.