Fibromyalgia symptoms are many and varied

"Doc, I've got pain all over and I'm exhausted" is the most common starting sentence from my fibromyalgia patients

Let's start with a straight fibromyalgia symptom list

. Muscle pain

. Fatigue, exhaustion, tiredness

. Headaches, migraines, neck pain

. Tight chest, asthma, non specific chest pain

. Abdominal pain, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)

. Bladder urgency, constipation / diarrhea, bladder"wait"

. Decreased sexual activity & libido, painful activity, impotence

. Perineal pain

. Dizziness, loss of balance, fainting, falls

. Sensitive skin

. Dry eyes

. Joints pain

. Poor circulation, skin mottling, Raynaud

. Hot & cold flares

. Sleep disturbances (fibromyalgia and insomnia)

. Excessive morning stiffness

. Pins and needles, non specific numbness

. Chronic pain depression and anxiety

This checklist is not even complete!

Symptoms are variable from one patient to another

They are also variable with time in a given patient.

Some patients will have only a few, others may have a lot of them.

Those with only a few may remain so for ever. Some may go on developing more symptoms as time goes on.

Some patients may develop a long list of symptoms over many years, others may develop it over a few weeks. It is unlikely that anyone wakes up one day with the full list.

A number of symptoms are related to the uncontrolled contraction of muscle cells, others are related to the toxins released by the diseased muscle cells.

Fibromyalgia flares are marked by the sudden increase in intensity of symptoms such as pain. Some fibromyalgia flares are marked by the temporary apparition of new symptoms.

Moreover, additional stresses may increase the number of symptoms or make existing ones worse.

Finally, fibromyalgia symptoms will vary with treatment. Fibromyalgia therapy should aim first at stopping the increase in fibromyalgia symptoms.