Fibromyalgia

I have the most wonderful father, however over the last 10 years about, his health is not getting any better. He currently takes 19 different forms and types of medication to help with pain management, sleep, and other symptoms. My father suffers from Fibromyalgia. This illness not only effects the person with it, but also family. My father was once an active man, growing up he would play sports with me, and all that fun stuff. Today he has some days when he can barely move, sleep and concentrate…… As a nursing student I understand more now what he is going through and I educated myself on this illness with my trusted text books. I have recently been looking up way he can get off some of his meds and use more natural methods to help him feel better. As we try ideas I will post it, if they worked or not, and what we tried.

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as fatigue and multiple tender points — places on your body where slight pressure causes pain. Fibromyalgia is more common in women than in men.

Although the intensity of your symptoms may vary, they’ll probably never disappear completely. It may be reassuring to know, however, that fibromyalgia isn’t progressive or life-threatening. Treatments and self-care steps can improve fibromyalgia symptoms and your general health.

Someone with Fibromyalgia may experience the following:

• Widespread pain. Fibromyalgia is characterized by pain in specific areas of your body when pressure is applied, including the back of your head, upper back and neck, upper chest, elbows, hips and knees. The pain generally persists for months at a time and is often accompanied by stiffness.
• Fatigue and sleep disturbances. People with fibromyalgia often wake up tired and unrefreshed even though they seem to get plenty of sleep. Some studies suggest that this sleep problem is the result of a sleep disorder called alpha wave interrupted sleep pattern, a condition in which deep sleep is frequently interrupted by bursts of brain activity similar to wakefulness. So people with fibromyalgia miss the deep restorative stage of sleep. Nighttime muscle spasms in your legs and restless legs syndrome also may be associated with fibromyalgia.
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloating associated with IBS are common in people with fibromyalgia.
• Headaches and facial pain. Many people who have fibromyalgia also have headaches and facial pain that may be related to tenderness or stiffness in their neck and shoulders. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, which affects the jaw joints and surrounding muscles, also is common in people with fibromyalgia.
• Heightened sensitivity. It’s common for people with fibromyalgia to report being sensitive to odors, noises, bright lights and touch.

Other symptoms that can be experienced

• Depression
• Numbness or tingling sensations in the hands and feet
• Difficulty concentrating
• Mood changes
• Chest pain
• Dry eyes, skin and mouth
• Painful menstrual periods
• Dizziness
• Anxiety