How to Recognize Fibromyalgia Symptoms
Monitor the duration and locations of your pain., Test your own pain resilience., Pay attention to the amount and quality of your sleep., Watch for “fibro fog”., Watch out for simple physical signs of fibromyalgia too.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Monitor the duration and locations of your pain.
Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread, chronic pain in multiple areas of the body.
If you have been experiencing pain in multiple parts of your body for over three months, it may be associated with fibromyalgia.Pain from fibromyalgia will occur on both sides of your body, as well as above and below your waist.
Pain is the primary symptom of fibromyalgia.
It can exist as deep muscular pain, soreness, stiffness, burning or throbbing.
Muscle stiffness usually presents upon awakening and usually decreases in severity throughout the day.
There are 18 “tender points” important in the diagnosis of fibromyalgia. -
Step 2: Test your own pain resilience.
You can check yourself for fibromyalgia-like pain symptoms by pressing with the equivalent force of nine pounds of pressure on different spots on your body.To press with nine pounds of force, push a bit harder than you would to open most interior doors, but not quite as hard as you would to open most exterior doors.The spots you should check include:
The front and back of your neck.
The front of your chest, at the second rib.
The back of your neck.
The back of your shoulders near the arms, and the areas covering your shoulder blades.
Your elbows.
Both sides of your bottom.
The rear parts of your hips.
Your knees. , Fatigue is an extremely common symptom associated with fibromyalgia.
If you are frequently tired despite spending sufficient time at rest, the quality of your sleep may be affected by pain you’re enduring while you’re asleep.Do you commonly wake up tired? If so, this may indicate an inability to stay asleep associated with pain from fibromyalgia.
Difficulty falling asleep, awakening during the night, and feeling exhausted upon waking are common symptoms for people who have fibromyalgia.
Try and get enough rest so that you feel able to take on your day. , Another common symptom associated with fibromyalgia is an inability to concentrate.
Other similar cognitive difficulties, such as difficulty paying attention or concentrating on simple tasks, may be the result of fibromyalgia.Be wary of any type of psychological distress that occurs in tandem with increasing and widespread physical pain.
Watch out for depression and anxiety.
Talk to your doctor if you are feeling depressed or anxious.
Medication is available to treat these conditions. , There are some symptoms of fibromyalgia that may seem innocuous, but are worth watching out for.
In particular, watch out for:
Inexplicable stiffness in the morning.
Tingling and numbness in your hands and feet.
Particularly painful menstrual periods. -
Step 3: Pay attention to the amount and quality of your sleep.
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Step 4: Watch for “fibro fog”.
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Step 5: Watch out for simple physical signs of fibromyalgia too.
Detailed Guide
Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread, chronic pain in multiple areas of the body.
If you have been experiencing pain in multiple parts of your body for over three months, it may be associated with fibromyalgia.Pain from fibromyalgia will occur on both sides of your body, as well as above and below your waist.
Pain is the primary symptom of fibromyalgia.
It can exist as deep muscular pain, soreness, stiffness, burning or throbbing.
Muscle stiffness usually presents upon awakening and usually decreases in severity throughout the day.
There are 18 “tender points” important in the diagnosis of fibromyalgia.
You can check yourself for fibromyalgia-like pain symptoms by pressing with the equivalent force of nine pounds of pressure on different spots on your body.To press with nine pounds of force, push a bit harder than you would to open most interior doors, but not quite as hard as you would to open most exterior doors.The spots you should check include:
The front and back of your neck.
The front of your chest, at the second rib.
The back of your neck.
The back of your shoulders near the arms, and the areas covering your shoulder blades.
Your elbows.
Both sides of your bottom.
The rear parts of your hips.
Your knees. , Fatigue is an extremely common symptom associated with fibromyalgia.
If you are frequently tired despite spending sufficient time at rest, the quality of your sleep may be affected by pain you’re enduring while you’re asleep.Do you commonly wake up tired? If so, this may indicate an inability to stay asleep associated with pain from fibromyalgia.
Difficulty falling asleep, awakening during the night, and feeling exhausted upon waking are common symptoms for people who have fibromyalgia.
Try and get enough rest so that you feel able to take on your day. , Another common symptom associated with fibromyalgia is an inability to concentrate.
Other similar cognitive difficulties, such as difficulty paying attention or concentrating on simple tasks, may be the result of fibromyalgia.Be wary of any type of psychological distress that occurs in tandem with increasing and widespread physical pain.
Watch out for depression and anxiety.
Talk to your doctor if you are feeling depressed or anxious.
Medication is available to treat these conditions. , There are some symptoms of fibromyalgia that may seem innocuous, but are worth watching out for.
In particular, watch out for:
Inexplicable stiffness in the morning.
Tingling and numbness in your hands and feet.
Particularly painful menstrual periods.
About the Author
Doris Perry
Experienced content creator specializing in home improvement guides and tutorials.
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