What are the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia ? – National Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day (part 2 of 4)

If you happened to have missed last week’s Post, I mentioned that tomorrow, May 12th is Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day. Sponsored by the National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA), a Non-Profit Health Organization, whose mission is to “Develop and Execute Programs Dedicated to improving the Quality of Life for People with Fibromyalgia.”

I also mentioned that since Fibromyalgia is such a Complex Condition, that instead of trying to fit all of this information in Just a Single Post around the 12th of May, I’ve decided to Write a Series throughout this Entire Month.

The First Part, Which You can Read HERE, Defined What Fibromyalgia is. This Second Part Will Discuss What the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia are, Followed by, The Third PartThat Will Discuss What Can You Do to Ease the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia, which Will Be Posted Sometime Next Week, and Then the Final Fourth Part That Will Answer the Question: How Can Chiropractic Care Help Fibromyalgia? The Following Week After That.

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What are the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia?

The Symptoms of Fibromyalgia are Very important since Fibromyalgia has No Clinical Tests to Detect it so a History of Specific Symptoms and Specific Physical Examination Findings are the Only Way to Diagnose it.

The Symptoms of Fibromyalgia are:

1. A History of at least 3 Months of Widespread Pain, that Affects all Four Quadrants of the body (both sides above and below the waist).
2. Pain and Tenderness of at least 11 out of the 18 Tender-Point Sites listed Below:

Neck

Shoulders

Rib Cage

Chest

Elbows

Lower Back

Buttocks

Knees

Thighs

Fibromyalgia Sufferers will also typically have Fatigue and Not Just the “I’m Tired” Feeling We All Experience from Time to Time, it’s more like a “I Get Exhausted and Need to Rest after doing a Simple Chore” Type of Fatigue.

In addition to this Fatigue, Fibromyalgia Sufferers also Tend to Have: Troubles Sleeping, Anxiety, Depression, Stress, Numbness in Hands and Feet, Headaches, Pain or Numbness in the Face, Jaw Pain (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder –TMJ), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Memory Difficulties (known as “Brain Fog” or “Fibro Fog”), and Heart Palpitations.

I mentioned that Fibromyalgia has No Clinical Tests to Detect it, However, Laboratory and X-ray Tests are Typically Done to Help Confirm the Diagnosis by Ruling Out other Conditions that Have Similar Symptoms such as: Neck and Lower Back Degenerative Disease, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Depression, Cancer, HIV infection, Hypothyroidism, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Lyme’s Disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Sleep Disorders.

This short 2 minute video I found below really hits home with what fibromyalgia is, what many of the symptoms are and more importantly, how these devastating symptoms effect those who suffer from them.
It’s message from me to you is: “Awareness Brings Hope”

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Next week I will discuss What You Can Do to Ease the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia, That Way if You or Any One You Know is Suffering from this Terrible Debilitating Condition, You Can Do Something About it.

I Hope You Found this Post Useful and Welcome any of Your Thoughts on this Subject.

So, if You Like to, Feel Free to Leave a Comment Below.

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