9 Common Symptoms Of Fibromyalgia And What To Do If You're Diagnosed

Today is National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, which raises awareness for a chronic disorder that impacts an estimated five million adults in the United States, and is characterized by widespread pain and tenderness, often accompanied by fatigue, impaired memory and other physical issues. The condition may occur with other chronic pain conditions, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. The exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but researchers believe it could be the result of several factors, including genetics, illness and physical or emotional trauma, which lead to an abnormal processing of pain. In the video above from The Doctors, Maggie says she has suffered from fibromyalgia for over 10 years, but receiving the correct diagnosis was a challenge. “I started getting headaches, chronic pain, pain in my hips, my arms, my legs, my joints, and even in my big toe,” she recalls. “X-rays showed no problems with my hips, and tests proved negative for gout, arthritis and even MS.” After seeing a rheumatologist and a neurologist, she finally learned that she has fibromyalgia. “Because of my constant pain, I can no longer do all of those things I used to go do, even visiting my children,” Maggie explains. “It’s just awful, because people don’t understand, and it’s been going on for so long that people think I’m making up my symptoms.” Maggie turns to The Doctors for help. “It’s very frustrating because there’s a lack of informat...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - Category: Science Source Type: news