Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain
You are not alone.
More than 1 in 3 American adults are impacted by a life-altering chronic pain condition, and 1 in 9 suffer with severe, disabling pain.
Fibromyalgia (pronounced fy-bro-my-AL-ja) is a complex chronic pain disorder that affects an estimated 2-4% of the world's population (~210 million in 2015; 3%). For example, In the United States, approximately 10 million Americans (3%) are afflicted with FM. While it occurs most often in women (80% women - 20% men), FM also strikes men and children of all ethnic backgrounds. For people with severe symptoms, fibromyalgia (FM) can be extremely debilitating and interfere with basic daily activities. Fibromyalgia is a condition which appears to involve disordered central afferent processing. This processing includes neuroplasticity (a physical change in the brain) that engages regions of the brain abnormally in processing external stimuli. The cause of FM remains uncertain.
Symptoms
Fibromyalgia is a condition which appears to involve disordered central afferent processing. The major symptoms of FM include:
- chronic, widespread body pain
- moderate to severe fatigue
- sleep disorders and disturbances
- problems with cognitive functioning and memory
Other symptoms may include:
- psychological distress (anxiety and depression)
- impaired functionality
- sensitivity to light, sound, and odors
- stiffness upon awakening
- sexual dysfunction
- stiffness after waking or resting for an extended period of time
Often, overlapping conditions such as TMJD, IBS, headaches and migraines, anxiety and depression, and environmental sensitivities co-exist with fibromyalgia.
fibroandpain.org