World Fibromyalgia Day is celebrated on May 12, a chronic disease that mainly affects women and affects 2.4% of the population over 18 in Spain.
Those who suffer from fibromyalgia know very well their symptoms, “my whole body hurts!”, It is usually the usual complaint of these patients. In addition, they tend to feel poorly understood by those around them, by society in general and even by medical society, who do not agree on how to address this disease.
If the person with fibromyalgia feels pain and misunderstanding, those around them feel unable to do anything to help them. The first step in helping people with fibromyalgia is to try to understand what is happening to them, precisely to try to calm the misunderstanding they feel. The treatment of pain remains in the hands of doctors, but society in general seems to have an approval regarding the knowledge of this condition. To understand the patient with fibromyalgia, we must know what is happening, today we recover, the Day of fibromyalgia , 10 key facts about this disease.
1 It is a chronic disease.
Fibromyalgia includes a set of symptoms against which there is still no cure. So we are talking about a chronic disease.
2 The main symptom is musculoskeletal pain.
Mainly, it is characterized by the presence of chronic pain in the muscles and bones, “in the whole body” which, as noted above, always say those who suffer from this disease.
3 It is accompanied by more symptoms.
Fatigue, sleep disorders, joint stiffness, headache, swelling of the hands, anxiety, depression, concentration and memory problems, numbness of hands and feet, menstruation Sore or stiff muscles, especially in the morning, are other symptoms that accompany the patient with fibromyalgia.
4 The intensity of pain is the key.
Fibromyalgia shares some symptoms with other diseases, however, something that helps to consider if what you have is this disease is the intensity of pain. Fibromyalgia patients generally report that their pain is very intense.
5 There are a number of sensitive points.
Pain in fibromyalgia patients often spreads throughout the body, but it is also true that there are a number of especially sensitive points that cause pain to focus on the neck, shoulders, back and hips. , arms and legs.
It affects women more than men.
Fibromyalgia is more common in women than in men, its prevalence is 20 women per man. In addition, it usually affects middle-aged women, the average age of onset of symptoms is around 47 years. There are no studies showing why, but it is believed that there may be a hormonal cause.
7 It is linked to other diseases.
People with rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases are more likely to develop fibromyalgia.
8 The cause is unknown.
There is no clear reason, but they are considered possible triggers, such as stress, both physical and emotional, that in people with a predisposition base would cause the symptoms of the disease. Surgery, trauma or chronic infections can trigger fibromyalgia and, if we talk about emotional stress, they could be triggers of situations of workplace harassment in the workplace, job loss, family problems or even sexual abuse.
The basis of the predisposition would be determined by a pathophysiological basis that, according to recent studies, is due to the alterations of the molecules responsible for the transmission of the nervous stimulus. In the central nervous system and in the peripheral nervous system, many alterations have been described and this is where the current pharmacological treatments point.
9 There are medications that help relieve pain.
It is common for people with fibromyalgia to be indicated with a pharmacological treatment based on antidepressants, antiepileptics, hypnotics or neuroleptics. It is also normal to try to reduce symptoms with pain relievers such as paracetamol or tramadol, since the latter is more potent and equipped with muscle relaxants. The problem is that people with fibromyalgia are particularly sensitive to any medication.
10 Physical exercise, healthy eating and psychological support are the key to treatment.
Like any other person, a person with fibromyalgia also enjoys physical exercise and a healthy diet. In addition, it will be essential to cope with the disease having psychological support.
