The symptoms of fibromyalgia range from person to person. Constant pain throughout the body is the primary sign. Your symptoms may improve or worsen over time for a variety of reasons. The amount of exercise and the temperature outside might significantly impact your stress levels.
Fibromyalgia is a painful condition that requires medical attention if suspected. Although total symptom resolution is rare, treatment can help alleviate distress. Following is a list of the most common signs of fibromyalgia:
1. Widespread pain
Pain felt throughout the body is a common complaint among fibromyalgia patients. This could be felt everywhere, but it's possible your back or neck would suffer the most. The pain is probably always there, though it may be milder or more intense at different times.
What the pain might feel like:
- An ache
- A burning sensation
- A stabbing, cutting pain
2. Extreme sensitivity
Because of the widespread pain sensitivity brought on by fibromyalgia, even the slightest touch can seem excruciating. Like a stubbed toe, a minor injury can feel excruciatingly painful for far longer than usual. The following medical words may be used to describe the condition:
- Hyperalgesia: the state of being sensitive to pain
- Allodynia: experiencing pain from a stimulus that typically would not, such as a very light touch, is an example of allodynia.
You might be hypersensitive to smells, tastes, and temperatures. Some people with fibromyalgia experience a worsening of their symptoms when exposed to things they are allergic to.
3. Stiffness
Feeling stiff is a common symptom of fibromyalgia; when you've been in one position for a while, like when you first get up in the morning, the stiffness might be particularly bad. Spasms, in which the muscles contract (squeeze) tightly and painfully, can also be triggered by this.
4. Fatigue
Tiredness (fatigue) is a common symptom of Fibromyalgia. It might range from a simple lack of energy to the extreme fatigue associated with the flu. Severe fatigue can hit out of nowhere and leave you feeling exhausted. When this occurs, you might feel too exhausted to do anything.
5. Poor sleep quality
Trouble sleeping is a common symptom of fibromyalgia. You may find that you are still exhausted after eight hours of sleep. A good night's rest may be elusive when dealing with this disease. This type of sleep is sometimes referred to as "non-restorative" sleep.
6. Fibro Fog (cognitive problems)
Difficulties with mental operations, including thinking and learning, are known as cognitive disorders. Possible symptoms of fibromyalgia include:
- Having a hard time learning new things and remembering old ones
- Distractions, difficulty focusing and slurred or muddled speech are all symptoms of attention deficit disorder.
7. Headache
Pain and stiffness in the neck and shoulders might be a symptom of fibromyalgia and could be contributing to your chronic headaches. These can range from dull pain to severe migraines and may accompany additional symptoms like nausea.
8. Depression
Having fibromyalgia is linked to depressive symptoms in certain people. Living with fibromyalgia is difficult, and the low levels of crucial hormones connected with the condition can increase your risk of depression.
Depressive disorders are associated with a wide range of symptoms such as persistently feeling down and out, hopeless and helpless, and losing interest in formerly enjoyable activities.
Seek medical attention from your primary care physician or the fibromyalgia specialist you've been visiting if you feel you may be depressed.
9. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
People with fibromyalgia are more likely to experience IBS symptoms (IBS). Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common digestive disorder that results in abdominal pain and bloating. Constipation or diarrhea are other possible side effects.
10. Other symptoms
Also, patients with fibromyalgia may have the following additional symptoms:
- Feeling faint and clumsy
- Extreme pain in controlling your body temperature, whether too hot or too chilly; an urgent need to move your legs (restless legs syndrome)
- Pins and needles, also known as paraesthesia, are a neurological condition characterized by a wide range of unpleasant sensations, most notably weakness, numbness, tingling, prickling, and burning in the extremities.
- Anxiety
- Depression
Risk Factors Involved in Fibromyalgia
Factors like these are already well-documented as potential danger indicators:
Age: Young children are not immune to developing fibromyalgia. However, fibromyalgia is more common in older persons and is typically diagnosed around middle life.
Rheumatoid Arthritis or Lupus: There is an increased risk of fibromyalgia in those with autoimmune diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
A few other factors have been tentatively linked to the development of fibromyalgia, but more investigation is required to determine their significance. Examples of potential dangers are:
- A woman's risk of developing fibromyalgia is two times that of a man's
- The onset of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be triggered by exposure to stressful or traumatic situations, such as car accidents (PTSD)
- Injuries that occur due to repetition. An overuse injury, like in the case of the knee from excessive bending.
- Illness (such as viral infections)
- Family history
- Obesity