Misdiagnosed as a form of arthritis, FMS is a condition causing widespread pain and tenderness at specific body sites. "Tender points" refers to tenderness that occurs in precise, localized areas, particularly in the neck, spine, shoulders, and hips. Muscular stiffness, morning stiffness, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, fatigue and sleep disturbances also are common. To exacerbate the problem, up to 70 percent of patients diagnosed with FMS also have signs and symptoms matching a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS), including extreme, even disabling fatigue, muscular pains, flu-like symptoms and mood changes.
Fortunately, although these conditions are not curable, neither are they progressive and do not lead to other serious diseases. However, the symptoms for both FMS and CFIDS do tend to be chronic, often lasting for years, and living with the pain of Fibrositis can be difficult. Research suggests that aerobic exercise, such as swimming and walking, improves muscle fitness and reduces muscle pain and tenderness.
There is some evidence that people with FMS have a more stressful response to daily conflict than those without the disorder. Relaxation and stress-reduction techniques have proven to be helpful in reducing the pain associated with this condition.
It is a disease that causes extreme pain to over six million Americans, 90 percent of whom are women in the prime of their lives. In recent years the medical community has come to recognize the suffering endured by these individuals, previously dismissed as chronic complainers or malingerers whose pain was imagined.
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