Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia

ConceptandEtiology:Howdoesthediseaseaffectthe

musculoskeletalandintegumentarysystemsinparticular?How

doesitdeviatefromthedefinitionofhealthdiscussedin

ModuleOne?

Fibromyalgiaisneurologicaldiseasethataffectsthe

muscleandskin.Itattributestopaintotouch,pressureto

muscles,andoccasionallycanaffectjoints.Whileitmost

commonlyaffectswomen,itcanalsoaffectmen.It

generallybeginsinmiddleadulthoodbutcanalsoaffect

teensoroldage.Populationsathigherriskfor

fibromyalgiaarethosewitharheumaticdiseasesuchas

osteoarthritis,lupus,rheumatoidarthritis,orankylosing

spondylitis(AmiguesM.D.,2019).

Classification:Howisthediseaseclassified?

Fibromyalgiawashistoricallyclassifiedasaninflammatory

musculoskeletaldiseaseandnowisclassifiedasdiseaseof

thecentralnervoussystem.(UnderstandingFibromyalgia

andItsRelatedDisorders,2008)

ClinicalManifestations(SymptomsandSigns):Whatarethe

symptomsandsignsofthediseaseordisorder?Besureyou

understandthedifferencebetweensymptoms(subjective)and

signs(objective).



SignsandsymptomsaccordingtoTheAmericanCollegeof

Rheumatologyinclude(AmiguesM.D.,2019):

Tendernesstotouch,pressureaffectingmuscles,and

occasionallyjointsoreventheskin

Extremefatigue

Sleepproblems

Problemswithmemoryorbrainfog

Depression

Anxiety

Migraine/tensionheadaches

Irritablebowelsyndrome(commonlycalledIBS)

Gastroesophagealrefluxdisease(oftenreferredtoasGERD)

Irritable/overactivebladder

Pelvicpain

Temporomandibulardisorder-oftencalledTMJ

DiagnosticTests:Whataresomeadditionaldiagnostictests

thatcanbedonetoilluminatethediagnosis?Forexample,

whenyouinjureyourankle,theytakeanx-raytodetermineifit

isbrokenorsprained.



oThereisnotesttodiagnosisfibromyalgia.However,a

providermayorderyoutogettestingtoruleoutother

disorders.Theywillalsorequireaphysicalexamination

andyoutomeetcertaincriteriafordiagnosis,suchas

fatigue,wakingunrefreshed,andcognitiveproblem.Also,

nootherhealthproblemtoexplainpainthatis

occurring(AmiguesM.D.,2019).

References

AmiguesM.D.,M.R.(2019,March).Fibromyalgia.Retrievedfrom

AmericanCollegeofRheumatology:

https://www.rheumatology.org/I-Am-A/Patient-Caregiver/Diseases-

Conditions/Fibromyalgia

UnderstandingFibromyalgiaandItsRelatedDisorders.(2008).The

Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 10(2),133-144.doi:10.4088/pcc.

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