Question:
fibromyalgia - what is it? symptoms, etc
Answer:
Both fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) are
painful muscular conditions. BTW I have both FMS/MPS. I always write it
together because some Rheumatologists think it is two separate illness.
Others think that it is a single condition with multiple symptomology.
You can think of it sort of like arthritis for the muscular system. Just
as there are different types of arthritis involving inflammation and pain
in the joints -- so I believe there are differing causes and treatments
for FMS/MPS. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), depression, and mental FOG
sometime accompany FMS/MPS. I found Neurontin (gabapentin) to be most
effective in treating my ancillary symptoms and is an effective analgesic
in addition.
Only a Rheumatologist experienced in diagnosing and treating FMS/MPS
should be consulted. The diagnosis will entail applying considerable
pressure at certain known "trigger points". It takes a certain number of
active trigger points (5 or more?) for an official diagnosis. How loud
you scream during this simple diagnostic procedure is an indication of
how advanced your condition is.
With some people it is a progressive illness. They can become ultimately
confined to a wheelchair or even be unable to get out of bed. Like a
bipolar condition -- some people with FMS/MPS have periods of relative
quiescence interspersed with very painful and debilitating "flares".
A few years ago I used to be active in the following very supportive (and
high traffic) website:
alt.med.fibromyalgia
I have taken the liberty of crossposting this article to AMF.
Through doing some Net research, I found a doctor that believed the
muscular pains were (in at least part) due to an excess of phosphorous in
a person's system. He prescribed guaifenesin to remove excess phosphorous
from the muscular system. I have never taken guaifenesin -- but it
reputedly involves a very painful phosphorous removal process over a
period of several months. There are other postulated causes (such as
improper production, conversion, and utilization of thyroxine). There are
bound to be other potential causative mechanisms in vogue by now.
My main source of phosphorus was drinking sodas (mainly colas) containing
phosphoric acid. So I merely eliminated them from my diet. It took
perhaps 6 months before I began noticing a decrease in my muscular pains.
After 12 months I was 90% pain free. It's been 2-3 years and I am now 99%
free of all muscular pain.
I also had a PT (Physical Therapist) to prescribe daily exercise routines
to work on strengthening and exercising the particular muscles involved.
Also very helpful to me was a deep massage technique known as "myofascial
release".
