It’s Fibromyalgia Awareness Month, which is an opportunity for people in the fibro community to share their stories and raise awareness of this often misunderstood illness.
Sharing facts about fibromyalgia on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook can help educate the public about what it’s like to live with the condition. To help you get started, we’ve put together some basic fibro facts, with help from allsup.com.
MORE: Seven common medications used to treat fibromyalgia.
- Fibromyalgia is considered a condition rather than a disease because there are no specific causes or recognizable symptoms. A syndrome is a collection of symptoms and medical issues that occur together but cannot be attributed to an identifiable cause.
- There is no cure for fibromyalgia. Treatment is centered on managing the symptoms of the syndrome and making life more comfortable for those who live with fibro.
- While men and children can develop fibromyalgia, 90 percent of sufferers are women.
- Fibromyalgia affects all ethnic groups equally.
- Diagnosis usually occurs in young women between the ages of 20 and 50, but as a person gets older they are more likely to develop fibromyalgia.
- By the age of 80, around 8 percent of people meet the criteria of fibromyalgia from the American College of Rheumatology.
- Widespread pain is the number one symptoms of fibromyalgia. People living with the condition will have tender spots in various places on their body and will feel pain much more than those without the condition.
- Chronic fatigue and psychological issues are also common symptoms associated with fibromyalgia.
- The pain can be so debilitating it can interfere with everyday tasks and completely overtake patients’ lives.
- Fibromyalgia often overlaps with other health conditions such as anxiety disorders, IBS, chronic fatigue syndrome, and depression.
MORE: Seven physical therapy treatments to try if you have fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Says who : “it’s not a disease”. As you (the medical professionals) have no idea how to cure it. The is no universally accepted consensus on whether is neurological or Rheumatological; do we need an endocrinologist or a psychiatrist or an infectious diseases specialist … you just don’t know. I know my own body. I know I’m in pain 24/7 as are millions of other sufferers throughout the world. I know when it started – I know what triggered it! So instead of waisting time resources & money on useless research – ask the patient.Ask the right questions. Listen to the patient. Build a data base of this debilitating disease and stop negating our pain & distress by moving this illness into other categories (a syndrome – really ?…..nerves sending the wrong messages to the brain – therfore its all in your head!)Anything to lessen the severity of the impact on our lives.
Amen! well said, Mary Carrazza
Mary Carrazza, you nailed it! Thank you for putting that out there.
Oh I do so love the first comment. I hate playing this card, but if this disease was 90 percent about men, would the research not equal heart disease?
I’m afraid you may find it is degenerative. In my 40’s I could learn and reason and spell. In spite of the pain, I could work, mind a child and have sex. At 62 I have a carer, can go nowhere on my own, am crippled by pain and the brain fog is so bad I struggle to have an intelligent conversation.
BINGO Marry, I like that, I am thinking just like you, thank you for sharing, I was worried to be the only one who think that way……take good care. you are not alone…..Hugs
I am 46yrs old and have lost everything due to fibromyalgia that hit me hard among other things in my late 30″s. It was so bad I became disabled and had to retire from my nursing career. Sent my kids to father’s because I felt like a burden. I can’t do anything fun anymore. I can’t even remember things. Pain everywhere keeps me from letting people in my life. Drs attitude’s keep me from getting help I need. Over it for sure!!!
Dear Laurie, I am so sorry about all that what caused to you because of Fibromyalgia, I do understand, myself on the 1st January been told by my husband of 12 years to get out soon, that he cannot take care of a sick woman that He got His life to leave, He is 70 I am 68, I have 4 hernia in my spine, a rotated calf let shoulder, my right eye is 0 vision and my left not very much,and I have Fibromyalgia… cannot carry anything or do house work, but we have a Maid, I do not drive, so, hope He will compensate me enough to get a Maid and someone to drive me for my food shopping, I do know what you mean, it is not easy, but for me, I am a new born Christian and I have lot of friends support, I am French but now come to live here in Panama for my husband, I will stay here, my friends are here…..please e-mail me if you wich…[email protected] you are not alone. hugs to you.