Fibromyalgia: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Young people report worse fibromyalgia than older patients

It may seem counterintuitive, but young and middle-aged fibromyalgia patients report worse symptoms and poorer quality of life than older patients, a Mayo Clinic study shows. Fibromyalgia most often strikes women. It is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain with fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues. The research, one of several Mayo studies being presented at the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting, suggests the disorder plays out differently among different age groups. Researchers studied 978…

by chronicillness•09/05/202208/23/2025•0

Lady Gaga: When people doubt

I use the word ‘suffer’ not for pity, or attention, and have been disappointed to see people online suggest that I’m being dramatic, making this up, or playing the victim to get out of touring. If you knew me, you would know this couldn’t be further from the truth It isn’t at all surprising to me that people have suggested to Lady Gaga that she is being dramatic, making her pain up, or playing the…

by chronicillness•09/04/202208/23/2025•1

Lady Gaga and fibromyalgia

Lady Gaga has opened up about having Fibromyalgia and is going to be candid about it in her documentary. Fibromyalgia is a syndrome that needs this sort of representation. Someone visible is seen to be struggling with it and getting extensive treatment to manage the pain. It isn’t the sort of syndrome that gets much attention. So I am proud of her for putting that out there. And those of us who advocate for awareness…

by chronicillness•09/03/202208/23/2025•0

Recent treatment recommendations for Fibromyalgia

Recent talks at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting looked at overall treatment protocols we should see. The two presentations: Daniel J. Clauw, MD, a rheumatologist and professor of anesthesiology and medicine, and director of the Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center at the University of Michigan focused on the nature of pain experienced by patients with fibromyalgia and how clinicians can treat it. Carmen E Gota, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic, stressed the importance of exercise…

by chronicillness•09/02/202208/23/2025•0

Long-term study on fibromyalgia severity

I came across an interesting long-term study in Finland on Fibromyalgia spanning 26 years published in the journal of Clinical Rheumatology. The severity of symptoms persists for decades in a fibromyalgia-a 26-year follow-up study. There has been this sort of rumor that fibromyalgia improves with the time that I have heard several times and so this study is interesting. Also, there is the question of whether we can go into remission or not. Either way, we…

by chronicillness•09/01/202208/23/2025•0

Fibromyalgia assessments

So it looks like some clinicians have some uncertainty when it comes to diagnosing Fibromyalgia. Remember the criteria for tender points are no longer used. Data from the U.S., Europe, and Asia report that approximately half of providers admit uncertainty in confidently making a diagnosis of [fibromyalgia]. Diagnosing [fibromyalgia] more promptly should reduce unnecessary tests, specialty referrals, health care costs, and patient anxiety,” Kim D. Jones, Ph.D., FNP, FAAN, from Oregon Health and Science University School of Nursing…

by chronicillness•08/31/202208/23/2025•1

Fibromyalgia and sensitivity to non-painful stimuli

Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome defined by widespread muscle pain, fatigue, sleep dysfunction, and cognitive dysfunction. Fibromyalgia pain dysfunction involves increased sensitivity to pain known as hyperalgesia for example. But we all feel hypersensitive to another stimulus as well. And many of us mention things like sound sensitivity and light sensitivity. Well, there was a 2014 study that demonstrated we are indeed sensitive to this as well but because it was an fMRI study it…

by chronicillness•08/30/202208/23/2025•0

Sleep and fibromyalgia are not friends

So there are a lot of issues with sleep and fibromyalgia. I also have other chronic pain and vertigo, but seriously since I was young sleep and I have not been on speaking terms. Yes, this is how I look when I sleep. Child-like and innocent and buried in glitter. Here are some of the random things you can look forward to with fibromyalgia and sleep: Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much…

by chronicillness•08/29/202208/23/2025•0

Fibromyalgia is more than pain

Time for another post about Fibromaygia for Awareness month. Fibromyalgia is more than widespread pain Primary symptoms Primary symptoms are the areas used to diagnose someone with Fibromyalgia because they happen to a degree in all of us. Chronic widespread pain Yes, there is chronic widespread pain. It is often the symptom people think of. Yes, we have pain. All the time. And we can flare up with a lot more than our baseline pain as…

by chronicillness•08/28/202208/23/2025•1

When you have fibromyalgia

It is fibromyalgia awareness month once again. Remember fibromyalgia awareness day falls on May 12th. I’d like to start the month with a little fibromyalgia humor. Sadly, it is also all true. When you have fibromyalgia Sleep is the delicious nectar of the gods that is denied you Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More…. Too much sleep? That’s a flare The last time you had no pain was before the Big Bang Doing…

by chronicillness•08/27/202208/23/2025•0