What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition diagnosed when the patient has 11 out of 18 tender points that are tender to less than four pounds per square inch of pressure, and a chronic non-restorative sleep disturbance lasting more than four months. It is accompanied by a number of changes in the central nervous system and endocrine system that contribute to the symptoms

Are there other conditions that can be misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia?

There are a number of conditions that can be mistaken for fibromyalgia (FMS). The most common is myofascial pain syndrome. Every fibromyalgia patient has myofascial pain (MPS) but myofascial pain patients do not have fibromyalgia. The MPS patients sleep for about four hours before their pain awakens them. FMS patients wake-up every 90 to 120 minutes. The MPS patients typically have six to eight tender points. Some doctors are not careful about diagnosis and just put sleep disturbances and pain together and call it fibromyalgia.

Other conditions that can masquerade as fibromyalgia are:Vestibular injuries to the inner ear and balance system.Hypothyroidism-low thyroid can make one achy and fatigued.Arthritis can create muscle pain and stiffness.Parkinsons can make you stiff.Lymes disease creates full body aching and pain.

Fibromyalgia seems so confusing. Why are there so many symptoms, and why doesnt anything work in all FMS patients?

Five different types of fibromyalgia:

In our clinic we have found that FMS seems to start five different ways:

Neck Trauma Stress and AllergiesToxicityGeneticViral

Where does the pain come from?

FMS patients have full body pain from two different nerve sources depending on how they acquired fibromyalgia.

Class C pain fibers:this form of pain comes from class C pain fibers that carry diffuse non-localized pain. Different kinds of the nerves carry different kinds of pain information. Class C pain fibers respond to chemical stimulation from histamine, inflammatory chemicals and tissue damage. The stress, toxicity, genetic, and viral types of fibromyalgia get their pain from these fibers.

The Spinal Cord and the Brain: in our clinic we think that patients who get FMS after an auto accident have a disc injury that irritates the spinal Cord and changes the way the brain receives pain messages.

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