Fibromyalgia is real. The symptoms it causes can be grouped into five categories, each including many problems.

“Fibromyalgia is a pain disorder that can affect certain parts of your body, especially the musculoskeletal system,” says Sashini Seeni, MD, a family medicine practitioner with DoctorOnCall, an online doctor and pharmacy.

“It is a painful condition that might be accompanied by other manifestations such as mood problems, memory problems, fatigue and lack of sleep.”

Fibromyalgia can result in so many issues that this condition is often misdiagnosed for something else.

Five Categories of Problems Caused by Fibromyalgia

Neurosensory Issues

“This includes headache, migraines, vertigo and dizziness,” says Dr. Seeni.

“These problems are believed to be caused by over-activation of certain neurotransmitters in the brain.”

Cognitive Symptoms

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“Also called a fibro-fog,” says Dr. Seeni. “Among the symptoms are confusion, forgetfulness, trouble in memory, difficulty in concentrating and difficulty in processing information.”

Functional Somatic Syndrome

“This syndrome consists of overlapping symptoms including chronic fatigue, gastrointestinal problems, continuous pain and sleep difficulties,” says Dr. Seeni.

Sleep Problems

“Having trouble with sleep is not always the case in fibromyalgia,” says Dr. Seeni.

“But lot of patients find it is hard to cope with pain during sleep. Hence, their sleep cycle is often miserable.”

Depression, Anxiety, Stress

Dr. Seeni explains, “According to a study published in 2011, 90 percent of patients are facing depression.

“The recurrent painful situation made patients isolate themselves rather than joining society.

“The condition can be reversed with controlling the symptoms and behavioral therapy.”

Conditions that Fibromyalgia Can Be Misdiagnosed As

• Low thyroid
• Rheumatic disease
• Primary depression and anxiety
• Myofascial pain syndrome
• Multiple sclerosis
• Pinched nerves
• Side effects from statin drugs

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DoctorOnCall is the largest digital healthcare platform for citizens of Malaysia, allowing patients to consult doctors for advice, book appointments and place orders with local pharmacies.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.  

 

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