Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease that causes general muscle aches and chronic pain at specific points in the body. It is two times more common in women than men. Because the symptoms of fibromyalgia are very similar to other diseases, this disease is also called the invisible disease. Because it is confused with other diseases, it may take a long time to diagnose and the disease may progress in this process. Stating that frequently using sentences such as “My body aches never go away, I feel like I can’t get enough sleep no matter how much I sleep, I feel tired all the time, my memory is very bad, I can’t remember anything” can be a sign of fibromyalgia, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Specialist Assoc. Dr. Zeynep Iyigun warned.
CAUSES PAIN THAT SPREADS THE WHOLE BODY
Underlining that fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes widespread pain in the body, Assoc. Dr. Zeynep Iyigun, “Fibromyalgia is caused by a problem in the way the nervous system processes pain signals. In addition to the feeling of pain that spreads throughout the body, the pain can intensify in areas such as the back and neck, and this feeling can also manifest itself in the form of burning and stinging.
CORRECTLY DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCATION OF PAIN HELPS DIAGNOSIS
Assoc. Dr. Zeynep Iyigun explained the reason why the disease is often described as ‘invisible’ as follows:
“Since the common symptoms of the disease in the body can be seen in many health problems, many blood tests and imaging methods are needed before the diagnosis can be made. These examinations are done to exclude other possible diseases. The diagnosis of fibromyalgia is made by the clinical findings and examination of the patient. Therefore, accurately describing the type, location and other symptoms of pain can help in making the diagnosis.”
CHRONIC FAILURE AND SLEEP PROBLEMS ARE COMMON SYMPTOMS
Assoc. Dr. Zeynep Iyigun, other common symptoms of fibromyalgia include chronic fatigue, low energy, sleep problems, depression and anxiety, memory and concentration problems, chronic headache, muscle twitching and cramps, numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, irritable bowel syndrome and restless legs syndrome. listed as.
PATIENTS WAKE UP FROM SLEEP WITHOUT REST
Stating that chronic fatigue, which is among the common symptoms, should not be confused with ordinary fatigue, Assoc. Dr. Iyigun emphasized that fibromyalgia fatigue is a feature that consumes the body’s energy and makes it feel like bone fatigue. Assoc. Dr. Iyigun said, “However, the detected sleep disorder is not always insomnia, the main problem here is that the patient’s sleep is unproductive. Patients wake up unrest from sleep. Memory problems, on the other hand, are usually in the form of not being able to focus on the work being done, and sometimes even not understanding what is being said. In the literature, this situation is defined as ‘fibrofog-fibromyalgia fog’”.
IT IS NOT TOTALLY POSSIBLE TO TREAT
Assoc. Dr. Zeynep Iyigun made the following recommendations:
“The most effective method for the improvement of fibromyalgia symptoms is exercise treatments. Do not forget that exercises that increase the heart rate to a certain level, which we call aerobics, should be done regularly, regular use of drug treatments as required by your doctor, use of applications such as massage and physical therapy that can reduce pain, regulation of sleep, regulation of nutrition, and treatments of other diseases accompanying fibromyalgia.