Health Information

Feature: Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia causes fatigue, aching, and stiffness in muscles and joints, particularly between the shoulder blades and at the bottom of the neck. These symptoms continue for at least 3 months. People with fibromyalgia also have tender points, which are specific spots on the body that are painful to touch. Some people report symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, depression, anxiety, and headache. Very often, people with fibromyalgia report that they wake up almost every morning feeling as if they have not gotten enough sleep, even when they sleep for 7 to 10 hours. The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown. Some research suggests that certain natural body chemicals may be abnormally low. Other research indicates that sufferers may not get enough time in the deepest stages of sleep.

Fibromyalgia is pretty common. It affects 3 to 6 million Americans, and women have it more often than men. On the other hand, most people who have fatigue and pain in various parts of the body do not have fibromyalgia.

There is no known way to prevent fibromyalgia. To relieve the pain of fibromyalgia, common pain killers such as aspirin, acetaminophen, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs often are prescribed. The FDA has approved pregabalin and duloxetine hydrochloride for the treatment of fibromyalgia.

Other treatments that are commonly prescribed are amitriptyline (which seems to give sufferers more refreshing sleep), fluoxetine, gabapentin, tramadol, and tizanidine.

Doing aerobic exercise—such as low-impact stepping, cycling, or swimming—several times each week also is essential. In addition, you should do everything you can to increase your hours of deep sleep. This means avoiding caffeine after noontime and not exercising late in the day. These things can make it harder for you to fall asleep. Be sure to avoid drinking fluids late in the evening too because this can make you wake up to pass water at night.

Other treatments besides medicines can help. Acupuncture, massage therapy, warm compresses, biofeedback, hypnosis, group therapy, and stress management are some of the treatments to think about. If you have symptoms of depression or anxiety, these may improve with psychotherapy and antidepressants or antianxiety medication.