Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease that affects the muscles and the attachments of muscles to bones. Some of the symptoms of this disease are found in other affections too and this makes fibromyalgia be diagnosed a little harder. Still, there are a few symptoms that are particular to this disease and doctors must recognize them in order to diagnose fibromyalgia.

It seems that 6 to 8 million people in the United States are affected by this disease. Women are exposed to this disease 20 times more frequent than men and mostly the 20 to 40 aged women get affected by it.

In 1990, the American College of Rheumatology decided that two major symptoms describe best fibromyalgia: pain in at least 11 of 18 tender points when touched or pressed and a widespread pain in the body for at least 3 months.

Nowadays, most scientists believe that a malfunction of the central nervous system along with stress and other psychic factors can produce this disease. Also, special events like the flu or a trauma could be the trigger of this disease.

General symptoms of fibromyalgia are: muscle pain that lasts more than three months, tenderness in the 18 points, sleeping problems, fatigue, headaches, abdominal pain associated with diarrhea or constipation and bloating. Also, paresthesia or tingling in hands, arms, feet, legs or face can be present. People describe the muscle pain in different ways: some can feel burnings, radiating, others gnawing, sore, stiff, and aching. Patients say that the pain is always present but with different intensities depending on the activity they perform or on the weather, the stress level and the sleep patterns.

Some of the patients complain of vision and hearing problems, palpitations, allergic symptoms, migraine headaches, rib cage pain, and plantar or heel pain.

These symptoms can last a few days or months and even years and the symptoms can sometimes get worse or sometimes disappear for a while.

Patients can feel depressed and develop mood changes, and some complain about anxiety, difficulty in concentration (some even complain that they can not perform easy mental tasks any more) along with sensitivity to light and temperature. Frequent urinating, painful menstrual periods and painful sexual intercourse can also be encountered.

At home in order to relieve muscle pain, patients are advised to swim, practice aerobic and different sorts or exercises. Massage is also recommended.

Treating fibromyalgia is made with medication too, like antidepressants, muscle relaxants, painkillers, drugs that induce sleep, and other drugs who work against fatigue.