| |
| |
|
Medicine Information |
|
|
|
I Hurt All Over... How to Ease Away the Pain of Fibromyalgia!
At one moment, a life of activity consumed with enjoyable activities like biking, golfing, going to the movies, out to dinner. Then one day, it's gone. Replaced with constant pain and fatigue. Here's the lowdown on fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is one of the most common forms of arthritis seen in a rheumatology practice. It is actually a soft tissue form of rheumatism. Typically, a patient will complain of feeling achy all over, being chronically tired, and feeling like they're walking around in a constant fog. Often a patient will complain of short term memory problems. The American College of Rheumatology has set criteria by which fibromyalgia symptoms can be classified. These consist of a history of widespread pain for three or more months and pain in 11 of 18 tender point sites when 4 kilograms (about 9 pounds) of pressure is applied. When accompanied by a history of chronic fatigue and non-restorative sleep (waking up and feeling as if you haven't slept), there is a strong suspicion that fibromyalgia is to blame. People affected by fibromyalgia experience two unique responses to stimuli. They perceive normal stimuli as being painful and they perceive painful stimuli as being more painful than it should be. These abnormal responses are thought to be due to an abnormality involving pain-processing pathways within the central nervous system. History and physical examination is the first step in evaluation. Unfortunately, there are no specific laboratory tests that confirm the diagnosis. However, the tests can be helpful in excluding other conditions that can mimic fibromyalgia such as hypothyroidism, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment consists of a combination of four approaches. The first is patient education. Talking with the patient about the diagnosis and presenting what he options are. The second is institute medications. These may include one or more of the following: ? Analgesics which help to control pain. An example would be a drug such as tramadol The third therapy is non-impact aerobic exercise which helps to increase endorphin production in the brain and helps to recondition muscles. Finally, the fourth is cognitive behavioral therapy which helps with goal-setting, coping and other measures which reduce the sense of victimization that people with fibromyalgia often have. Fibromyalgia can be treated effectively. It is important that a patient seek out a qualified and empathetic rheumatologist to help them. Dr. Wei (pronounced "way") is a board-certified rheumatologist and Clinical Director of the nationally respected Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of Maryland. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and has served as a consultant to the Arthritis Branch of the National Institutes of Health. He is a Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology and the American College of Physicians. For more information on arthritis and related conditions, go to: http://www.arthritis-treatment-and-relief.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Medicine - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
A Look At Acid Reflux Treatment Heartburn is a by-product of digestion, specifically affecting the esophagus and the stomach. The esophagus is a tube that delivers food into the stomach, and it has a valve that opens and closes to allow food in and to keep it down during digestion. Stem Cell Research How To Buy Your Way Out Of An Early Death From An Incurable Disease.How?. Contact Lenses and Eye Glasses, How is Your Vision? Notice friends getting contact lenses and pulling out eye glasses?"What do you recommend?"I find myself asking people what looks good to them, what do they recommend or can they summarize the directions on a medicine bottle more often now than ever before.It's called presbyopia. The Truth about C Reactive Protein and Cholesterol Lowering Drugs You might disagree, but hear me out on this.. How You Can Erase Low Back Pain Using the Latest Medical Techniques! "If you're one the nine out of ten adults in the United States who suffers from low back pain, I have good news for you!" states Dr. Nathan Wei, a board-certified rheumatologist and Clinical Director of the Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of Maryland. Traditional Treatments for Back Pain... Which Ones Work and Which Ones Don't? When Dorothy followed the yellow brick road, she was told to do so by those who wanted her to get where she wanted go. Well as humans when we blindly follow recommendations even by individuals who have good intentions, it may not always be your best option. Lunesta Side Effects Before you decide to buy Lunesta, make sure you have read over all pertinent information about how Lunesta works, and what side effects you might experience.Let's go over Lunesta Side EffectsIf you notice any of the following side effects, stop taking Lunesta immediately and contact your local emergency room. Thalidomide Thalidomide is responsible for causing more than 10,000 children to be born with birth defects.A West German Pharmaceutical Company first introduced Thalidomide as a sedative or sleep aid in 1957, and scientific testing determined that Thalidomide was safe, before it was introduced. The Controversy of ViagraŽ (Sildenafil Citrate), Other ED Medications, and Their Generic Counterpart There has definitely been a good deal of controversy over ViagraŽ, it's use and more recently, it's side effects among some unfortunate patients however, apart from the specific drug itself and the effects, reasons and results of it's use, there has been another controversy of which only those involved would probably be aware. I am referring to the purchase and use of Generic Brands of Sildenafil Citrate. "Winning the War Against Rheumatoid Arthritis" RA is a condition that forces half of patients to become disabled from the work force within five to ten years? and reduces life expectancy by as much as 18 years. RA affects about one per cent of the world's adult population, most commonly women between the ages of 30 and 50. Five Secrets of High Blood Pressure Treatment Thirty percent of human population has a high blood pressure and everyone has a 90% risk to acquire it during the rest of the life. As a result, half of all human deaths are due to the major complications of high blood pressure, mainly stroke and heart attack. Vioxx Personal Injury Lawsuits Personal injury attorneys representing clients who have allegedly been harmed by the prescription drug Vioxx are congratulating themselves over a historic judgment rendered recently. On August 19, 2005, a judge awarded the family of Bob Ernst $253. A Closer Look at Neck Pain Relief Neck pain afflicts many people at some point in their life - two-thirds of American adults report having experienced at least one incidence of neck pain in their lives. You can strain your neck during exercise, at work, or even something as simple as turning over in your sleep. Lunesta Revealed: 7 Things You Must Know Before You Buy Lunesta Prescriptions Lunesta is a newly released sleeping pill. Marketed as a revolutionary sleep aid, Lunesta is the only medication approved by the FDA for long term treatment of insomnia symptoms. Lunesta Withdrawal Lunesta is a newly released sleeping pill. Marketed as a revolutionary sleep aid, Lunesta is the only medication approved by the FDA for long term treatment of insomnia symptoms. Web Therapy: Enhancing Patient Communication with Web Access According to Jennifer Lyons' chart, she's just a bad slip and fall who's lucky enough to be on her way to a full recovery.But to Jennifer, who is lying in bed with a broken mandible and broken limbs, nothing could be further from the truth. Signs of an Addiction Addictions come in many forms. It's important to recognize the signs of addictions in order to seek out help before the problem becomes to large. Could This Be Arthritis In My Hands Hi Rusty. A few days ago, I slightly injured a finger on my hand. Three Antioxidants (ginko biloba, grade seed extract, and selenium) for Alzheimers Treatment Checklist of Treatments for Alzheimer's DiseasePart 3 of 83. Three Antioxidants: ginko biloba, selenium, grape seed extract. Treating Lazy Eye in Older Children Many eye doctors believed until recently that if a child's vision was impaired because of a "lazy eye," the condition could not be corrected past the age of six or seven years. However, a study funded by the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, has found that amblyopia or "lazy eye" treatment can be effective in children age seven through 17.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
