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What Is the Cause of Fibromyalgia?
Causes of fibromyalgia are currently unknown. Over the past few decades, many theories have been presented, and the understanding of the disorder has changed dramatically. Most current theories explain only a few symptoms of the disorder and are thus incomplete.
Sleep disturbance
The sleep disturbance theory postulates that fibromyalgia is related to sleep quality.
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Fibromylagia can be treated is treated in different ways. The most important factor in improving fibromyalgia is for the patient to recognize the need for lifestyle adaptation. It is very important for the patient to change because it can bring recognizable improvement in function and quality... [More...]
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Electroencephalography (EEG) studies have shown that people with fibromyalgia lose deep sleep[5]. Circumstances that interfere with "stage 4" deep sleep (such as drug use, pain, or anxiety) appear to be able to cause or worsen the condition.
According to the sleep disturbance theory, an event such as a trauma or illness causes sleep disturbance and, possibly, some sort of initial chronic pain. These initiate the disorder. The theory supposes that "stage 4" sleep is critical to the function of the nervous system, as it is during that stage that certain neurochemical processes in the body reset. In particular, pain causes the release of the neuropeptide substance P in the spinal cord, and substance P has the effect of
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It is necessary to know if when to call a doctor. Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aches, pain and stiffness, soft tissue tenderness, general fatigue and sleep disturbances.
Patients should not wait for severity of the signs and symptoms before seeking doctor's attention. When the... [More...]
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amplifying pain and causing nerves near the initiating ones to become more sensitive to pain. Under normal circumstances, this just causes the area around a wound to become more sensitive to pain, but, if pain becomes chronic and body-wide, then this process can run out of control. The sleep disturbance theory holds that deep sleep is critical in order to reset the substance P mechanism and prevent this out-of-control effect.
An interesting aspect of the sleep disturbance/substance P theory is that it explains "tender points" that are characteristic of fibromyalgia but which are otherwise enigmatic, since their positions don't correspond to any
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If you are one among the people who suffers from fibromyalgia, you absolutely need to read the following books to help you cure the disease.
• "From Fatigue to Fantastic"
Writer: Jacob Teitelbaum
The book talks about fibromyalgia and fatigue. It includes all the necessary prescriptions, lifestyle, nutrition and... [More...]
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particular set of nerve junctions or other obvious body structures. The theory posits that these locations are more sensitive because the sensory nerves that serve them are positioned in the spinal cord to be most strongly affected by substance P. The theory also explains some of more general neurological features of fibromyalgia, since substance P is active in many other areas of the nervous system.
Critics of the theory argue that it does not explain slow-onset fibromyalgia, fibromyalgia present without tender points, or patients without heightened pain symptoms, and a number of the non-pain symptoms present in the disorder.
Also of interest is a possible connection between this theory and the theory that chronic fatigue syndrome and post-polio syndrome are due, at least in part to damage to the ascending reticular activating system of the reticular formation. This area of the brain, in addition to apparently controlling the
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The most common drugs used to treat fibromyalgia are analgesics such as tramadol; non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that include aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen sodium; antidepressants like serotonin and norepinephrine; benzodiazepines such as clonazepam and diazepam; and others.
--- permission must be obtained from author Eric Falwelle to... [More...]
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sensation of fatigue, is known to control sleep behaviors and is also believed to produce some neuropeptides, and thus injury or imbalance in this area could cause both CFS and sleep-related fibromyalgia, explaining why the two disorders so often occur together.
Deposition disease
Another theory involves phosphate and calcium accumulation in cells that eventually reaches a level to impede the ATP process, possibly caused by a kidney defect or missing enzyme that prevents the removal of excess phosphates from the blood stream. This theory posits that fibromyalgia is an inherited disorder, and that
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Until today, there is no known cure for fibromyalgia but there are available treatments. The treatments are done just to improve the signs and symptoms and to improve the condition of the patients.
--- permission must be obtained from author Eric Falwelle to re-publish --- ... [More...]
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phosphate buildup in cells is gradual (but can be accelerated by trauma or illness). Calcium is required for the excess phosphate to enter the cells. The additional phosphate slows down the ATP process; however the excess calcium prods the cell to continue producing ATP.
Diagnosis is made with a specialized technique called mapping, a gentle palpitation of the muscles to detect lumps and areas of spasm that are thought to be caused by an excess of calcium in the cytosol of the cells. This mapping approach is specific to deposition theory, and is not related to the trigger points of myofascial pain syndrome.
While this theory does not identify the causative mechanism in the kidneys, it proposes a treatment known as guaifenesin therapy. This treatment involves administering the drug guaifenesin to a patient's
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Like any other illnesses, the drugs used for fibromyalgia can cause side effects. One of the common drugs used to treat fibromyalgia are analgesics, painkillers. Physicians hesitate to prescribe these drugs for long-term use because of the potential of the patients taking them will become physically... [More...]
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individual dosage, avoiding salicylic acid in medications or on the skin, and, if the patient is also hypoglyemic, a diet designed to keep insulin levels low.
The phosphate build-up theory explains many of the symptoms present in fibromyalgia and proposes an underlying cause. The guaifenesin treatment, based on this theory, has received mixed reviews, with some practitioners claiming many near-universal success and others reporting no success. Only one controlled clinical trial has been conducted to date, and it showed no evidence of the efficacy of this treatment protocol. This study was criticized for
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Finding fibromyalgia support groups are quite hard to find since the disease is not that popular, but the best way to find fibromyalgia support groups is through the internet.
Try to search in the online for fibromyalgia support groups in your area. Most of fibromyalgia support groups... [More...]
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not limiting the salicylic acid exposure in patients, and for studying the effectiveness of only guaifenesin, not the entire treatment method. As of 2005, further studies to test the protocol's effectiveness are in the planning stages, with funding for independent studies largely collected from groups which advocate the theory.
Other Fibromyalgia Cause Theories
Other theories relate to various toxins from the patient's environment, viral causes such as the Epstein-Barr Virus, growth hormone deficiencies, neurotransmitter disruptions in the central nervous system, and
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There is no specific diet proven to influence fibromyalgia although some people with fibromyalgia report feeling better when they eat or avoid certain foods.
It is very important for patients to eat healthy and balance diet. Proper nutrition gives more energy and makes people generally feel... [More...]
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erosion of the protective chemical coating around sensory nerves. Due to the multi-systemic nature of illnesses such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME), an emerging branch of medical science called psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is looking into how the various theories fit together.
Comorbid diseases
Cutting across several of the above theories is a theory that proposes that fibromyalgia is almost always a comorbid disorder, occurring in combination with some other disorder that likely served to "trigger" the fibromyalgia in the first place. This concept fits especially well with the sleep disturbance theory.
By this theory, some other disorder (or trauma) occurs first, and fibromyalgia follows as a result. In some cases, the original disorder abates on its own or is separately treated and cured, but the fibromyalgia remains. In other cases the two disorders coexist. This theory would explain why such a wide variety of symptoms are often ascribed to fibromyalgia, since there are potentially a wide variety of comorbid disorders.
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The causes for fibromyalgia are not identified. The condition creates unclear signs and symptoms connected with reduced blood flow to some parts of the brain and improved amounts of substance P believed to be a sensory neurotransmitter included in the message of pain, touch and temperature... [More...]
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It also helps explain why fibromyalgia is so hard to treat, since the fibromyalgia is unlikely to abate while the comorbid condition is untreated.
Commonly proposed comorbid/trigger disorders are:
- Spinal disorders
- Physical trauma, as from a traffic accident
- Post-surgical pain
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Myofascial Pain Syndrome
- Thyroid disease - for example Hashimoto's thyroiditis; thyroid hormone substitution can be helpful in some cases
- Lyme disease
- Post-polio syndrome
- Hypermobility (including Ehlers-Danlos syndrome)
- Clinical depression
Skepticism on Cause of Fibromyalgia
Some primary care physicians (in contrast to many rheumatologists) feel that fibromyalgia is not an actual disease at all. This theory posits that the symptoms of fibromyalgia are manifestations of depression, along with symptoms of unrelated diseases such as
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Though the symptoms of fibromyalgia can be unbearable, they are not serious. Symptoms may differ, depending on stress level, physical action, time of day, and the weather.
Pain is the main symptom, found in almost 100 percent of cases, particularly, pain and tenderness in some areas... [More...]
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chronic fatigue syndrome, Epstein-Barr syndrome, interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and others. Evidence to support this view includes:
- the lack of any visible, histological, or serological pathology, divergent or unrelated symptoms
- different rates of illness among members of different cultures
Some medical authorities believe that depression and psychological factors affect the syndrome.
(Thanks to Wikipedia for this excellent guide.)
Read Today's Feature:
The cause of fibromyalgia remains elusive. However, recent studies show that genetic factors can predispose individuals to a genetic susceptibility to fibromyalgia. Mostly, the onset of fibromyalgia is slow, but in large percentage of patients, the onset is usually triggered by an illness or injury that... [More...]
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