43 Symptoms of Fibromyalgia – Anyone With Muscle Pain Should Read This

43 Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic widespread pain in the overall body and a heightened and painful response to pressure. This is a common issue which affects 3-5 million people (1/5 of the population). Even though it is characterized by debilitating pain in the entire body, in case of the chronic muscle pain we cannot speak about fibromyalgia, as this condition leads to other symptoms.

In order to begin treatment, everyone should be aware of its numerous symptoms, and we offer you here a list of 43 symptoms classified according to types of health issue.

Fibromyalgia symptoms

Muscle and Body Tissues:

1)         Mild to severe pain in various body parts

2)         Muscle Twitching

3)         Morning stiffness

4)         Tender and lumpy breasts

5)         Swelling

Stomach and Digestion Issues:

6)         Bloating, abdominal cramps, nausea, and pelvic pain

7)         Frequent urination

8)         IBS

Allergy and Sinus Issues:

9)         Shortness of breath

10)       Ringing Ears

11)       Itchy ears and earaches

12)       Thick mucus

13)       A runny nose and post nasal drip

14)       Sensitivity to molds and yeasts and allergies,

Heart Problems:

15)       Pain similar to the one during a heart attack

16)       Valve issues

17)       Irregular heartbeat

Sensory Problems and Sensitivity:

18)       Difficulty with seeing in low lighting and night driving

19)       Sensitive to smells, noise, light, climate, temperature, and pressure changes.

Sleep issues:

20)       Feeling like falling while sleeping

21)       Fatigue

22)       Difficulty sleeping, feeling tired and lethargic each morning

23)       Muscle twitching even while sleeping

24)       Grinding teeth

Cognitive Difficulties:

25)       Difficulty pronouncing familiar words and language impairments

26)       Poor coordination and balance

27)       Directional difficulties and recognizing familiar surroundings

28)       Burning or tingling in the upper limbs

29)       Zone out often, inability to differentiate color shades, short-term memory, and concentration issues.

Hair, Skin, and Nails:

30)       Hair loss

31)       Curved nails or overly-ridged nails

32)       Skin that appears mottled, bruises or scars easily

Mental Health issues:

33)       Irritability without a reason, Mood swings,

34)       Depression, Anxiety and panic attacks

Reproductive Problems:

35)       Loss of libido

36)       Impotence

37)       PMS and other menstrual problems

Other Symptoms:

38)       Unexplained weight loss or weight gain

39)       Vision changes

40)       Headaches and migraines

41)       The sweats

42)       Family history

43)       Carbohydrate and chocolate cravings

Many of these symptoms are non-specific, meaning that they can result from other health issues too, why is important to not jump to any conclusions immediately.

There are no specific fibromyalgia tests that are 100% accurate and that is a reason why this condition is not easy to diagnose.

A fibromyalgia diagnosis requires one to meet the following criteria set by The American College of Rheumatology:

1. a) Pain felt in all four body quadrants for at least 3 months
2. b) Negative findings for any other diseases on the diagnostic tests
3. c) 11 out of 18 tender points, with the pain felt when examined

There are some other diagnostic tests used by the doctors:

–           Complete blood count

–           Rheumatoid factor

–           Antinuclear Antibody (ANA)

–           X-rays

–           Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)

–           Thyroid tests

–           MRI