Advertise- - --------------Sign up - free Monthly E-Newsletter----- ------Events--- --- ------Articles

Fibromyalgia National Awareness Day is May 12

Myalgi. . .  what?

By Sheryl Ann Wilson

            Friends talking: “Your friend is just not the same, she seems to be no fun anymore.  She’s not coming out to skate and ski and do all the fun things you always did together, what’s up with her anyway?  I don’t know, she said she has something called, myalgi. . .I don’t know, I can’t even say it, so how can I know what it is?”

            It is FIBRO – MY – ALGIA (Fibromyalgia).  This is a devastating illness where the person looks on the outside completely fine, but on the inside, they are very ill.  This illness can attack anyone at any age from childhood on into older ages, but usually hits mostly women aged 22 – 60 in their most formative years and that is one of the reasons it is so dastardly.

            Symptoms are widespread body pain that has lasted for more than 3 months.  Widespread is both above and below waist and both sides of the body.  Medically they look for pain by doing what’s called a Tender Points Test and look for 11-18 defined tender points.

 Then there is the sleep dysfunction of insomnia.  This causes frequent night awakenings, restless leg syndrome, and any sleep that is gained is totally unrefreshing.  Thus one is then left with fatigue.  This is a fatigue which is quite a lot more than just feeling tired.  People with FM describe it as feeling as if all of their energy has been drained away and it can be so profound that it interferes with even the simplest of daily activities.  With the combined sleep dysfunction and chronic fatigue, this then also can cause cognitive and memory problems.

            There is currently, no cure for Fibromyalgia.  Medical focus is usually placed on reducing pain and increasing sleep.  In addition to pharmaceuticals and supplements, some find treatments as massage, physical therapy or acupuncture helpful.  Gentle exercise is important with the emphasis on “gentle”.  The lifestyle modification of PACING is key.  Balancing one’s rest with activity and listening to one’s body are of key importance to living with this illness.

            Today there are unfortunately still not enough medical doctors whom understand or are even knowledgeable about this illness, even though it has been in society for over 164 years.  This year of 2008 there is quite a push for the medical community to come on stream and assist those living with this illness and to educate them selves with what research is going on and to support more. The Theme for 2008 is “Pledge to Care”  This is for family, friends, and medical community.

Written by Sheryl Ann Wilson, Writer and Founder / President of SOFA – Sunny Okanagan FM-ME Assoc.

More Info: 
Sunny Okanagan FM-ME Assocation / SOFA
Phone: 250-493-2002 or email:  sofa_fm_meok@hotmail.com

More Okanagan & BC Support Groups