Know More about Fibromyalgia Tender Points
Fibromyalgia is the second most common disease in the country that affects the muscles and bones. The most common symptoms of the disease are feeling fatigued for no apparent reason and extreme pain in the joints. One of the main problems of this disease is that you may or may not know that you are suffering from the disease. The disease is poorly understood and identified by the masses. There is no specific test to determine whether you are suffering from the disease.
What are fibromyalgia tender points?
When suffering from fibromyalgia, there are certain areas on the body that become painful when pressure is applied to them. These areas are referred to as fibromyalgia tender points. While fibromyalgia tender points are also referred to as trigger points, they are not essentially triggered points. Trigger points can cause other parts of the body to pain when pressure is applied to them.
For example, if pressure is applied to your elbow, you may feel pain in your hand. Some people may have trigger points and fibromyalgia tender points at the same time. Here are a few of the most common fibromyalgia tender points on the body. Be aware of these points and visit a doctor if you are feeling pain in these areas. It could be a sign that you are suffering from fibromyalgia and your doctor may prescribe medications. Some of the key indications include:
- Upper chest pain
- Pain at the back of your head
- Pain in the outer elbows
- Knee pain
- Pain in the hips
- Pain at the top of the shoulders
You may or may not experience constant pain in these tender points. Pain in fibromyalgia tender points may come and go with time. It is up to you to identify this pain and seek immediate treatment for the same. Tender points may also arise as a result of medical conditions like polymyalgia. The difference is that the pain associated with fibromyalgia tender points is much more severe and widespread. There are several rheumatic diseases and regional pain syndromes that can cause symptoms that may seem similar to the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Lyme disease can all lead to widespread pain and lead to tender areas arising in the body.
In the past, to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia, you needed to experience pain in at least 11 of the 18 tender points in the body. Widespread pain in the body along with the exhibition of a few more symptoms of fibromyalgia is enough to diagnose the disease in today’s age. Be aware of all the other symptoms of the disease and visit a doctor at the earliest if you are suffering from pain in these tender points as well as the other symptoms associated with the disease. Early treatment can go a long way in ensuring that you live a normal life.
Other symptoms of fibromyalgia
Apart from feeling widespread pain in these tender areas, there are several other symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. You may feel fatigued despite not doing much, experience trouble concentrating, anxiety, and depression among other conditions. Some people may experience all these symptoms, while other people may experience only a few of them. Symptoms vary from person to person and cannot be measured with the help of a test. Look out for these symptoms and report it to a doctor as soon as they appear. Some symptoms may be confused with other diseases so make sure to describe the type of pain you are suffering from to help your doctor successfully diagnose fibromyalgia. Knowledge about the symptoms of fibromyalgia can go a long way in helping you.
Fibromyalgia is more common in women than men. It generally affects women aged in their twenties and thirties. Understanding and identifying the symptoms of the disease is important so that you can determine that you are suffering from the condition. While the condition is not life-threatening, it can bring about certain changes to your lifestyle. Visit a doctor if you are suffering from the symptoms of the disease to seek treatment. Look out for fibromyalgia tender points and all the other symptoms of the condition. Stress management techniques, maintaining a healthy diet, medications, and exercising for at least 150 minutes every week can go a long way in helping you lead a healthy and fulfilling life.