Is Fibromyalgia a Critical Illness?
What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a complex and challenging chronic medical condition that can have a huge impact on someone’s life and wellbeing. It is characterised by widespread pain and tenderness in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons, alongside a range of other symptoms. We understand the frustration and the demands fibromyalgia can have on someone’s life, it can be a long and arduous journey.
The main symptoms of Fibromyalgia are:
- Widespread Pain: Fibromyalgia's most defining feature is the presence of persistent, widespread pain that can manifest as a deep, enduring ache throughout the body. This pain can be physically and emotionally draining.
- Tenderness: People with fibromyalgia often endure heightened sensitivity to pressure at specific tender points on their bodies, which can make even gentle touch painful.
- Fatigue: The fatigue associated with fibromyalgia is not just physical but mental as well. Individuals with fibromyalgia frequently experience extreme tiredness, even after a full night's sleep, which can affect their daily lives.
- Sleep Disturbances: Sleep problems are common among those with fibromyalgia, contributing to a range of other health issues, including increased pain and fatigue.
- Cognitive Symptoms: Many individuals experience "fibro fog," which includes memory difficulties, trouble concentrating, and challenges with mental tasks.
- Other Symptoms: Fibromyalgia can also bring about additional symptoms, including headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, anxiety, and heightened sensitivity to light, noise, and temperature changes.
The exact cause of fibromyalgia remains a mystery, and it's believed to result from a complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and neurological factors. Diagnosing fibromyalgia requires a healthcare provider's clinical evaluation, which typically involves a physical examination and a review of your medical history. This can often take some time and can be increasingly frustrating for people, which in turn makes symptoms worse.