Fibromyalgia Welcome to the Affordable Drugs fibromyalgia information page. The fibromyalgia info contained on this page is intended for individuals who have recently received a diagnosis of fibromyalgia and their families. Educating yourself about fibromyalgia is important in dealing with this condition. You can find information here about fibromyalgia treatments, fibromyalgia symptoms and the causes of fibromyalgia. You can also find the best prices available on fibromyalgia medications. The information contained on this page is not intended to replace the professional advice of your physician.
What is Fibromyalgia? Fibromyalgia is a painful disorder that is recognized by the presence of widespread pain that is chronic and responds to pressure. It causes extreme fatigue, stiff joints, and sleep disturbance. It is somewhat similar to arthritis, but the pain is around the body rather than just at joints. Additional symptoms of fibromyalgia include swallowing difficulties, numbness, tingling, and some bowel or bladder abnormalities. It can cause anxiety and nervousness, depression, and some cognitive dysfunction.
Fibromyalgia affects muscles and connective tissue rather than joints. It is sometimes referred to as fibromyalgia syndrome because symptoms include more than just pain. Not all symptoms mentioned occur in all affected persons. It can be confused with other similar disorders, including arthritis, and has been linked to abnormalities of the central nervous system. There is some thought that this disorder can result from childhood stress, or continual severe stress, instead of being a brain disorder. Apparently there is no cure for fibromyalgia, which causes more stress in those persons affected by it.
To reduce the effects of fibromyalgia, various techniques have been tried, including exercise, stress reduction therapy, medications, education and some behavior modifications.
Within the medical community, this disorder is controversial. Some doctors do not consider it to be a disease because there are no objective diagnostic tests to show that it exists. In the past, it was ignored, or lumped in with other diseases that are similar. Those include multiple chemical sensitivity, and chronic fatigue syndrome..
For the patient experiencing extreme fatigue and a body that is painful upon touching, this disorder causes more stress and can reduce normal activities. Explaining the symptoms is difficult and vague, which can lead to misdiagnosis. There are body maps with pressure point locations that are used to help determine if the patient has fibromyalgia.
Depression is common in patients with fibromyalgia, and there are some homeopathic treatments that may offer some relief, such as massage on the pressure points, moist heat, cold packs, and acupuncture. The theory behind these treatments is that a rise in serotonin and decrease in cortisol will reduce depression as these chemicals affect the nervous system.
People who are in pain, as those with fibromyalgia, will try many remedies to help obtain relief from their problem. Pain causes depression, and stress, both of which increase awareness of pain, so anything that reduces pain, should also reduce their stress and depression.
Fibromyalgia Causes Occurring in approximately two percent of the American population, the chronic condition fibromyalgia most often presents symptoms that include: widespread muscle pain, pain in the tendons and ligaments, tenderness upon slight applied pressure, and fatigue. Women are at a higher risk than men and as individuals age, their risk for developing fibromyalgia increases. However, the causes of fibromyalgia are still being researched.
Exact fibromyalgia causes are still unknown. However, it is believed that there are a variety of factors that come together in this debilitating disease. These include: genetics, infections, trauma, disturbed patterns of sleep, and rheumatic disease. Those who have family members who suffer from fibromyalgia appear to be more predisposed to the disease than those without a family history. For this reason, researchers theorize that a specific genetic mutation is involved in increasing susceptibility to the disorder.
In addition to genetic predisposition, another of the variety of causes of fibromyalgia includes infections. A correlation has been found in the appearance of illness and the triggering or aggravating of the disorder. Similarly, trauma (either physical or emotional) has been shown to be linked as one of the causes of fibromyalgia. Traumatic disorders, such as post-traumatic stress, have been found to trigger and/or aggravate the disease.
Two additional conditions that have been linked to the causes of fibromyalgia include disturbed sleep patterns and rheumatic disease. Those with lupus or rheumatoid arthritis are at a higher risk of developing fibromyalgia. The presentation of sleep disruption such as: sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and muscle cramping in the legs have been demonstrated to have a relationship with fibromyalgia as well; however, it is still unclear if these conditions are a cause of fibromyalgia or an effect.
Just as the fibromyalgia causes of disease onset are still unclear, so are the physical causes of fibromyalgia symptoms. Current researchers have developed a theory referred to as 'central sensitization'. This theory centers on the thought that those suffering from fibromyalgia have a lower pain threshold. The lower resistance to pain results in an increased sensitivity and these repeated pain stimulations in the brain actually alter the brain of those suffering from fibromyalgia. This alteration results in increased levels of chemicals in the brain that affect the neurotransmitters that signal pain, for the individual. To further increase the symptomatic causes of fibromyalgia, researchers surmise that the brain develops a memory in the pain receptors, making them even more sensitive and causing the individual to overreact
Fibromyalgia Pain Fibromyalgia is a syndrome characterized by a number of different symptoms. The prominent symptom of fibromyalgia is pain, which can often be quite severe. More than 3.5 million men and women suffer from fibromyalgia pain, particularly in the muscles. Though fibromyalgia pain had long been difficult to explain and pinpoint, recent medical advancements have made it so that this condition can be evaluated and treated. Treatment options include both prescription medications and drug free remedies. Fibromyalgia is typically identified as a form of arthritis; the difference is that fibromyalgia pain is in the muscles while arthritis affects the joints. There is really no limit to where fibromyalgia can affect a person; pain is not usually localized, as it affects all four quadrants of the body. Fibromyalgia sufferers usually feel pain in several different tender points throughout the body. In order to diagnose this condition, a patient must exhibit pain in at least 11 of the 18 general tender points in the body. These tender points are areas where muscles and tendons join together. Fibromyalgia pain is usually suffered in the neck, shoulder, lower back, waist, ribs, buttocks and knees. Like any other form of arthritis, fibromyalgia pain can vary from patient to patient. Depending on the severity of the illness, this pain can be excruciating. Sometimes the pain can be mild, not really affecting the ability of sufferers to go about their daily lives. On the other hand, the pain can also be so severe that it actually becomes a disability. The pain is often described as a deep persistent ache, with some sufferers feeling stabbing, throbbing or shooting pains in their muscles. These pains can leave a tingling or burning sensation under the skin. Fibromyalgia symptoms can come and go throughout the day, often changing with intensity. There are several factors that can affect the intensity of fibromyalgia pain in an adverse way. Some of these factors include; exercise, fatigue, lack of nutrition, hormone fluctuations such as occur during menopause, drastic changes in weather, stress and depression. While this illness can be debilitating, and cause depression on its own, there are some ways that modern medicine can assist. If you or someone you love is suffering from fibromyalgia it is crucial that you consult a medical professional immediately. No one should have to suffer the pain of fibromyalgia without any form of treatment.
Fibromyalgia Depression An estimated thirty percent of fibromyalgia patients, compared to about thirteen percent of the general U.S. population, have been diagnosed with major or chronic depression. Research links both fibromyalgia and depression to genetic factors, but they are inherited independently. That is, if a parent has both conditions, offspring may inherit a predisposition to either one without the other. Both conditions also appear in patients with no known genetic risk. We know with some certainty that fibromyalgia is not caused or worsened directly by depression, but depression can be caused or complicated by fibromyalgia just as any chronic illness is a risk factor for depression.
Because both conditions usually lack outwardly visible physical symptoms, too many people view the two as faults of character or disposition and the presence of both fibromyalgia and depression together as mutually confirming faults. This lack of understanding among some medical professionals, family members, and community places a third burden of stigma upon the patient who suffers both fibromyalgia and depression. Unfortunately, the underlying conditions worsened by the stigma can greatly interfere with a patient's resolve to seek and manage effective treatments.
Relieving the symptoms of fibromyalgia often helps to decrease feelings of depression. The three prescription medications approved specifically for use in treating fibromyalgia in chronological order of approval are:
Pregabalin (Lyrica) an anticonvulsant and pain drug which slows down impulses in the brain that cause seizures. Lyrica also affects chemicals in the brain that send pain signals across the nervous system.
Duloxetine (Cymbalta) is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (elevator). Serotonin and norepinephrine mediate mood symptoms and help regulate the perception of pain.
Milnacipran (Savella) a selective serotonin and norepinephrine dual reuptake inhibitor (SSNRI) originally developed to treat depression.
Other drugs prescribed but not approved specifically for treatment of fibromyalgia include a variety of anti-depressants and pain medications. In addition to cautionary statements for each drug used in the treatment of fibromyalgia, some of these drugs may complicate or worsen depression. In any case, effective treatment of fibromyalgia and depression requires more than a medication or two.
Treatments that have shown varying degrees of success in lessening depression caused or worsened by fibromyalgia include biofeedback, cognitive behavioral therapy, massage, nutrition, and exercise. Because treatment of either condition is complicated by the existence of the other, it is even more important than usual to seek qualified medical advice before beginning any course of treatment, no matter how common.
Fybromyalgia Diagnosis Because the symptoms of fibromyalgia often mimic those of other diseases such as arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and depression, patients sometimes spend years on medical testing before getting a definitive fibromyalgia diagnosis. Unfortunately, a single test does not exist to confirm that a patient has this often debilitating disorder. This means that doctors consider a fibromyalgia diagnosis only after they have eliminated other probable causes of the symptoms through the use of X-rays and blood work. They will also check muscle tone, coordination, balance, strength, and reflexes to assist them in determining the probable cause for unusual symptoms.
When making a fibromyalgia diagnosis, then, the doctor first notes a patient's symptoms which may include extreme tiredness, sore muscles, aching joints, and sleep disturbances, among other issues. If the symptoms have not been present for more than three months, a fibromyalgia diagnosis is unlikely to be given. During a discussion with the patient, the doctor will try to determine whether the pain is radiating from both sides of the body and from both above and below the waist. For a true fibromyalgia diagnosis to be given, the pain must be generalized to all quadrants of the body.
Next, in order to make a fibromyalgia diagnosis, the doctor will test eighteen tender points established by the American College of Rheumatology. These include points at the base of the skull, just above the collar bone and just above the shoulder blade, right below the bend of the elbow, and along the hip joints and inner knees. If eleven of the eighteen points test positive for tenderness, a diagnosis of fibromyalgia is usually given. These tender points are the best indicators that a patient is suffering from fibromyalgia, but they are not definitive without other symptoms and may not be sore at all times.
Clearly, a patient must work with his or her physician to arrive at a fibromyalgia diagnosis, and it may take time. It sometimes helps for a patient to keep a chart of symptoms and feelings with the time of each recorded. It is important, too, to eliminate medications as a cause for the symptoms. Patients should be sure that the doctor is aware of any other drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, which they are currently taking.
Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are chronic conditions which are frequently grouped together because they share some similar symptoms and because neither disease has a diagnostic test which can prove a patient actually has Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. In addition, both Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are more prone to develop in women than in men, and there are no definite known causes. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), in the United States there are 12 million Fibromyalgia sufferers and between 1 and 4 million Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferers. The common symptoms in Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are:
Headaches
Disturbed sleep patterns
Depression
Anxiety
Tingling and numbness in the hands, feet, and arms
Fatigue
Memory loss and trouble with concentration
Irritable bowels
However, even though these diseases do have common symptoms, there are differences between these two diseases.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic pain which is extensive throughout the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the body. For a patient to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia , he or she must have incessant, dull, overall muscle pain on the left and right sides of the body, in addition to pain below and above the waist. Muscles and other soft tissue feel like they have been overstretched, and the muscles burn and twitch; at other times there is a deep penetrating pain that is felt stabbing through the muscles. Fibromyalgia is also characterized by sharp pain when certain "tender points" are touched. These tender points are at the back of the head, top of the shoulders, between shoulder blades, upper chest, outer elbows, sides of hips, and inner knees.
There is no cure for Fibromyalgia, but medications and life style changes can help alleviate the severity of the symptoms.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
The preeminent characteristic of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is intense fatigue, which doesn't improve with rest. Other symptoms include, a sore throat, enlarged and painful lymph nodes in armpits and neck, and after physical or mental activity, debilitating fatigue that can last up to 24 hours, and muscle pain.
If caught early in development, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can be arrested, and in some cases cured. In severe cases, medication can help relieve the symptoms.
Summary
Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are both debilitating diseases that stop sufferers from enjoying normal activities and lives. It is important that sufferers seek medical attention.
Fibromyalgia Treatments Options for the treatment of fibromyalgia are oriented toward the treatment of symptoms, usually pain reduction, and improvement of sleep and the general health of the patient. Currently, fibromyalgia treatments can range from pharmaceuticals to manage and reduce pain, to alternative therapies such as biofeedback and acupuncture. Most successful treatment will combine therapies.
When calculating the usefulness of fibromyalgia treatments, it has been found that the effectiveness of some medications is outweighed by possible side effects, such as weight gain or lethargy. The following options for treatment of fibromyalgia have been found to be amongst the most likely to show a benefit, with the least number of significant side effects.
In treating fibromyalgia, analgesics are used to reduce pain, and improve the quality of sleep. Acetaminophen can be used, or Tramadol (Ultram), a prescription drug for pain. Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, such as aspirin, Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and naproxen sodium (Aleve, others) are also recommended, usually used in conjunction with other drugs, such as Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).
Other pharmaceutical solutions for treating fibromyalgia are antidepressants. Prozac has been commonly used with good results, sometimes in combination with amitriptyline, which is used in order to facilitate sleep. Cymbalta has been used recently to aid in combating symptoms of pain and fatigue. Another drug which has been recently approved by the FDA for treating fibromyalgia is Savella. Such selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) have been used for some of the more effective anti-depressant treatment of fibromyalgia symptoms.
Anti-seizure medication is another treatment option for pain management. Lyrica has gained FDA approval for fibromyalgia treatment, and Neurontin has proven useful for treatment of fibromyalgia symptoms, though it has not yet been approved specifically for fibromyalgia treatment.
Other options still being explored include Mirapex and ReQuip, dopamine agonists, currently in trials for fibromyalgia treatment. Current research indicates that the side effects, which include impulse control disorders, have been found to be greater than the associated benefits. Trials on the method of administration are ongoing.
Most successful treatment includes more than one of the noted methods. Pharmaceutical intervention can be complimented with physical therapy to restore muscle balance, and heat and ice packs can help with pain as well. Acupuncture, therapeutic massage, and biofeedback have also been used effectively as treatment of fibromyalgia. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been proven to be useful in dealing with stress, which contributes to the symptoms experienced by sufferers, and has been shown to be extremely effective in treating fibromyalgia symptoms, especially when used in conjunction with an exercise program.
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