Fibromyalgia

            Fibromyalgia is one of those things that a lot of doctors still do not quiet understand or want to acknowledge. It is defined as a disorder that has widespread muscular and skeleton pain. This pain usually has fatigue, sleepiness, and mood changes that accompany it. Many believe that any painful sensations are affected by how the brain processes any and all pain signals. Symptoms of this disease vary by person. One thing that all have in common is that the symptoms come on after a physical trauma, surgery, infections, or a major psychological stressor. Fibromyalgia affects women more than men and those that have this disease usually have another form of autoimmune illness that plagues them. As of now there is no cure for this autoimmune disease. 

            Part of dealing with this is the widespread pain that comes along with it.  Most people state that they always have a constant dull aching pain. The pain is widespread throughout the entire body, no one specific place where the pain is worse than other places. Along with pain comes the fatigue. It is not tiredness but an overall fatigue that has no relief from ever not being present. If the pain and fatigue is not enough, throw in some cognitive issues. These issues are referred to as “fibro brain.” The brain is not able to focus on what it needs to because the pain outweighs anything else. Not only is it hard to focus, paying attention becomes that much more difficult and attention to mental tasks is slowed. In dealing with pain other issues creep up in dealing with fibromyalgia. Most people can be diagnosed with irritable bowel issues, migraines, bladder issues, and joint issues. There is not a known cause for this but some believe that genetics play a part along with some type of serious infection, or some type of trauma. 

            There are six defined stages of this disease according to some with fibromyalgia. Each of these stages defines the pain and trauma that the person is experiencing. There are people who add more stages or take some away. I like to use the six-stage method and I am in stage 4 going into stage 5. I say this because I not only have fibromyalgia but other autoimmune diseases that all play off one another. I see more of a neurological aspect of fibromyalgia in my day-to-day life. Yes I have a lot of pain but my memory issues are the part that bothers me the most. In dealing with fibromyalgia I have noticed just how much it takes out of me each day. Not only the constant unrelenting pain but also the memory fog and not being sure what each day is going to bring. I don’t rate this in the top of my autoimmune diseases but it does play a large part in my every day life.