Thursday Thirteen #62:Signs, symptoms & treatment of fibromyalgia

Thursday Thirteen

I think I was in a total fibromyalgia funk yesterday. I didn't have a fever nor was I throwing up or running to the bathroom. I couldn't get warm, though, and I felt achy and very tired. I spent a good part of the day sleeping. Today I feel great. I believe TB has fibro too and he's in the process of being tested. Since it's on my brain, I figured I'd do my Thursday Thirteen on it.

Thirteen signs, symptoms & treatment of fibromyalgia

1. One criteria of diagnosis for fibromyalgia is that there is pain involving the whole body for a period longer than three months.

2. The other criteria is presence of pain in at least eleven of the 18 tender points when the doctor touches or presses on them. The tender points are shown here.

Symptoms:

3. Insomnia and other sleep disorders

4. Memory and cognitive difficulties ... I call it "cotton candy" brain.

5. Tension or migraine headaches, jaw pain (TMJ), rib cage pain (noncardiac chest pain), chronic pelvic pain, plantar or heel pain.

6. Sensitivity to smells and sounds and other problems with the ears, nose and throat

7. Hearing, vision and balance problems

8. Mitral valve prolapse, esophageal dysmotility (muscles of esophagus not working properly), neurologic conditions causing hypotension (low blood pressure) and syncope (fainting).

9. Mood disorder (especially depression) and/or anxiety disorder

Treatments include:

10. Exercise like walking or swimming

11. Pain medication like Lyrica, Cymbalta, Tramadol or others

12. Heat & massage

13. Relaxation techniques

Do the symptoms seem too vague? One of the reasons fibromyalgia is not diagnosed at first is because it's masked as so many other things. If you think you might have it, try this fibro quiz.

Happy Thursday Thirteen all!