Sciatica Guide

Did you know that some Americans go from doctor to doctor for five to eight years before being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia Syndrome? On one hand, this debilitating back pain, hip pain and nerve pain, which results in overall body pain, is so serious that 60% of sufferers are out of work. Yet because the cause of the pain symptoms is so unclear, there is a negative stigma associated with Fibromyalgia, leading some to go so far as to call it the “Welfare Disorder.” The pain is very real though, which is perhaps why there are support groups nationwide to help the 6-8 million sufferers cope.

You’ll know Fibromyalgia back pain by its longevity. Sure, there are good days and bad days, but the dull pain seems to remain a constant. The pain feels like tenderness or sensitivity in key areas: the back of the head, elbows, knees, hips, upper back and upper chest. The pain is typically bad in the morning, improves slightly throughout the day and worsens at night. Some patients report a migratory throbbing sensation, while others report an overall aching or burning.

In addition to back pain, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue often come together. While the immediate cause of Fibromyalgia Syndrome is unknown, researchers speculate that changes in the brain related to Dopamine, Seratonin, pain receptors and neurotransmitters may have something to do with the disorder. It’s no coincidence that these same chemicals affect our sleep patterns as well. When patients miss out on their quality rejuvenation time, a whole myriad of other problems may take shape. Chronic headaches, poor memory performance, lethargy, depression, sensitivity to changes in environment and disrupted urination or menstruation are common symptoms as well.

To treat Fibromyalgia back pain, doctors usually try anti-inflammatory medication first as a precaution, though it rarely is enough. For patients who suffer sleeplessness, restless leg syndrome, morning stiffness and mood swings first and foremost, 50 mg of anti-depressant Amitriptyline improved symptoms significantly, though the tender points usually weren’t addressed. For people whose primary symptom is the tender points, muscle relaxants ease the pain symptoms, although morning stiffness, depression and fatigue may still persist. Sedatives helped patients immensely when it came to getting a good night’s sleep, but non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory, cortico steroids and analgesics did nothing to help patients.

Posted on November 15th, 2008 under exercise and stretching • RSS 2.0 feed • Leave a response, or trackback