Severe fatigue, migraine headache, insomnia and other common signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia.
We often tend to consider muscle pain and joint pain as a part of our lifestyle rather than a sign of an underlying health problem. And this is the reason you ignore the common symptoms of fibromyalgia, which is often characterised by acute pain in the muscle leading to tenderness and fatigue. Often the symptoms of fibromyalgia are unrecognised and misunderstood and hence, remain undiagnosed for years. Therefore, a proper understanding and awareness on fibromyalgia is the need of the hour because it can help you to know about the condition and get treated. Hence, our expert Dr Prashanth Patil, Orthopedist, Apollo Hospitals, Bangalore lists some of the common symptoms of fibromyalgia you need to be aware of!
1. Severe fatigue: As the muscles are affected in the case of fibromyalgia, you might experience a lack of energy and severe fatigue, which tends to either increase or decrease in severity with time. Read more on when fatigue means much more than tiredness.
2. Insomnia: Due to severe pain in the tender points, especially on the neck and back, you might face difficulty while sleeping. And this, in turn, might lead to insomnia and waking up tired.
3. Difficulty in concentration: A rheumatic condition, fibromyalgia affects the musculoskeletal functioning of the body. This might also affect the neurological function leading to difficulty in concentration and memory.
4. Tension and migraine headaches: As stress can worsen the condition, people suffering from fibromyalgia also experience tension headaches and migraine headaches. Instead of taking a pill to deal with a headache, consult your doctor to know the exact reason for it and then treat it.
5. Jaw and facial tenderness: Yes, it is a common symptom of fibromyalgia as stiffness and localised tenderness at specific points in the body muscles and joints can lead to jaw pain and facial tenderness. So if you suffer from any of these symptoms, consult a spine specialist or orthopaedic at the earliest.
6. Feeling anxious and depressed: As the body is constantly in pain with severe fatigue, there are chances that you might experience anxiety. In some cases, you might even feel depressed.
7. Numbness and tingling sensation: It is commonly seen in the face, hands, arms, legs feet, etc. This is because, the muscle in the face, neck and legs along with the joints are severely affected. Here are a few common causes of numbness and tingling sensation.
8. Increased sensitivity: This includes sensitivity toward odours, noises, bright lights, cold, medications or certain foods. Do not ignore any increased sensitivity as it could indicate fibromyalgia.
In some cases, there are chances that the symptoms might fluctuate or worsen on a daily basis, and not occasionally. Known as a flare-up, the symptoms might last anywhere from a few days to weeks at a time. Moreover, changes in diet, stress, schedule, sleep or temperature can all trigger a flare-up of the syndrome. This may exacerbate if stressful events or accidents occur during these episodes. The intensity of these symptoms depends on the weather and time of the day. However, you can keep fibromyalgia at bay by following a healthier lifestyle, taking adequate sleep, having a regular exercise routine and with proper relaxation.
