May Is Fibromyalgia Awareness Month

Just what is this ugly green monster anyway?

The Mayo Clinic says fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues. Researchers believe fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting how your brain and spinal cord process painful and nonpainful signals.

Symptoms 

• Chronic widespread body pain and tender points are the primary symptoms. The pain can be deep, sharp, dull, throbbing, or aching. You feel it in your muscles, tendons, and ligaments around the joints. For some people, the pain comes and goes. It could travel throughout your body.

• Stiffness, especially in the morning

• Depression and anxiety

• Emotional and mental distress

• Abnormal pain perceptions

• Moderate to extreme fatigue and sleep disturbances.

• Sensitivity to touch, light, and sound.

• Cognitive difficulties including “Fibro Fog.”

• Tingling in hands, feet, arms, or legs.

Overlapping Conditions

 Some people experience several other co-existing symptoms, such as

• irritable bowel syndrome

• Migraines

• Temporomandibular joint disorders

• Interstitial Cystitis.

• Chronic fatigue syndrome

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Restless leg syndrome

Causes

The National Fibromyalgia Foundation says that Symptoms often begin after an event, such as physical trauma, surgery, infection, or significant psychological stress. Some causes are of unknown ideology.

But this is not always the case.

Genetics can play a part too. In some cases, symptoms gradually increase over time with no single triggering event. The latter is indicative of my illness.

Some Facts

• Fibromyalgia is diagnosed more in women than in men and can be found in children as well.

• Most people are diagnosed in middle age.

• You may be at an increased risk of developing fibromyalgia if a parent or sibling also has the condition.

• You are also at a higher risk of developing fibromyalgia if you have osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or lupus.

• This complex chronic pain disorder affects an estimated 5 to 8 million Americans, including men and children.

• Fibromyalgia affects people from all ethnic backgrounds.

In Closing

Friends, I just shared some basics here. There is so much more to this ugly green monster. I did not include treatment options because they can differ from person to person. While there is no cure, There is so much more to understand about this Debilitating disorder that interferes with my quality of life and daily functioning. 

The medical community continues to make advances regarding diagnosing, treating, and adopting a healthy lifestyle such as diet and exercise.

Making the proper lifestyle changes is difficult for me because of the Debilitation this ugly green monster creates.

#Because Jesus

It took me a long time. But I discovered that as I drew nearer to Jesus and into Him and His Word, I am better equipped to cope with this disability. I’ve learned to go to him first, laying down my pain, severe anxiety, and tears at his feet. 

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10— NIV

“The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14— NIV

Mayo Clinic & Staff. (2020, October 7). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 5 24, 2021, from https://mayoclinic.org

National Fibromyalgia Association. (n.d.). All About Fibromyalgia. National Fibromyalgia Association. Retrieved 5 24, 2021, from https://fmaware.net/fibromyalgia/

Photo by Chris Moore on Unsplash