- Fatigue. Long periods of sleep are often not enough to stop the feeling of awaking tired. Sleep is often interrupted by sleep disorders, restless legs, apnea, and pain.
- Cognitive problems. “Fibro fog” is a cognitive difficulty which disrupts attention, focus and concentration.
- Other problems. Fibromyalgia can also be associated with depression, abdominal pain or cramping and headaches.
Causes of Fibromyalgia
There are a multitude of factors which may cause fibromyalgia, although research is still not clear. These suspected factors include
- Genetics: Fibromyalgia has been shown to run in families. This points researchers to a possible genetic mutation.
- Infections: Fibromyalgia seems to be triggered by certain illnesses.
- Physical or emotional trauma: PTSD and other disorders are linked to fibromyalgia’s onset.
Risk factors for the disease include gender, with the disease affecting women more often than men. Family history and rheumatic disease are also risk factors. Rheumatoid arthritis and lupus are two rheumatic diseases linked to fibromyalgia.
Top 10 Treatments for Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia treatments include both lifestyle changes and medication. The primary goal of treatment is to make symptoms more bearable and improve overall health. The symptoms of each patient with fibromyalgia are different and there is not one treatment which works for all symptoms.