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Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes pain all over the body. The condition affects the muscles, tendons and ligaments (bands of tissue that connect bone to bone), resulting in widespread pain, fatigue and extreme sensitivity to pain.
The name fibromyalgia comes from the Latin word 'fibro', meaning fibrous tissues (tendons, ligaments), 'my' meaning muscles, and 'algia' meaning pain.
Fibromyalgia used to be known as fibrositis, which literally means inflammation of the muscles and soft tissue. However, the condition was renamed fibromyalgia after studies found that there is no inflammation or nerve injury.
Who is affected by fibromyalgia?
Anyone can develop fibromyalgia, although the condition affects more women than men. In most cases, fibromyalgia occurs between 35-60 years of age, but it can develop in people of any age, including children and the elderly.
The number of people with fibromyalgia has never been measured, but it is thought that between 2 and 4.5% of people in the UK have the condition.
There is no cure for fibromyalgia, but treatment aims to ease the symptoms. The condition can be treated using a combination of medicines, complementary therapies and lifestyle changes.
There are many symptoms of fibromylagia and they tend to vary from person to person. The symptoms can also come and go over time, although it is unlikely that they will ever disappear altogether. The main symptoms of fibromyalgia are outlined below.
Pain
If you have fibromyalgia, one of your main symptoms is likely to be widespread pain, which you may feel from 'head to toe'. This pain may feel like an ache, or a burning sensation, or it may be more like a sharp stabbing pain.
You may also find that your pain is worse in the areas of your body that you use the most, such as your back, neck, shoulders and feet.
Extreme sensitivity
Fibromyalgia can cause you to become extremely sensitive to pain all over your body, and you may find that even the slightest touch is very painful. If you hurt yourself - for example, if you stub your toe - you may find that the pain continues for much longer than it normally would.
If you have fibromyalgia, you may find that you are very sensitive to other things as well, such as smoke, certain foods and bright lights. Being exposed to something you are sensitive to can cause your other fibromyalgia symptoms to flare up.
Fatigue and trouble sleeping
Fatigue as a result of fibromyalgia can range from a mild, tired feeling to the exhaustion that is often experienced during a flu-like illness. Sometimes, severe fatigue may come on very suddenly and can drain you of all your energy. If this occurs, you may feel too tired to do anything at all.
Fibromyalgia can also affect your sleep, and you may find that you often wake up tired even when you have had plenty of sleep. This is because fibromyalgia can sometimes prevent you from sleeping deeply enough to refresh you properly. The muscles in your legs may also spasm at night which can also interfere with a restful night's sleep.
Stiffness
If you have fibromyalgia, as well as causing you pain, you may find that your muscles, tendons and ligaments become stiff and prone to spasm. The stiffness may be most severe when you have been in the same position for a long period of time.
Cognitive problems ('fibro-fog')
Cognitive problems refers to problems with mental processes, such as thinking and learning. If you have fibromyalgia, you may have trouble remembering and learning new things, problems with attention and concentration, and slowed or confused speech.
Headaches
If you have pain and stiffness in your neck and shoulders from fibromyalgia, you may also have frequent headaches. The headaches can vary from being quite mild to very severe migraines.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
If you have fibromyalgia, you may also develop irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as well. IBS is a common digestive condition that causes pain and bloating in your gut. It can also cause constipation and diarrhoea.
Other symptoms
Other symptoms of fibromyalgia can include:
Your symptoms may sometimes get better, or worse, depending on factors such as changes in the weather, stress levels, and how physically active you are.
The exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, and research into the cause is ongoing. However, research into fibromyalgia has identified a number of possible causes of the condition, which are outlined below.
Problems with pain messages
One of the most likely causes of fibromyalgia is a problem with the way that pain messages are carried and received in your body.
It is thought that in people with fibromyalgia, the central nervous system (which transmits messages to and from your brain) cannot process pain messages properly. It is also thought that the brain becomes more sensitive to any pain messages that it receives. This may be why fibromyalgia results in constant feelings of pain and extreme sensitivity to pain.
Research has also found that people with fibromyalgia have higher levels of pain transmitting chemicals in their spinal cords compared with those who do not.
Low levels of hormones
People with fibromyalgia have been found to have lower than normal levels of the hormones serotonin, noradrenaline (also known as norepinephrine) and dopamine. Low levels of these hormones may be a key factor in the cause of fibromyalgia.
These hormones each play an important part in controlling many of the processes in the body. For example, serotonin helps to regulate your moods, your appetite, and the way that you sleep. Noradrenaline contributes to attention and your responses, and dopamine helps to control your mood and behaviour, and the way that you learn.
Sleep problems
Some researchers think that disturbed sleep patterns may be a cause of fibromyalgia, rather than just a symptom. Fibromyalgia can prevent you from sleeping deeply, which may be due to your brain waking you up slightly every time you begin to enter deep sleep.
External factors and genetic predisposition
In many cases, fibromyalgia develops after an external factor, such as an illness, injury, or operation. It is possible that these external factors may act like a trigger causing fibromyalgia to occur.
There also seems to be a genetic link to fibromyalgia, with some people being more likely than others to develop the condition due to their genes. If this is the case, a genetic predisposition (tendency) could help explain why some people develop fibromyalgia after some sort of trigger.
Other conditions
There are several other conditions that can lead to fibromyalgia. In these cases, the condition is known as secondary fibromyalgia. Some conditions that can cause fibromyalgia are outlined below.
It is also possible that there is no single cause of fibromyalgia, and that several of the above factors may combine to cause the condition.
If you think that you may have fibromyalgia, you should see your GP. They will ask you about your symptoms, before carrying out a physical examination.
However, diagnosing fibromyalgia can be difficult. There is no specific test that can diagnose the condition, and the symptoms of fibromyalgia can be varied and very similar to those of several other conditions.
Ruling out other conditions
If your GP thinks that you may have fibromyalgia, they will first have to rule out any other conditions that could be causing your symptoms. These conditions include chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as ME, or myalgic encephalomyelitis), rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis (MS).
You may have blood tests, X-rays, plus other scans in order to rule out conditions that have symptoms which are similar to fibromyalgia.
If you are found to have another condition, such as those listed above, it does not necessarily mean that you do not also have fibromyalgia. As fibromyalgia is a complex condition, when making a diagnosis, your GP will need to take any other symptoms and possible factors into account.
Diagnosing fibromyalgia
Although there is no specific test that can be used to diagnose fibromyalgia, there are two criteria that can be used to confirm the condition, once all other conditions have been ruled out, or considered.
It is likely that you will be diagnosed with fibromyalgia if your symptoms fit within these criteria. The criteria for diagnosing fibromyalgia are:
Tender points
The tender points are the areas on your body where your pain is likely to be at its worst. They are places on the body where everyone is most sensitive to pain, so if you have fibromyalgia, these areas will be very painful.
The tender point sites include the back of your neck, above each of your shoulder blades, and the inside of your elbows.
There is no cure for fibromyalgia, but treatment aims to ease your symptoms as much as possible and to improve your quality of life.
The symptoms of fibromyalgia tend to vary widely from person to person, so you may be treated for your condition by several different healthcare professionals. For example, you may be treated by your GP, a rheumatologist (a specialist in conditions that affect the muscles and joints), or a neurologist (a specialist in conditions of the central nervous system).
Fibromyalgia can be treated in several different ways, and it is likely that you will need more than one kind of treatment to ease your condition. However, all types of treatment may not be effective for everyone with fibromylagia.
In most cases, fibromyalgia is treated using a combination of medicines, complementary therapies and lifestyle changes.
You may also find that joining a fibromyalgia support group can be a tremendous source of comfort and support.
Medicines for fibromyalgia
You may need to take several different types of medicines for fibromyalgia, including painkillers, antidepressants, and medicines to help you sleep.
Painkillers
If you have fibromyalgia, you can treat your pain using simple painkillers, such as paracetamol.
If paracetamol is not effective in easing your pain, your GP, or healthcare professional, may prescribe a stronger painkiller, such as codeine.
You may also be prescribed a painkiller called tramadol, or one called nefopam. Both of these painkillers have been found to be effective in treating pain that is caused by fibromyalgia.
In some cases, in addition to your main painkiller, you may also be prescribed a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as ibuprofen. However, you should avoid taking NSAIDs if you have asthma, high blood pressure, or kidney, or heart, problems. They are also unsuitable for you if you have, or have had, a stomach problem, such as a peptic ulcer.
As well as easing pain, NSAIDs help to reduce inflammation. However, as fibromyalgia does not cause inflammation, they are not effective in treating the condition when taken on their own.
Antidepressants
Antidepressant medicines for fibromyalgia are not prescribed specifically to treat depression.
They are used to boost the levels of certain hormones, such as serotonin, noradrenaline (also known as norepinephrine), and dopamine.
It is thought that low levels of these hormones may be a factor in causing fibromyalgia, and that raising their levels may help to treat the condition and ease the pain of your symptoms. See the 'causes' section for more information about fibromyalgia and hormones.
If you have fibromyalgia, there are many different types of antidepressant medicines that you may be prescribed. The choice of medicine may depend on the type of fibromyalgia that you have, and severity of your symptoms, plus any side effects that the medicines may cause.
Antidepressants used to treat fibromyalgia include:
There are also two other types of medicine that affect the levels of hormones which are sometimes used to treat fibromylagia - a dopamine agonist called pramipexole, and a serotonin 5-HT3 receptor antagonist called tropisetron.
Muscle relaxants and medicines to help you sleep
If you have stiffness, or spasms, in your muscles as a result of fibromyalgia, your GP or health professional may prescribe a muscle relaxant to help ease your symptoms.
Muscle relaxants that are often used for fibromyalgia include medicines called tizanidine and carisoprodol. Tricyclic antidepressants (see above) can also help to relax your muscles.
Muscle stiffness and spasms can also affect your ability to sleep, but even if you sleep all night, you may find that you still wake up feeling tired. This is because fibromyalgia can prevent you from sleeping deeply enough to fully refresh you.
If this is the case, your GP or health professional may recommend, or prescribe, an over-the-counter (OTC) sleep medicine, or herbal supplement to help you sleep more deeply. If these medicines do not help, using one of the muscle relaxant medicines mentioned above may help you to sleep more deeply at night because they have a sedative (sleep-inducing) effect.
There are also stronger medicines, such as zopiclone and zolpidem, which can help you sleep. However, you may only be able to use one of these medicines for a short period of time because long-term use can end up disrupting your sleeping patterns even further.
Pregabalin
Pregabalin is an anti-seizure medicine that has been found to be effective in treating several fibromyalgia symptoms, including pain and sleeping problems. You may be able to take pregabalin as a brand called Lyrica.
However, pregabalin can cause a number of side effects, such as dizziness, blurred vision and weight gain, so it may not be suitable for everyone.
Complementary therapies for fibromyalgia
There are a number of complementary therapies which may help to ease your symptoms of fibromyalgia. However, it is important to remember that there is little medical evidence to back up the effectiveness of these therapies, and that they may not work for everyone.
Warm water therapy, such as swimming, gentle exercises in a warm pool, or simply having a warm bath, is a popular complementary therapy for people with fibromyalgia.
Some people also find that complementary therapies help to ease their pain, or fatigue, and help them to relax and manage their condition more effectively. Examples of complementary treatments that may help to ease symptoms of fibromyalgia include acupuncture (where thin needles are inserted into certain points around the body to help relieve pain), aromatherapy (where essential oils are used for a therapeutic effect), massage, and osteopathy (which aims to heal your body by applying pressure).
There are also complementary therapies for fibromyalgia that focus on the mental and emotional aspects of the condition. Relaxation therapy, anxiety management techniques, counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), or other 'talking treatments', can sometimes help some people to cope better with pain, fatigue, or other symptoms.
If you decide to use a form of complementary therapy, always ensure that your therapist is a fully qualified and accredited member of the appropriate organisation - for example, the British Acupuncture Council (BAC).
Fibromyalgia does not get worse over time, so it does not often cause any physical complications, or lead to other conditions.
However, it is possible for fibromyalgia to lead to depression. This is because the condition can be difficult to deal with, and low levels of certain hormones, such as serotonin, can make you prone to developing depression.
Depression can cause many symptoms, including constantly feeling low, a lack of interest in the things that you normally enjoy, and feeling tearful.
If you think that you may be depressed, it is important to get help from your GP, or your fibromyalgia health professional. .If you have fibromyalgia, there are several ways that you can change your lifestyle in order to help relieve your symptoms and make your condition easier to live with.
Your GP, or healthcare professional, can also offer you advice and support about incorporating these changes into your everyday life.
Exercise
As fatigue is one of the main symptoms of fibromyalgia, you may find that you are often very tired and feel unable to exercise. However, an exercise programme that is specially suited to your condition can help to significantly improve your symptoms by reducing pain, boosting energy levels, and helping with regular sleep patterns.
Your GP, or a physiotherapist, can help you to design a personal exercise programme. The programme is likely to involve gentle exercises, such as stretching and warm water exercises, as well as low-impact aerobic exercises, such as walking, cycling, or swimming. However, you should take care not to push yourself too hard when exercising.
Relaxation
If you have fibromyalgia, it is important that you regularly take time to relax, or practice relaxation techniques. Stress can make your symptoms worse, cause them to flare up more often, and it can also increase your chances of developing depression, which is common among people with fibromyalgia.
There are many relaxation aids available, including books, tapes and courses, although deep breathing techniques, or meditation, can be just as effective. Try to find time each day to do something that relaxes you. Taking time to relax before bed may also help you to sleep better at night.
Anxiety management techniques, counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), or other 'talking treatments' can also be helpful in combating stress and learning to deal with it effectively.
Diet
There is no specific diet that you should follow if you have fibromyalgia, but you should try to eat a healthy, balanced range of foods. Your diet should be high in fibre, fruit and vegetables, and low in fat, salt, and sugar.
You should only drink alcohol in moderation, and cut down on foods and drinks that are high in caffeine, such as coffee, tea, chocolate, and cola.
Pacing yourself
If you have fibromyalgia, it is likely that you will have some days when your symptoms are better than others. Try to maintain a steady level of activity at all times, without ever over-doing it. It is important that you always listen to your body, and that you slow down, and rest, whenever you need to.
You should avoid doing any exercise, or activity, that over-exerts you, or pushes you too hard because this can make your symptoms worse.
Many of these hens below are still at Little Hen Rescue awaiting new homes.
They are Amber-link hybrid laying hens which are beautifully white and very good egg layers.
Some are in good condition and some have a fair few feathers missing.
These are free range hens (whose eggs people pay a premium for) yet they are in poor condition, some appallingly so.
If you can give a home to some of these hens, please let Jo know on littlehenrescue@aol.com or call 07717757596
These hens are located near Norwich but as with any rescue's from LHR, hens can be brought back to South Lincs for collection so long as payment to Jo has been made in advance and carry boxes have been provided.
Hi Everyone,An awful thing has happened I went to the yard today at 12.00 and saw 2 springer spaniels in the field with the hens, feathers, injured and dead hens everywhere. I screamed at the dogs and ran in there one dog bit me and the other ran home (neighbours) , shortly followed by the other one. When I caught them they were attacking my blind hen.It was one of the worst days I think I have ever had. My gorgeous cock bird ripped to shreds, all his tail is gone, all his beautiful feathers gone, his back is torn open, but still alive. Little hens laying mauled every where. My little battery hens. Devastation. My two little pekin boys, my 3 unwell hens. The dogs broke into the chicubes ripped them apart from the top, those poor chickens were trapped. One poorly hen was still a live but had both her wings chewed off, her throat was hanging out and her legs broken and chewed, she was put to sleep.I sobbed my heart out. We've had nothing but bad luck, fox attack, car crash writing it off, hire car was keyed all the way round by some teenagers out side work yesterday, and now this.. I can't bear anymore.I can't believe Springer spaniels would do such a thing. They are always getting out, I thought I would find them hit by a car one day not killing my hens!! They are complete menaces.I called police, they are prosecuting the owner. She has 8 dogs. All run in a pack, but it was just 2 that did all that damage. The owner of the land has a gun license and he is going to shoot the dogs next time they enter the property the police said he is in his right to, we have told her over and over about them keeping them in. She really must listen now.I have to download all the photos, the police told me to take of everything. I can't bear to see the photos. My poor little babies. They would have been better off going to slaughter, quick and humane. They must have been so frightened and in pain.They had pulled a hens head through the side of run in chicube and stretched her neck over a foot long. They had started to eat some hens.I feel like I want to give it all up.I have high electric netting on a large battery in field, but the dogs had knocked the crocodile clips off it while running around fencing, so they just knocked it down and got in.The ones that survived are all back in the stables. 3 are here in a cage next to radiator, in a very poor state.I feel useless.
Jo
We are the Rays of Sunshine and we care for many small unfortunate animals. We are non profit making family run organisation.
We run on less than a shoestring budget (which means everything is mainly paid for by ourselves) We pay NO wages or salaries to anyone and receive nothing ourselves. Our reward is seeing rescued animals healthy and happy. This has always been our ethos.
We have an enormous outstanding vets bill but animals are our passion. We love everything! We are just a family concern with a few friends and family who volunteer their time as animal fosterers and update our main website and this blog to help us out.
We are NOT a registered charity yet, but are currently considering whether it would benefit the animals to become a charity. EVERYTHING must benefit the animals for us to consider it. Currently paperwork takes up a lot of time and I have a feeling that gaining charitable status may add to it.
We keep rescued guinea pigs at our home and at the homes of our dedicated Guinea Pig fosterers. We are currently responsible for around 30 cavies (always fluctuates as they come and go) and many other animals too.
Our intention is to never turn a desperate animal away. We receive no money for this and rely totally on donations of food and other items from kind animal lovers. We prefer you donate the items direct to us such as food, bedding, shredded paper, old newspapers, bowls, cages etc...rather than cash. Alternatively, please buy our items for sale on eBay. Please see the links below for our webshop and ebay ID.
For guinea pigs/snail etc, please contact us by email on rosahrescue@aol.com
or if no reply, email lincslittlehens@aol.com
Our contact number is 0845 017 9422. If you get diverted to the answerphone, please leave a message. We do not accept anonymous/withheld numbers and we do not return calls to people who hang up without leaving a message.
LINCS LITTLE HENS
We also run Lincs Little Hens and acquire ex battery hens from farms and rehome them to you as pets.
We are happy to bring hens from rescues to a collection point near Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire (A17).
To book any ex battery hens email lincslittlehens@aol.com or call 0845 017 9422 (please, please leave a message if no reply as we may be busy with the animals here. We WILL call you back)
Our website relating to local interests such as rescue dates, hen houses/ feed suppliers etc... is http://www.lincslittlehens.co.uk
We also have a forum at http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Ex-Battery-Hen-Forum/
Each hen costs a fixed donation of £2 and any extra donations are ALWAYS appreciated and go directly to the welfare of the hens.
Our number on the rescue day will be 07500 693 207 (should you need us but please bear in mind we will be VERY busy during the day).
Click HERE to see where the Sutton Bridge collection point is. Times MUST be pre arranged as this is just a side road off the A17 with no facilities other than safety from passing heavy traffic. The hens will just be brought to this point to meet with you so please be prompt to your agreed collection time.
We will be happy to clip claws and discuss and worries or concerns you may have and we ALWAYS carry rehoming packs in our vehicle to help you ensure your hens settle in easier.
If you require any food for your hens, please order when booking your hens. A 20kg sack of layers meal (mash) which they are used to eating is £7. You can gradually introduce new foods once your hens have settled in.
********************
IMPORTANT!!
IF YOU FIND AN ANIMAL INJURED OR SICK & IT NEEDS URGENT MEDICAL HELP, YOU MUST CALL THE RSPCA EMERGENCY LINE ON 0300 1234 9999 (24 HOURS A DAY) NOT RoSAH RESCUE AS WE WILL BE UNABLE TO HELP YOU WITH EMERGENCY VET BILLS AS OUR OWN VET BILL STANDS AT ALMOST £1000 AND WITH NO CURRENT FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES WE ARE ONLY ABLE TO PAY IT OFF IN VERY SMALL AMOUNTS, AS & WHEN WE CAN.
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Send a virtual ex battery hen to your friends via this Facebook application. All these hens are real and living with us in Lincolnshire.
Please also become a fan of this application so we can spread the word about the poor conditions of the battery hens. The illnesses we discover some of these hens have upon being rescued, and the fact that these ill hens have been supplying YOUR eggs.
If it is impossible to keep a few hens of your own, buy free range or organic eggs or even better, buy from someone who keeps a few hens at home and sells eggs from their gate as you know the hens will be pets and be healthy.
