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:
- a) Pain felt in all four body quadrants for at least 3 months
- b) Negative findings for any other diseases on the diagnostic tests
- 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
