What Is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes muscle pain and fatigue (feeling tired). People with fibromyalgia have "tender points" on the body. Tender points are specific places on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms, and legs. These points hurt when pressure is put on them. People with fibromyalgia may also have other symptoms, such as:

Trouble sleeping

Morning stiffness

Headaches

Painful menstrual periods

Tingling or numbness in hands and feet

Problems with thinking and memory (sometimes called "fibro fog").

How Is Fibromyalgia Treated?

Fibromyalgia can be hard to treat. It's important to find a doctor who is familiar with the disorder and its treatment. Many family physicians, general internists, or rheumatologists can treat fibromyalgia. Rheumatologists are doctors who specialize in arthritis and other conditions that affect the joints or soft tissues.

Fibromyalgia treatment often requires a team approach. The team may include your doctor, a physical therapist, and possibly other health care providers. A pain or rheumatology clinic can be a good place to get treatment.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved any medicines to treat fibromyalgia. Doctors treat fibromyalgia with medicines approved for other purposes. Pain medicines and antidepressants are often used in treatment.

Any Other Questions?

Of course there are! Literally hundreds upon hundreds more questions that can be asked regarding Fibromyalgia and some of them can be found on this site, asked be everyday people who suffer from this affliction. If you are finding you have more questions than answers in your life, then please send them to us and we will make them available for others to read and respond to.