Fibromyalgia - It is one of the most common arthritis related illness after osteoarthritis
and is often misdiagnosed and generally misunderstood.
As with many conditions that cause chronic pain fibromyalgia can lead to depression
and social isolation and quality of life can become seriously affected.
The word fibromyalgia means pain ('algia') coming from the muscles ('my') and fibrous
tissues ('fibro') such as tendons and ligaments.
Fibromyalgia affects women more than men - 9:1
It is not unusual for people with fibromyalgia to also have other symptoms in addition
to pain.
Fibromyalgia is sometimes called fibromyalgia syndrome, or FMS. It is a chronic condition.
For some people the symptoms ease or go after a few months. However, in many more
cases it remains a chronic condition which tends to wax and wane in severity.
Many may say that they ache all over their muscles feel like they have been pulled,
stretched and overworked and twitch or burn.
Fibromyalgia can become a relentless, dispiriting, depressing condition.
Bartels EM, et al. (2009). "Fibromyalgia, diagnosis and prevalence. Are gender differences
explainable?". Ugeskr Laeger. 171(49): 3588–92
