Aspects of Fibromyalgia Pain

Pain and Fatigue are the two most reported and intense symptoms that occur in those suffering from Fibromyalgia. Statistics show an overwhelming number of 3.7 million Americans are faced with fibromyalgia pain and other fibro specific symptoms. Fibromyalgia is a neurological chronic condition causing intense pain in the muscles and in the interconnected soft tissues like tendons and ligaments. Unfortunately there are people who disregard fibromyalgia pain and fatigue, considering that the symptoms are self-induced or just in people’s imagination. This however, is quite far from the truth. Medical research shows that even though there are psychological aspects with the development of fibro, the condition occurs due to neurological dysfunctions, and without doub, fibromyalgia pain is real!

Fibromyalgia pain is described in so many different ways: aching, burning, sour, radiating, stabbing or pressure. Although people with this condition often perceive fibromyalgia pain in different ways, they usually all seem to feel a some degree of pain in the muscles. It doesn’t just stop with Fibromyalgia pain. The pain is also accompanied by fatigue, discomfort, and numbness.

The cause for fibro pain is thought to be abnormal brain activity. Medical scientists sustain that the presence of certain brain dysfunctions determine a pronounced increase of nervous excitability in the entire body. Unlike healthy people, those with fibromyalgia perceive external stimuli in a very intense way. For instance, a lot people who suffer from fibro develop a sensibility to light and temperature as an effect of nervous dysfunctions. Scientific experiments have shown the fact that in the case of those with the disorder, fibro pain is emphasized by abnormal brain activity. When exposed to a stimulus of the same intensity, people with fibromyalgia could perceive a sensation of intense pain, while the majority of healthy people have no reactions to that particular stimulus.

Another interesting aspect of fibromyalgia is that all those with this condition feel pain in the same body regions. Fibromyalgia pain is mainly located in specific spots on the body, called trigger points. There are nine pairs of trigger points on the body, and they are located in the following regions: the lower region of the skull, the back of the neck, the upper back, the mid-back, the lower back, the shoulders, the region of the buttocks, the elbows and knees and the region of the hips. The areas that surround the points where the fibromyalgia pain is perceived at maximum intensity are called tender points.

These trigger points and tender points have a major role in revealing the presence of fibromyalgia. Due to the fact that most physical examinations and routine laboratory analysis arenít able to trace any signs of the disorder, by checking if the patient feels intense pain in these specific fibromyalgia pain regions, an appropriate diagnose can be established.

Although people with fibromyalgia mostly complain about muscular pain and a generalized state of exhaustion through the entire body, the fact is that the disorder can generate a lot more symptoms, some considered to be very serious. For instance, people that have been suffering from fibromyalgia for long periods of time may suffer from short-term memory loss, decreased ability of sustaining physical and mental effort, poor concentration, migraines, high blood pressure and accelerated heart activity.

Fibromyalgia is a serious condition and speed is vital in detecting its presence. Although at the time being there is no specific cure for fibromyalgia, most symptoms can be overcome and the patientsí general health condition can be substantially improved by following certain therapies and treatments. Fibromyalgia pain, fatigue, cognitive dysfunctions and poor mental abilities can be corrected through the means of an appropriate treatment, a good therapeutic program, healthy lifestyle and diet.