Fibromyalgia

What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes widespread muscle pain throughout the body. The condition may be the result of an increased sensitivity to pain that affects how your brain processes pain signals from your nerves.

In many cases, symptoms of fibromyalgia appear after a surgery, a serious infection, or following trauma. You can also develop fibromyalgia-related pain due to extreme stress. For some, the root cause of fibromyalgia isn’t clear.

What are the symptoms of fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia causes widespread pain that lasts for at least three months and typically occurs on both sides of your body. Because of the chronic pain, many people with fibromyalgia also experience:

• Mood swings
• Chronic fatigue
• Sleep disturbances
• Difficulties concentrating

You may also experience fibromyalgia pain in conjunction with other painful disorders, such as painful bladder syndrome or migraines.

How is fibromyalgia diagnosed?

The goal of a diagnostic evaluation for fibromyalgia is to rule out underlying health issues that can cause pain lasting three months or longer. This may involve blood tests to determine if you have a thyroid disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, or an infection.

Your provider at Desert Pain Specialists also reviews your personal and family medical history and physically examines areas of pain to identify abnormalities like swelling or redness.

How is fibromyalgia treated?

Treating fibromyalgia often starts with lifestyle changes that help strengthen muscles and improve overall health. Your provider at Desert Pain Specialists may recommend physical therapy and stress-reduction therapies, like massage or yoga, to prevent pain from worsening.

If conservative therapies aren’t enough to ease chronic pain, your provider may recommend over-the-counter or prescription medications to ensure you can stay physically active. Desert Pain Specialists also offers in-office trigger point injections, which contain an anesthetic medication to numb trigger points, or areas of overly tight, tender muscles.

You may also benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you cope with fibromyalgia and learn techniques to keep you from becoming overstressed. CBT can also reduce risk factors for depression and other mental health issues that can result from the persistent pain of fibromyalgia.

If you have chronic, widespread pain that’s not improving with home care, schedule a fibromyalgia evaluation by phone or request one online today.