FIBROMYALGIA

What is it?

Fibromyalgia is a mixture of pain and tenderness - usually over your muscles - and tiredness which are worse in the cold and when you are under stress.

What causes it?

The exact cause of fibromyalgia is not clear. What is known is that fibromyalgia is not'all in the mind'- you may get depressed because you have fibromyalgia but you do not get fibromyalgia because you are depressed. It might be due to very poor sleeping patterns that do not let your body recover physically after it has been under stress.

Who gets it?

Children hardly ever get fibromyalgia. You are much more likely to suffer from it if you are a woman and you are more at risk the older you get.

What are the symptoms?

If you have fibromyalgia you will have pain most commonly in your neck and back which will be made worse by the cold. You will also get tired very easily which might make it hard for you to concentrate or remember things. You might also get headaches, pins and needles or pains in the stomach. If you are a woman you may find that your period pains are very bad and that you need to pass water much more often than before.

When should I go to my GP?

If you have pains in several places over your body for any length of time, with no obvious reason - like an accident or suddenly doing a lot of sport when you are not fit - you should make a routine appointment to consult your GP.

What tests will my GP do?

Your GP will want to examine you, looking especially at the spots you get the pain or feel tender. He might want to do some blood tests and he may send you for an X-ray.

What is the short-term treatment?

Your GP may want to start you on a course of antidepressant tablets. This is not because he thinks your symptoms are all down to depression. It is because these tablets - which are very safe and not addictive if you take them in the way he prescribes them - can help your sleep pattern which may help your symptoms. You should also start doing very gentle but regular exercise - a few minutes a day at first.

Will I need long-term treatment?

Fibromyalgia is not a condition which goes away quickly. It is very important to gradually build up the amount of exercise you do - you are unlikely to find that exercise helps your symptoms much until you are doing 20 minutes or more a day. Aerobic exercise such as swimming or walking is best. You may also find physiotherapy, acupuncture or injections help.

How can I stop it getting worse?

It may be difficult to believe that exercise can really help you when your main problems are tiredness and aching muscles. But you can help yourself by sticking to a regular exercise plan. Doing exercise really regularly will help you get the right kind of deep, restful sleep.

Will I have to go to hospital?

This depends on how well your symptoms respond to treatment from your GP and on whether he feels you need specialised treatment to control your symptoms.