What is Fibromyalgia?
It is a musculoskeletal system disease characterized by widespread pain throughout the body, fatigue, painful spots and morning stiffness. The disease frequency is 1-2% and increases with age.
60-90% of the patients are women and the average disease age varies between 30-60 years. Multi-disciplinary treatment with the participation of physical therapy, algology, psychiatry and neurology specialists. Fibromyalgia, a condition that requires It creates pain and sensitivity in muscles, tendons and soft tissues. Fibromyalgia is closely related to a person's psychological state. Stress, major losses, and traumas can also cause fibromyalgia symptoms to begin. Sometimes, chronic stressors that the person is not aware of can cause this situation. Fibromyalgia patients' pain threshold also decreases and their sensitivity to other stimuli increases. Noises that many people ignore can be perceived as much more severe in people suffering from this disorder.
· What are the symptoms?
People consult a doctor with widespread body pain. They cannot pinpoint the painful area. It is affected by severe weather changes, a person's morale, physical or emotional stresses, and sleep duration or quality. The other most common symptom after pain is fatigue. In addition to being a factor affecting pain, sleep changes are also part of fibromyalgia syndrome. In particular, there is difficulty in falling asleep and staying asleep. Patients complain that they cannot rest when they wake up in the morning. Although not common, chronic headache, intestinal system disorders, numbness (without physical examination findings), morning stiffness (not exceeding 30 minutes), and depression may be observed.
· How is it diagnosed?
Fibromyalgia syndrome is diagnosed by the patient's complaints and physical examination. Laboratory and imaging techniques are used for the diagnosis of other diseases that may cause fatigue and widespread pain (Goiter, rheumatic diseases, adult rickets, etc.). Fibromyalgia laboratory is normal. No abnormality can be detected with imaging methods.
The following findings are guiding in the diagnosis of fibromyalgia:
1. At least 3 Widespread body pain that has been going on for years,
2. Widespread pain on both sides of the body, below and above the waist,
3. Spine pain (Neck, anterior chest, back or waist)
4. Tenderness in 11 of 18 painful points when pressed with finger.
· What are the treatment methods?
In the treatment of the disease, the first priority is patient education. It is important. It should not be forgotten that the disease does not cause any physical dysfunction or affect life expectancy.
Drug therapy in the treatment of fibromyalgia is mostly applied to the patient's complaints. In drug treatment, painkillers, muscle relaxants, antidepressants and neuropathic pain medications are preferred.
Exercises (walking, running, cycling exercises) are recommended in addition to physical therapy agents.
Exercises help control the pain. It increases the physical functions of many patients and reduces the perception of painful points.
Ozone treatments are applied among non-drug treatments.
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