No one medication works for all of the symptoms of fibromyalgia. For others, drugs have little effect, and for everyone, drugs have side effects that must be balanced with potential benefits. Not all pain management specialists, rheumatologists, or neurologists are knowledgeable about fibromyalgia.įibromyalgia is often best treated with a combination of approaches.įor some people, certain types of prescription medication can help reduce symptoms. Neurologists, who treat diseases of the brain and nervous systemīefore making an appointment with any of these specialists, ask whether they treat fibromyalgia.Rheumatologists, internists who specialize in treating arthritis and diseases of the joints, muscles, and soft tissues.Pain management doctors, who treat all forms of pain, including that caused by fibromyalgia.Other types of doctors who commonly treat fibromyalgia include: Some family practice doctors or internists (internal medicine specialists) can recognize and manage the condition. In addition, people with the condition are also more likely to have diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, among other health problems, which may lead to poorer overall health and quality of life.Ī variety of types of medical specialists treat fibromyalgia. However, risks for anxiety and depression are higher among people with fibromyalgia, which may also increase risk for suicide. ( 6) Nor does it damage muscles or organs or directly cause death. This test and others like it will not confirm a fibromyalgia diagnosis, but they will effectively eliminate other possible causes for your symptoms.įibromyalgia in and of itself doesn’t shorten life expectancy, according to a study published in 2018. However, your doctor may recommend a blood test to rule out other conditions.įor example, a complete blood count (CBC) can rule out conditions such as anemia, which can cause weakness and fatigue. ( 5)Īt present, there are no tests that can be used to definitively diagnose fibromyalgia. Now, if you experience widespread pain - over a large area of your body - for more than three months, with no other possible cause, you’ll likely be diagnosed with the condition. However, doctors are moving away from the tender point exam in the diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Historically, fibromyalgia was diagnosed by having a doctor check 18 specific points on the body to see how many of them were painful when pressed firmly. Fibromyalgia is often seen in families, and having a relative with the disorder puts you at increased risk for it.īut genes alone aren’t responsible for fibromyalgia. To complicate matters, fibromyalgia can also occur seemingly spontaneously, in the absence of trauma. The actual pain receptors in the brain may also undergo changes, developing a kind of “memory” that leads them to overreact to pain signals. Repeated stimulation may cause the brains of people with fibromyalgia to change - leading to an increase in chemicals known as neurotransmitters that signal pain. Some experts believe these events may trigger the onset of the disorder, but it’s unclear exactly how this connection could be explained. Symptoms of fibromyalgia often begin after physical or emotional trauma, such as an illness, surgery, infection, stressful life event, or injury. It’s also not an autoimmune disorder - a condition in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues. While pain in fibromyalgia may feel like it’s coming from a specific area of your body, it’s actually originating in your brain, specifically from the nervous system.Įven though it’s often grouped with rheumatic diseases like arthritis and lupus, fibromyalgia isn’t considered to be a disease of inflammation, or a joint or muscle disorder.
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