Fibromyalgia - Information
What is it:
- Combination of chronic pain in muscles, tendons, ligaments
- IBS, CFS, Headaches, Fatigue and sleeping problems can be present
- Effects 2% of population, and 85% of them are women (Werner 2009)
- Combination or hormonal and neuro imbalances
- Presents as musculo-skeletal system pain, but is a central nervous system problem (Werner)
- Client does not get level 4 sleep to enable correct depth of rest
Symptoms:
- Changeable pain throughout the body, moving location and varying intensity, throbbing, aching, burning
- 9 pairs of predictable tender points (diag 1a) light pressure gives them acute pain
- Stiffness after resting
- Fatigue and lack of stamina
- Magnified sensitivity to light, noise, touch and pressure
- Ongoing persistant symptoms for at least 3 months
How is it Diagnosed:
- A process of eliminating other conditions, eg arthritis, MS
- Difficult to identify as no abnormality in muscles is present (Walton 2011)
- pain from tender points is throughout the body
Can be misdiagnosed as:
- a musclo-skeletal problem
- Doctors need to eliminate other possible conditions before diagnosis
- Massage Therapist must be aware of differences between tender points immediate acute pain on touch and trigger point deeper pain on pressure
Complications:
- Deep sleep loss makes symptoms worse and causes depression (vicious cycle)
- Invisibility of disease makes it desperately isolating
Who gets it:
- Mainly women although this could be as men do not seek help for it.
- People who overdo it and cope for years and then their health crashes
- Older people are more like to show symptoms
Prognosis:
- Can get worse or remain the same for months or years
- Cases may improve with lifestyle changes or stress reduction
Who to refer to:
- Doctor to investigate what is wrong
- If IBS, nutritionist to helps with complications
- Yoga or meditation class to help with fatigue and mental/emotional distress
How to treat:
- Medication can be helpful
- Important to palpate the body and note which areas are specifically painful from touch and to avoid pressure, stretches and joint mobilisation that will cause pain
What timescale:
- This will be an ongoing to treatment
- Pressure may be able to become deeper with ongoing sessions