Many people suffer. Despite the doctor visits, the general condition does not seem to improve. Patients feel the same: a painful muscle condition chronic extended to more or less all parts of the body and is manifested by fatigue and constant tiredness with significant sleep disorders. Is fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia, also called diffuse idiopathic or SPID polyalgic Syndrome is a psychosomatic illness that causes widespread pain in patients: they have bad … everywhere. This disease occurs in people aged between 30 and 60 years, but mostly around 45, affects 2 to 6% of the population in industrialized countries with a female predominance (80% women).
Several causes implicated …
Genetic factors can be mentioned: people who suffer from fibromyalgia often have someone in their family who has experienced the same trouble. One can also suspect an abnormality of the central nervous system with decreased rates of neurotransmitters like serotonin in patients. Include also the possibility of a metabolic disorder of substance P at the origin of transmission of nociceptive nerve impulses, which increases the sensitivity to pain. Infective factors such as hepatitis B or C may be also the cause of this syndrome. On the other hand, psychological problems especially pathological stress, anxiety and depression are also implicated. Finally,
Pain, sleep disorders, chronic fatigue
Fibromyalgia could be seen as a disorder of pain perception with a reduced pain threshold and a lack of responsiveness to pain. It is manifested clinically by diffuse muscle pain mainly associated with chronic fatigue and sleep disorders. Diffuse muscle pain affects certain areas of the body that are very painful and are accompanied by muscle spasm, starting with the neck, shoulders, then down to touch the back, chest, arms and finally arrived legs.
The patient often has the impression that the painful areas are swollen. Headache and intense migraines are sometimes associated with the SPID, as well as irritable bowel syndrome (constipation, abdominal pain, bloating …). difficulty concentrating are also encountered in these patients and often depression and anxiety or in a third of patients.
As for medical diagnosis, it is done according to established criteria by the American College of Rheumatology developed in 1990. To retain the diagnosis of fibromyalgia, it must meet a clinical history of widespread pain muscle older than 3 months as well as the highlighted in the patient’s clinical review of 11 tender points on 18 points characteristic of the disease.
Warning: aggravating factors!
Trauma, stress, emotional shock, other somatic diseases (diabetes, infection …), noise, promiscuity, heavy physical exertion, cold, humidity, heat, some stressful conversations, lack of sleep … All this can lead to fibromyalgia crisis.
Fibromyalgia is not a serious illness on the vital plane, it does not cause major health problems but it is chronic and often resistant to medical treatment. It may have family consequences to the couple and the family as family tensions. It can also sound on professional activity with a high rate of absenteeism and impaired concentration, which may decrease performance.
Let it out!
As for prevention, it is essentially based on a screening of anxiety, or chronic depression among patients with diffuse muscle mainly chronic pain. Treatment is necessary to avoid chronic pain and prevent installation of the vicious circle.
The treatment, a real headache
“The treatment is very difficult and not standardized,” admits the specialist. The analgesics (with 3 levels WHO) and anti-inflammatory used alone are often ineffective alone. eventually can be used as antidepressants or anticonvulsants rather for their analgesic effects on the central nervous system. And as an antidepressant, those of the family of tricyclic that are very effective against the lack of sleep enable reduced pain and improved quality of life. Other antidepressants are also effective as the selective inhibitors of serotonin reuptake (which we recall seems implicated in the pathophysiology of fibromyalgia).
« les mordus d’étymologie, le terme fibromyalgie vient du latin « fibra » (fibre), du grec ancien « myos » ou muscle et du grec « algos » qui est la douleur.
Can also be used for anxiolytic efficacy for sleep. In particular, it may prescribe benzodiazepines but this may be habit-forming and addictive. Other treatments include muscle relaxants such as thiocholchicoside that acts on muscle contracture. Finally, one can use hypnotic by their restorative action on sleep disorders. Of particular importance to psychological support in these patients by psychologists or physicians psychiatre.Certains propose a balanced diet, avoidance of stimulants such as tobacco and alcohol and the use of homeopathy. spa in exercises and physiotherapy programs including aerobic exercises,