Five Warning Signs of Fibromyalgia

Online, June 4, 2013 (Newswire.com) - With its confusing overlap of symptoms, fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) can be a nightmare for the five million Americans-90 percent of them women-who suffer from it. Although the set of symptoms will vary from patient to patient, having two or more of the most common symptoms might justify a trip to your doctor to get checked out and learn more about the condition.

Here are five common symptoms of FM:

1. Pain. Pain is the most prominent symptom, occurring for at least three months and taking many different forms. It has been described by FM patients as aching, burning, throbbing, shooting, tingling or stabbing. Pain is felt on both sides of the body, both below and above the waistline. It is generally located in the neck, shoulders, back and hips, although for many the pain seems to move from one body part to another.

2. Memory problems. Research has shown that FM patients lose more than three times as much "gray matter" brain tissue than their healthy peers, resulting in concentration and memory problems often referred to as "fibro fog." People with FM may find themselves frequently confused, losing their train of thought, forgetting details, or mixing up words.

3. Digestive problems. FM patients often report digestive problems that are usually related to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which has symptoms that include abdominal pain and constipation or diarrhea. Doctors are not sure why FM and IBS often occur together.

4. Fatigue. More than 80 percent of FM patients experience fatigue; consequently, FM is often compared to chronic fatigue syndrome and sometimes diagnosed as such. Patients may experience feelings of tiredness that are so strong they impede occupational, personal, social or educational activities. Symptoms include profound exhaustion and poor stamina.

5. Sleep disorders. Sleep studies have shown that people with FM who suffer from fatigue generally have increased brain arousal at the time when the deepest sleep cycle should be occurring. This prevents the body from getting the normally restorative benefits of sleep and may be the cause of fatigue. New York-based Tonix Pharmaceuticals is reformulating an existing muscle relaxant called cyclobenzaprine into a low-dose sleep aid to be taken in under-the-tongue tablet form at bedtime, and is betting that it will offer the key to better treatment. Tonix will be testing its drug through 2013.

For more information, please visit www.tonixpharma.com.

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