July 5, 2009

Font Size
A
A
A

Fibromyalgia (cont.)

Fibromyalgia Symptoms

  • Pain: The most prominent symptom of fibromyalgia is pain. Unlike arthritis, the discomfort is not in the joints but in the muscles and ligaments. The pain is commonly located in the neck, shoulders, back, and hips. The tenderness is worse in the mornings and has been described as flu-like, burning, throbbing, aching, or stabbing.


  • Fatigue: Another frequent complaint associated with fibromyalgia is fatigue. In fact, it occurs so commonly that some doctors think fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are the same disease. The severity of the fatigue can range from mild to incapacitating. In its worse form, fatigue can be so debilitating that some people have trouble keeping their jobs. No amount of sleep at night or rest during the day is helpful for relief.


  • Fibrofog: Another common symptom is a mental haziness some people call fibrofog. This refers to the inability to concentrate, memory loss, and depression that occurs with fibromyalgia.


  • Other symptoms associated with fibromyalgia are insomnia, headaches, nervousness, numbness, dizziness, and intestinal disturbances.


Next: When to Seek Medical Care »

Printer-Friendly Format  |  Email to a Friend

Chronic Pain/Back Pain

Find tips and advances in treatment.

Are You Depressed? Take the Quiz


Read What Your Physician is Reading on eMedicine

Fibromyalgia »

Fibromyalgia (FM) typically presents in young or middle-aged females as persistent widespread pain, stiffness, fatigue, disrupted unrefreshing sleep, and cognitive difficulties, often accompanied by multiple other unexplained symptoms, anxiety and/or depression, and functional impairment of daily living activities.

Read More on eMedicine »

Adult Skin Problems Slideshow

Search Medical Dictionary