Common Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

There are days you wake up feeling slightly well wondering if you're on the road to recovery.  A recovery that possibly abates one symptom of your fibromyalgia anyway.  

Then there are days you are sure you have another underlying illness, something deadly, just waiting to grasp you in its talons and not let you go.  This is particularly due to the intense flare-ups of the illness that can affect your organs in other ways unimaginable.  

Here is a list of common symptoms of fibromyalgia on those threatening days. Of course, should you experience any new pains or others that are more intense, don't hesitate to contact your primary physician. 

​PHYSIOLOGICAL PROBLEMS:
__ recurrent flu-like illness
__ recurrent sore throats, red and injected
__ painful lymph nodes under the arms and neck
__ muscle and joint aches with tender and trigger points - up to 18 of them
__ night sweats and fever
__ severe nasal and other allergies
__ irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
__ weight change - usually gain
__ heart palpitations
__ mitral valve prolapse
__ severe PMS
__ yeast infections
__ rashes and itching
__ uncomfortable or frequent urination
__ interstitial bladder cystitis
__ chest pains (non-cardiac)
__ temporomandibular joint dysfunction (in the jaw)
__ hair loss
__ carpal tunnel syndrome
__ cold hands and feet
__ dry eyes and mouth
__ severe and debilitating fatigue
__ widespread pain
__ other chronic illness(es) usually present (like diabetes, hypoglycemia, asthma, lupus, ms, etc.)
__ numbness in the limbs, not painful like pins & needles
__ painful swelling in the hands, legs, feet, neck
__ GERDs (gastro-esophageal reflux disorder)
__ widespread body pain during/after physical exertion

COGNITIVE FUNCTION PROBLEMS:
__ attention deficit disorder
__ spatial disorientation
__ calculation difficulties
__ memory disturbance
__ communication difficulties (problems speaking, confusing words)

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS:
__ depression
__ anxiety and panic attacks
__ personality changes, usually for the worse
__ emotional lability (mood swings)

OTHER NERVOUS SYSTEM PROBLEMS:
__ sleep disturbances
__ headaches
__ changes in visual acuity
__ numb or tingling feelings
__ burning sensations
__ light headedness
__ feeling 'spaced out'
__ desequilibrium
__ frequent unusual nightmares and disturbing dreams
__ tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
__ difficulty in moving your tongue to speak
__ severe muscle weakness
__ susceptibility to muscle, tendon, ligament injury
__ intolerance to bright lights
__ intolerance to alcohol
__ intolerance to sound
__ extreme sensitivity to medications and their side-effects
__ alteration of taste, smell, and hearing
__ insomnia
__ inability to achieve stage 4 restorative sleep
__ morning stiffness in the muscles and joints
__ restless leg syndrome
__ muscle spasms
__ muscle quakiness and shivering during/after activity or exercise
__ sleep paralysis (related to stage 4 sleep deprivation)

Another Symptoms List:

• Brain Fog difficulty concentrating - can't recall words / names - using wrong word - memory lapses - overwhelmed performing multiple tasks - low mental acuity - varies from day to day
• Pain unilateral (both left and right side) pain usually - in soft tissues - feels like "bones hurt" - generalized - radiating - gnawing aching - numbness, tingling, prickling, "pins and needles" - burning in hands, arms, feet, legs, and sometimes face / jaw - some pain always present - firm touch can cause discomfort - worse in morning, improves throughout day, worsens at night - affected by activity level, weather, sleep patterns, and stress, foods
• Stiffness worse on awakening and after prolonged sitting or standing in one position muscle tightness/ lack of flexibility, especially legs, back, shoulders
• Fatigue chronic - moderate to severe or extreme exhaustion - disabling - muscle twitching - muscle weakness - shakiness - can cause long periods of sleeping - strong need to fall asleep / a quick nap often refreshes, but fatigue returns
• Exercise Intolerance too much or wrong exercise may worsen FMS symptoms
• Weakness grip - body wide - suddenly drop objects - clumsy hands - extreme weakness all over
• Coordination impaired - can be in all areas - can't seem to pick feet up over obstacles
• Mobility forward body posture / typing, desk sitting, assembly line work can cause chest and upper body (thoracic) pain / dysfunction. unable to move body if severe
• Disequilibrium / balance[u tilting causes disorientation / nausea - dizziness - light-headedness - not able to adjust quickly
• Tenderness painful, sensitive locations on the body corresponding to branching of the arteries
• Restless Leg Syndrome periodic limb movement disorder - cannot get settled down
• Sleeptrouble falling asleep - waking at all hours - not rested when awake - easily awakened - abnormal sleep pattern
• Serotonin Reuptake anxiety - depression - obsessive compulsive - procrastination - easily irritated / dissatisfied with work, home and life in general - "negative minded", social anxiety, panic attacks
• Sensitivity over-sensitive to smell, noise, bright light, certain foods, medicines - change in weather - feel chilled or cold when others are not - feel excessively warm "paresthesia" = abnormal neurological sensations "hyperesthesia" = increased neurological sensations
• Hair thinning - dry - dull
• Fingernails and Toenails - soft and break -
• Skin itch - rash - small "ricelike" bumps - nicks bleed more easily - greasier skin - deep painful blemishes on face, torso, arms and legs - nose tender / outbreaks on the sides sub-cutaneous, painful swelling that can't open to surface
• Perspiration non-existent and insufficient are more common, but some FM's sweat profusely
• Hands/Feet numbness, tingling - not flexible - palms and soles of feet blotchy - poor hand-eye - calluses and corns on feet more painful and irritating - dry - in severe FMS hands can lose all activity and turn back toward arms, palms first
• Swelling sensation of swelling (edema) in hands and feet - ankles - throughout body
• Headaches chronic - "ice pick" - muscular (tension) and migraine headaches - severe
• Eyes problems with focus / skeletal tracking muscles of the eyes - "visual confusion" and nausea; vision not clear - like looking through Saran Wrap - frequent prescription changes - don't sparkle dry or burning
• Ears/Hearing reduced acuity - feel stuffy - tinnitus (ringing or whining in ears) - waxier - may feel damp inside
• Sinus chronic problems - closed-up feeling in nose and sinuses - sinus infections - easily catch colds and flu - chronic runny nose - non-allergic rhinitis = nasal congestion / discharge and sinus pain - post nasal drip causes throat problems
• Mouth tongue sore / swollen tastebuds - tender gums / backside of lips and roof of mouth blistered - dry - white coat on tongue like soft sand grains as tastebuds shed abnormally - excess mucus - yellow scum on teeth
• Saliva very acidic - thick - pH test may show 4.0 before treatment. Ideal body pH is 7.40
• Teeth grinding and clinching during sleep - splitting /cracking - require caps
• TMJ - Temperomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome
• Throat trouble swallowing - weak, coarse voice - choking - spasms if food too dry
• Acid Reflux often not relieved by proton pump inhibitor meds
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome alternating constipation and diarrhea - spastic colon - cramps - bloating - ulcerative gastritis
• Urination very frequent - small amounts - incontinence / leaking - urgent - typically in the absence of a bladder infection - odd odor or color
• Heart rapid or irregular heart rate - congestion can mimic heart blockage symptoms
• Neurally Mediate Hypotension  drop in BP and heart rate on standing - tilting backward can cause disorientation
• Lungs shortness of breath - wheezing - deep hard cough - Costochondralgia (costochondritis) pain where ribs meet sternum / often mistaken for heart disease 
• Neck stiff - cracks & pops - sore with movement
• Back bulged / herniated discs in lumbar - stiff - sore - back "goes out" - weakness - pain
• Axial Skeletal Pain in cervical spine, anterior chest, thoracic spine, or low back
• Stenosis of Spine (narrowing inside spinal canal)
• Carpal Tunnel
• EMG tests will show this, but with treatment for FMS may clear up immediately
• Cartilage
• grinds down - knees, etc. noisy, rough, painful
• Weight Gain
• puffy all over - gain for no reason
• Pelvic/Female Reproductive System
• no periods - skipped periods Dysmenorrhea - difficult and painful menstruation - cramps
• Dyspareunia - painful sexual intercourse Dysuria - painful urination 
• Bladder Infection
• Endometriosis - tissue resembling uterine mucous membrane occurs in pelvic cavity
• Vulvadynia - unprovoked burning, stinging, irritation or rawness of the female genitalia
• Infertility
• Hysterectomy
• Libido (physical passion) - can be low or non-existent
• Vaginal lubrication - can be inadequate or non-existent
• Manifestation of Symptoms severity, presentation and location lead to separate diagnosis, although believed to be related to FMS:
• Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) very painful spots (trigger points) form in taut bands in muscles or other connective tissues
• Sleep Apnea
• Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP)  one of the valves of the heart bulges during a heartbeat - causes click or murmur
• Raynaud's phenomenon  intermittent bilateral attacks of ischaemia (low oxygen state) of fingers, toes, ears or nose, marked by severe pallor, paraesthesia and pain. Cold or emotional stimuli triggers it / heat relieves. A circulatory problem affecting the small blood vessels of skin.
• Sicca
• dry mucous membranes, as of the eyes and mouth
• Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndromes
• Ulcerative Gastritis
• Ulcerated Esophagus

May be related or subset of symptoms:

• Sjogrens
• Polymalgia rheumatica
• Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder
• Gulf War Syndrome / some cases
• Meniere's
• Peripheral Neuropathy / some cases - cannot feel heat, cold, etc, correctly in extremities
• Rheumatoid Arthritis - recent research shows deficiencies of Hyaluronan in joints
• OsteoArthritis

Often Mistaken With

• Hypothyroidism (low thyroid production)
• Systemic lupus
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Lyme disease
• Post Polio Syndrome
• Adult ADD
• Hypochondriasis - preoccupation with bodily functions / thinking something is wrong

FMS Facts

• Misnomer: "fibro" = fibrous tissues (tendons and ligaments) / "my" = muscles / "algia" = pain.
• 80% of FM's are women of working age - can affect all age groups / men / all races / worldwide.
• 33% of FM's have (TMJ) dysfunction, affecting jaw joints and surrounding muscles.
• FM has existed throughout history and the world.
• May require a predisposing factor, possibly inherited, as well as a precipitating factor: trauma, viral infection, stress, history of abuse or neglect, rear-end car accident. Having a baby, difficult surgery, etc.
• Fibromyalgia is not a form of depression. Depression can be a component of FMS.
• Not infectious, or many patient's spouses would have it, but don't.
• FM's are overly sensitive to stimuli (painful) throughout the body.
• A spouse's snoring will disturb sleep and worsen symptoms .
• A regular sleep schedule helps.

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