Musculoskeletal Disorder: Fibromyalgia By: Jessica Proffitt

Introduction Now that you have been diagnosed with the musculoskeletal disorder, Fibromyalgia, you need to know what it is, what has caused it, what the symptoms are that you may be experiencing, how we diagnose it, and the treatment you may use. It will not only affect you, but also your friends and family.

What is it? Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder You will feel pain in many different ways -Very extensive musculoskeletal pain It can affect the muscles, tendons, and joints It is the second most common musculoskeletal disorder Fatigue, sleep, memory, depression, and mood issues typically will occur

Etiology The cause of Fibromyalgia is unknown It is believed that some things that could have lead to the disorder are stress, trauma, and infections. Having poor posture and smoking can also lead to the reason why you have Fibromyalgia Physical or emotional trauma, such as a car accident, can be linked to triggering Fibromyalgia You experience pain from stimuli when shouldn’t, meaning that most people without this disorder are not feeling pain from stimuli Substance P is found in patients, like yourself, with this disorder

Etiology (continued) Serotonin is relatively low in patients It is very common to experience impaired nonrapid eye movement during sleep -this can be the reason as to why you most likely feel fatigue and weakness throughout day Fibromyalgia does seem to be hereditary

Pathology Having Fibromyalgia does not cause any musculoskeletal damage or deformity Fibromyalgia also does not cause any damage to internal body organs

Clinical features Fibromyalgia causes chronic pain The pain is found in the joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues You will most likely experience aching or burning in the soft tissues Headaches and jaw pain are very common also The pain may cause depression, loss of sleep, stiffness, lack of concentration, and irritability

Clinical features (continued) Fibromyalgia may cause patients to experience irritable bowel syndrome Irritable bowel syndrome, in more detail, is having diarrhea, constipation, or abdominal pain with gas Urinary difficulties are another symptom In more detail, urinary difficulties are urinary urgencies are frequencies These can cause bladder spasms

Clinical features (continued) Fatigue is one of the biggest symptoms and signs Fatigue is seen in almost all of the patients with Fibromyalgia It causes memory and concentration problems It also causes loss of ability to exercise Physical or emotional trauma, such as a car accident, can be linked to having Fibromyalgia

Diagnoses Blood testing and physical exams are performed to diagnose Fibromyalgia They are used to exclude other muscle diseases bone diseases, cancers, and virus infections There are no testing that can be perform to diagnose it Physical exams determine Fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia is most common in women ages 20 to 50 years old

Diagnosis (continued) Tender points are used There must 11 to 18 tender points found to diagnose Fibromyalgia These tender points are found on both sides of the body They are found in the neck, shoulders, chest, hips, knees, and elbows

Treatment/ prognosis/ prevention Treating patients with Fibromyalgia, such as yourself, should begin by educating them Reducing stress, exercising, and taking medications are the steps of treatment The antidepressant,Amitriptyline, may be prescribed Amitriptyline is used to help regulate sleep patterns Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory may also be prescribed This medication will help with muscle and joint soreness Massage therapy, exercise and relaxation techniques These will help to relieve or reduce stress By educating you, you will have a better understanding of the disorder and will be able to control your condition and continue with your normal activities

Treatment/ prognosis/ prevention (continued) To help prevent Fibromyalgia, especially those who have a history of it in their family, should exercise These help to reduce stress These exercises help from the condition worsening Medications can lessen symptoms

Patient Teaching I am here to help you understand and your family Fibromyalgia After educating you the best that I can, we can begin to develop treatments that are best for you Having Fibromyalgia is a long, painful experience, but there are treatments available to help with it I want to make sure that you and your caregiver (if applicable) know how to cope with this disorder and you will be treated to help with the pain, sleep better, and reduce stress if wanted

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