Invisible Disability Affects Millions of Americans: Understanding Fibromyalgia

Although Fibromyalgia is estimated by the CDC to affect 2% of the U.S. population, the syndrome is little understood. The condition is commonly associated with all-over body pain. However, fibromyalgia's impact goes far beyond muscle pain. For many people, fatigue and other symptoms are even more disruptive.

The CDC estimates that 1 in 30 American women has fibromyalgia. We male patients are a rarer breed, as the disease only impacts 1 man per every 200.  (CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/fibromyalgia.htm)

On the SF-36 test of functional health and well-being, fibromyalgia patients scored lower than patients with any other chronic illness in 7 of 8 categories (physical functioning, role-physical, bodily pain, general health, mental vitality, social functioning, and mental health). The one exception was role-emotional.  (SF-36: http://www.sf-36.org/tools/SF36.shtml)

I have compiled below a summary list of the most prevalent symptoms from my own experience. Many of these symptoms (including pain, headache, fatigue, and IBS) are constant, 24/7. Others come and go. In general, I constantly feel like I have the flu and have been pounded with a baseball bat, with a migraine and early-onset senility on top, It's like I get drunk every night and pick a fight with a professional boxer, and every time I wake up I have the worst ever hangover and an epic concussion.

The cognitive impact of fibromyalgia has been my greatest challenge in recent years. It is unbelievably difficult for me to form coherent thoughts the way I could back in high school. If I'm lucky, I have 15 minutes of lucidity in a day. I now have to rethink the fundamentals of how I think and discover new methods to capture and organize my thoughts.

Symptoms:

Headache

• Tension headache
• Migraine headache
• Sinus headache

Locations of other pain

• Muscles
• Joints
• Ears
• Face
• Jaw
• Teeth
• Neck (my worst pain is in the top of my neck)
• Shoulders
• Chest
• Gut
• Back
• Elbows
• Wrists
• Hands
• Hips
• Pelvis
• Knees
• Ankles
• Feet
• Toes

Mental/Cognitive Difficulties

• Difficulty concentrating
• Poor memory
• Difficulty thinking clearly
• Disorientation
• Confusion
• Mid-sentence mental blackouts
• Absent-mindedness
• Insomnia
• Difficulty making decisions

Emotional Difficulties

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Short Temper

Ear, Nose, & Throat

• Dizziness
• Vertigo
• Congestion
• Allergies
• Chronic sinusitis
• Rhinitis
• Dry Mouth
• Postnasal Drip
• Sore Throat

Vision

• Blurred vision
• Tunnel vision
• Difficulty focusing eyes
• Dry, itchy eyes

Sensitivity to:

• Light
• Sound
• Smells
• Chemicals
• Taste
• Cold
• Weather (changes in pressure, rain, etc)

G/I

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Alternating diarrhea and constipation
• Cramps
• Nausea

Fatigue

• Severe Fatigue
• Waking feeling not rested
• Need for frequent, lengthy naps

Joints

• Joint stiffness
• Joint pain

Muscles

• Muscle stiffness
• Muscle spasms
• Muscle cramps

Extremities

• Tingling and numbness in hands and feet (and sometimes face)
• Carpal tunnel-like pain and tightness
• Cramps in hands and feet
• Difficulty holding objects for even relatively short periods (i.e. hand pain after holding a pen for 10 minutes)