Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition which affects the muscles and not the joints. In the past the condition was often diagnosed as muscular rheumatism or fibrositis and in some cases a degenerative disease like multiple sclerosis which in fact is a complete misdiagnosis.

Fibromyalgia although very painful is not life threatening or progressive and does not cause any permanent damage to tissue, bones, muscles or joints.

No outward signs may be evident but the sufferer usually feels awful and describing their pain is difficult for some people to comprehend.

Some people suffer a different cycle but the main chain of events is outlined below:

The first port of call would be a general practitioner who can sometimes diagnose fibromyalgia but more often than not you will be seen by either a pain management specialist or even a rheumatologist.

The most frequent symptoms include:

With fibromyalgia affecting people in different ways in order for your doctor to make a sound diagnosis he will try to ascertain whether your symptoms are from another illness.

There are similar symptoms with ME – myalgic encephalomyelitis, some doctors call this ‘chronic fatigue syndrome’ and it is not to be confused with fibromyalgia as ME usually follows after a viral infection.

The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown but a clearer understanding between physical and mental aspects are being learned everyday.

Research into fibromyalgia has been stimulated by the discovery of specific tender points around the body and in studying sleep patterns and sleep disturbance.

Brainwave studies EEG – electroencephalograph during sleep have revealed that people with fibromyalgia ofte.n lose deep sleep which has a knock on effect for the following day.

Deep sleep is our bodies way of dealing with and compartmentalising the days events without this the sufferer usually feels dreadful the following day.

One things doctors often do is say the symptoms are psychosomatic or psychogenic and then are relieved when the patient accepts his psychological cause rather than a true diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

The known treatments are with drugs and these fit into the family of SSRI’s AND SNRI’s and also with painkillers.

Selective Serotonin Re uptake Inhibitors and Serotonin Norephinephrine Re uptake Inhibitors which your doctor may try several until you have both decided which one suits you best in managing your symptoms.

It has to be stressed this in not a life threatening condition just a life upsetting and painful one.

A recent study showed that a female to male incidence ration of 9:1 showed women to be the main sufferers, the medical profession has no explanation for this but concluded that the majority of diagnoses were of people aged between 20 -50 although onset can occur in childhood.