What is Fibromyalgia?

The form answer: Fibromyalgia is a chronic widespread muscular tenderness and pain that's usually accompanied by fatigue, sleep disorders (restless leg syndrome, frequent wake-ups) and other symptoms that vary for each affected person and may include the following:

• Fatigue
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Chronic headaches
• Jaw pain
• Cognitive or memory impairment
• Muscle pain or morning stiffness
• Painful menstruation
• Numbness and tingling in the extremities
• Dizziness or light headedness
• Skin and chemical sensitivities

Another symptom that is rarely ever mentioned in books and medical websites is twitching. For me, this occurs when I have been particularly physically active during the day or week and am feeling fatigued. These twitches are rather abrupt involuntary muscle spasms with a varying frequency. Generally if I am occupied and moving, the twitches are less frequent, but increase with fatigue and stress. They are annoying and brisk, and sometimes painful.

A note about restless leg syndrome: Did you know that RLS is not an involuntary muscle spasm? People who suffer from RLS feel a strong compulsion to move their legs to relieve the strange feeling or pain they feel in them. Often when you have RLS you may also have PLMD (Periodic Limb Movement Disorder) which usually occurs at night and is involuntary. If you have ever woken up because you felt yourself kicking, then you had a type of PLM.

Fibro Pain

People with fibromyalgia have a lower threshold and greater sensitivity to pain and will feel it for a significantly longer time.

Generally the pain varies in intensity and location all the time. I would say that my pain occurs around any of the 18 tender points shown in the image below:

My more sensitive regions are around the elbows and knees, and radiate towards the extremities. I hate having my arms grabbed, even lightly, or my lap slapped. My back is where I feel the most pain (points 9 to 16 ache pretty much all the time).

It is best to be gentle with folks who have fibromyalgia.

Week 2 Take Away

Although this tip comes from my Chronic Pain Self-Management Program, it applies to everyone.

Preserve and protect your back at all costs by

1. Maintaining the natural curves of your back at all times
2. Avoid bending you back, that is bending from the lumbar spine. Instead bend your knees and bend from your hips.
3. Avoid twisting your body to grab things around you. Instead shift your weight by moving your entire body. Step toward (applies to both standing and seated positions) the direction you are reaching for.

These actions may take longer to perform, but the benefits are avoiding damage to your vertebrae (priceless and irreplaceable). 

NB: I took the above image from the following website which gives quite a bit of detail on the 18 Tender Points:


http://www.wildwoodinnhr.com/fibromyalgia.html