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Fibromyalgia Patients And The Pain Center: A Bond Like No Other

The pain associated with fibromyalgia pain is a chronic condition that is wide spread pain throughout the body. It is in the joints, muscles, and tendons leaving the patient with tender areas on their body. They have constant fatigue and sleep problems and often suffer from irritable bowel syndrome.

A primary care health professional will make the initial diagnosis of fibromyalgia and possibly start the patient on pain management medication. But after a certain point and time, it becomes necessary and in the patient's best interest to enroll in a pain center.

Ninety percent of what all persons with fibromyalgia biggest complaint are the fatigue, which is stemmed from abnormal sleep patterns. Restorative sleep isn't something that people with fibromyalgia get much of and they also will have REM (rapid eye movement) while they sleep. This too leads to the chronic fatigue they suffer from.

Other symptoms that a pain center will see in the fibromyalgia patients they take are one or more of the following conditions:

• Anxiety

• Bladder Problems

• Depression

• Forgetfulness

• Headaches (a migraine or tension)

• IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)

• Memory Problems

• Mood Changes

• Poor concentration

• Paresthesia

The Causes Of Fibromyalgia Pain

To date, experts cannot identify any specific cause for fibromyalgia pain. But what a pain center staff does know is that fibromyalgia symptoms develop after a person has experienced emotional or physical trauma.

Other things that are believed to be related to fibromyalgia are genetics and infections will trigger the pain in fibromyalgia patients. Some experts believe that central sensitization process is the reason that is behind fibromyalgia's painful symptoms and also causes those patients to have a low tolerance for pain.

Central sensitization is a process that leads to sensitivity in the brain to peak with pain signals. Latest research shows that there are elevated levels of substance P, a nerve chemical, in fibromyalgia patients. Pain center staff have tested and found that serotonin is another chemical is found to be lower in fibromyalgia patients.

In addition, changes in the brain can stem from repeated nerve stimulation. From those changes, disturbances of pain perception can lead fibromyalgia patients to overreact to pain signals.

The Risk Factors of Fibromyalgia

Studies and research have found that women are the more susceptible gender to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Also, it has been found by pain center admittances that those with a family medical history that has fibromyalgia, lupus, or rheumatoid arthritis are likely to be diagnosed as well.

For anyone that has experienced widespread pain for 3 months or longer in at least 11 of the 18 tender points should ask their doctor to test them for fibromyalgia. The doctor's office or the pain center staff can draw blood to be tested that will either confirm or rule out any conditions with similar symptoms. After everything else has been ruled out and excluded, then a doctor is able to diagnosis the patient with fibromyalgia.

Treatment Options:

A pain center can provide many different treatment options to help a fibromyalgia patient with pain management. Amount the treatment options are:

• Acupuncture

• Biofeedback

• Massage Therapy

• Medication Management

• Myofascial Release

• Pain Psychology

• Physical Therapy

• Trigger Point Injection

• Treatment of Underlying Contributing Pain GeneratorsMost any pain center will have a fibromyalgia pain management division. It will be staffed by experienced professionals that have had training specific to fibromyalgia. Some will specifically be trained in the treatments listed above and will work together to manage a patient's pain.

As a Freelance Writer the past 8 years, Audrey has written on several different topics in a variety of industries. Her 30+ years in Customer Service and Sales has given her an insight into many areas, which has been helpful in her writing.

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