Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is a musculoskeletal illness (which causes chronic pain) and a chronic fatigue disorder. It can also change sleep patterns and cause the following: digestive disorders, chronic headaches, painful menstrual periods, temperature sensitivity, morning stiffness, numbness or tingling of extremities, and even cognitive memory problems. The name fibromyalgia comes from "fibro" in Latin meaning tissue, "my" in Greek meaning muscle, and "algia" (also Greek) meaning pain.(source 5)
Because symptoms are wide - ranged and studies for treatment of FMS did not begin until the 1980's, it is one of the most popularly misdiagnosed conditions in the medical world. The main symptoms are widespread pain and fatigue as well as tender points on the body. The muscular pain often may feel like a pulled muscle and may burn or twitch. (Source 3)
Fibromyalgia seems to affect mostly women, although men and children can also get it. It is estimated by the that about three to six percent of the U.S. population has fibromyalgia.(Source 4) Yet another source states that it is three to six million people in the U.S. or as many as one in fifty Americans. (Source 1) All of these sources agree that women make up to eighty or ninety percent of fibromyalgic patients.
The causes of FMS are unknown. Sometimes, fibromyalgia occurs spontaneously. Some people speculate that traumatic or stressful events can cause fibromyalgia. Others believe it can be caused by repetitive muscle injuries. It is also sometimes linked to other serious illnesses as well. According to NIAMS (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease), researchers are beginning to speculate how the brain and spinal cord process pai...
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Because the cause of fibromyalgia is not know, there is no prevention for the disorder. There are only ways of coping with it once it is discovered.
Works Cited:
. http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/fibromyalgia/fibrofs.htm#fib_b
. http://www.fibromyalgia-support.org/fibromyalgia/
. http://www.fmnetnews.com/pages/basics.html
. http://www.fmaware.org/fminfo/brochure.htm
. http://www.myosymmetries.ca/content_pages/fibromyalgia.html
Over 200,000 Americans suffer from Crohn’s, according to Dr. Richard Curtis, chief of gastroenterology at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Though the disease does not target a specific age group, certain risk factors do exist. People who have a genetic predisposition to it are more likely to develop Crohn’s, said Dr. Curtis. For example, people who have a close relative with Crohn’s have a 20 percent chance of being diagnosed with it themselves. Crohn’s is more common in Jews than in non-Jews; it is most common in Ashkenazic Jews than any other group.
Flaccid dysarthria results from damage to the lower motor neurons (LMN) or the peripheral nervous system (Hageman, 1997). The characteristics of flaccid dysarthria generally reflect damage to cranial nerves with motor speech functions (e.g., cranial nerves IX, X, XI and XII) (Seikel, King & Drumright, 2010). Lower motor neurons connect the central nervous system to the muscle fibers; from the brainstem to the cranial nerves with motor function, or from the anterior horns of grey matter to the spinal nerves (Murdoch, 1998). If there are lesions to spinal nerves and the cranial nerves with motor speech functions, it is indicative of a lower motor neuron lesion and flaccid dysarthria. Damage to lower motor neurons that supply the speech muscles is also known as bulbar palsy (Pena-Brooks & Hedge, 2007). Potential etiologies of flaccid dysarthria include spinal cord injury, cerebrovascular accidents, tumors or traumatic brain injury (Pena-Brooks & Hedge, 2007). Possible congenital etiologies of flaccid dysarthria include Moebius syndrome and cerebral palsy. Flaccid dysarthria can also arise from infections such as polio, herpes zoster, and secondary infections to AIDS (Pena-Brooks & Hedge, 2007). Additionally, demyelinating diseases such as Guilian-Barre syndrome and myotonic muscular dystrophy can also lead to flaccid dysarthria (Pena-Brookes & Hedge, 2007). The lower motor neuron lesion results in loss of voluntary muscle control, and an inability to maintain muscle tone. Fasciculations, or twitching movements, may occur if the cell body is involved in the lesion (Seikel et. al., 2010). The primary speech characteristics of flaccid dysarthria include imprecise consonant production, hypernasal resonance, breathiness, and harsh voice (...
Males and females appear to be affected proportionately. Crohn’s disease can occur in people of any age, but it is mostly a disease of adolescents and young adults. However, Crohn’s disease may occur in people over 70 years old and in young children (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, 2009). “Crohn’s disease appears to be caused by a dysfunctional inflammatory response in the gastrointestinal tract” (U. S. News, 2009). Inflammation is the body’s natural way to heal by sending immune cells to the site of the injury or invader.
Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes enduring muscle pain and joint pain. Coenzyme Q10 can improve its symptoms, according to early research. People with a gum disease have a lower amount of this Co-Q10 in their gum tissues. Hence, there is some hope that supplementing could treat their gum tissue. A chronic fatigue syndrome is a problem that some people have. But can CoQ10 help? Preliminary studies showed it could. However, more research is necessary.
In the United States 54 million people have a disability and only 15 percent were born with a disability (Jaeger & Bowman, 2005). If a person lives long enough, it is statistically likely that they will develop some kind of disability in their advancing years (Jaeger & Bowman, 2005). At some point in your life you could have experience a fractured bone, a minor cut, or had some type of surgery. Imagine after some minor injury that you may not even remember and then experiencing a constant pain so agonizing that no amount of pain medication can make you comfortable (Lang & Moskovitz, 2003). Some additional symptoms that you may also experience are severe burning pain, changes in bone and skin, excessive sweating, tissue swelling and extreme sensitivity to touch (Juris, 2005). These symptoms are associated with a disease that is called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) but more recently termed as complex regional pain syndrome, type 1 (CRPS 1) (Juris, 2005). For simplification purposes this disease will be referred to as RSD throughout this paper.
Lupus is more common in women than men, and although it can affect people of all ages, it is most commonly developed between 15 and 40. Lupus is also more common in African Americans, Hispanics and Asians.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V), describes somatoform disorders as a group of related mental health symptoms that are characterized by a patient’s presentation of multiple, current somatic symptoms that are distressing or result in significant impairment of daily functioning. A somatic symptom is the presentation of physical illness or distress that would appear to have a medical basis but which cannot be explained by either a general medical condition, direct effect of a substance, or any other mental health disorder. Patients who suffer from somatoform disorders firmly believe that the pain they are experiencing stems from a physical problem rather than a mental one; indeed, that is a fundamental aspect of the disorder. Somatoform disorders range from a simple and persistent pain disorder to hypochondriasis, which involves persistent anxiety over the existence of a serious illness, to conversion disorder, which involves the actual loss of a bodily function from excessive anxiety over the perceived ailment. (DSM-V, 2013)
... gastrointestinal tract, causing stomach cramps that are consistent. Sleep disturbances or lack of good sleep, usually caused by some form of sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome (RLS) that does not allow the body to completely relax and fall into an uninterrupted deep sleep. Temperature sensitivity, when it’s warm, it feels too hot for them or vise versa for cold or cooler weather. It affects Sensitivity to loud noises or bright lights, limiting their ability to be in a noisy environment like a restaurant or even drive a vehicle at night. Cognitive issues with thinking and memory, such as concentration or disorganized thinking. It also causes the inability to stay focused and cognitive recognition, such as seeing a pen on the counter but not being able to say the word pen. This is very common with fibromyalgia and is often called “fibro fog” (Huffington Post).
Patients are presented with Multiple Sclerosis in various different forms and experience symptoms to different degrees – mild, moderate or severe. While some patients’ predominately experience emotional or cognitive dysfunction, others may be presented with loss of muscle control, and/or visual, balance and sensation symptoms. Other symptoms include fatigue, bladder and bowel problems.
Lack of sleep and food, alcohol consumption (particularly wine), tobacco smoke, bright lights, strong odors, loud noises, specific foods, certain medications (vasodilators), emotional or physical stress, anxiety, environmental changes and hormonal fluctuations during menstrual cycle may trigger a migraine.2 Additionally, Ms. Blum was diagnosed with depression, which has been linked to migraine headaches. Studies have shown that patients suffering from migraines are at an increase risk of developin...
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After meeting with our patient twice, I believe we have set into place a relationship where the patient is very open to us about her health. This is helpful for my partner and I as an open and honest patient is beneficial as we assist them in their health. Goals for next semester include reducing our patient’s blood sugar as well as reducing our patient’s fibromyalgia pain. Our patient has expressed to us that her glucose is high but she is ok with the high number as long as she is feeling relatively healthy. We hope to give practical ways to reduce blood sugar throughout next semester so hopefully we can reduce that number by semester’s end. Our patient is going to see her physician soon, so we hope to get an update on the patient’s fibromyalgia
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