100+ Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

GENERAL

Fatigue, made worse by physical exertion or stress
Activity level decreased to less than 50% of pre-illness activity level
Recurrent flu-like illness
Sore throat
Hoarseness
Tender or swollen lymph nodes (glands), especially in neck and underarms
Shortness of breath (air hunger) with little or no exertion
Frequent sighing
Tremor or trembling
Severe nasal allergies (new allergies or worsening of previous allergies)
Cough
Night sweats
Low-grade fevers
Feeling cold often
Feeling hot often
Cold extremities (hands and feet)
Low body temperature (below 97.6)
Low blood pressure (below 110/70)
Heart palpitations
Dryness of eyes and/or mouth
Increased thirst
Symptoms worsened by temperature changes
Symptoms worsened by air travel
Symptoms worsened by stress

PAIN

Headache
Tender points or trigger points
Muscle pain
Muscle twitching
Muscle weakness
Paralysis or severe weakness of an arm or leg
Joint pain
TMJ syndrome
Chest pain

GENERAL NEUROLOGICAL

Lightheadedness; feeling "spaced out"
Inability to think clearly ("brain fog")
Seizures
Seizure-like episodes
Syncope (fainting) or blackouts
Sensation that you might faint
Vertigo or dizziness
Numbness or tingling sensations
Tinnitus (ringing in one or both ears)
Photophobia (sensitivity to light)
Noise intolerance

EQUILIBRIUM / PERCEPTION

Feeling spatially disoriented
Dysequilibrium (balance difficulty)
Staggering gait (clumsy walking; bumping into things)
Dropping things frequently
Difficulty judging distances (e.g. when driving; placing objects on surfaces)
"Not quite seeing" what you are looking at

SLEEP

Hypersomnia (excessive sleeping)
Sleep disturbance: unrefreshing or non-restorative sleep
Sleep disturbance: difficulty falling asleep
Sleep disturbance: difficulty staying asleep (frequent awakenings)
Sleep disturbance: vivid or disturbing dreams or nightmares
Altered sleep/wake schedule (alertness/energy best late at night)

MOOD / EMOTIONS

Depressed mood
Suicidal thoughts
Suicide attempts
Feeling worthless
Frequent crying
Feeling helpless and/or hopeless
Inability to enjoy previously enjoyed activities
Increased appetite
Decreased appetite
Anxiety or fear when there is no obvious cause
Panic attacks
Irritability; overreaction
Rage attacks: anger outbursts with little or no cause
Abrupt, unpredictable mood swings
Phobias (irrational fears)
Personality changes

EYES AND VISION

Eye pain
Changes in visual acuity (frequent changes in ability to see well)
Difficulty with accommodation (switching focus from one thing to another)
Blind spots in vision

SENSITIVITIES

Sensitivities to medications (unable to tolerate "normal" dosage)
Sensitivities to odors (e.g., cleaning products, exhaust fumes, colognes, hair sprays)
Sensitivities to foods
Alcohol intolerance
Alteration of taste, smell, and/or hearing

UROGENITAL

Frequent urination
Painful urination or bladder pain
Prostate pain
Impotence
Endometriosis
Worsening of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
Decreased libido (sex drive)

GASTROINTESTINAL

Stomach ache; abdominal cramps
Nausea
Vomiting
Esophageal reflux (heartburn)
Frequent diarrhea
Frequent constipation
Bloating; intestinal gas
Decreased appetite
Increased appetite
Food cravings
Weight gain
Weight loss

SKIN

Rashes or sores
Eczema or psoriasis

OTHER

Hair loss
Mitral valve prolapse
Cancer
Dental problems
Periodontal (gum) disease
Aphthous ulcers (canker sores)

COGNITIVE

Difficulty with simple calculations (e.g., balancing checkbook)
Word-finding difficulty
Using the wrong word
Difficulty expressing ideas in words
Difficulty moving your mouth to speak
Slowed speech
Stuttering; stammering
Impaired ability to concentrate
Easily distracted during a task
Difficulty paying attention
Difficulty following a conversation when background noise is present
Losing your train of thought in the middle of a sentence
Difficulty putting tasks or things in proper sequence
Losing track in the middle of a task (remembering what to do next)
Difficulty with short-term memory
Difficulty with long-term memory
Forgetting how to do routine things
Difficulty understanding what you read
Switching left and right
Transposition (reversal) of numbers, words and/or letters when you speak
Transposition (reversal) of numbers, words and/or letters when you write
Difficulty remembering names of objects
Difficulty remembering names of people
Difficulty recognizing faces
Difficulty following simple written instructions
Difficulty following complicated written instructions
Difficulty following simple oral (spoken) instructions
Difficulty following complicated oral (spoken) instructions
Poor judgment
Difficulty making decisions
Difficulty integrating information (putting ideas together to form a complete picture or concept)
Difficulty following directions while driving
Becoming lost in familiar locations when driving
Feeling too disoriented to drive

____________________________________________________

Additionally.....
AGGRAVATING FACTORS:

overexertion
stress
hormonal changes
premenstrual
anxiety
changes in weather
cold or drafty environment
anger
depression
alcohol
____________________________________________________

POSSIBLE CAUSES FOR FIBROMYALGIA

genetic
neurochemical dysfunction
hormonal imbalance
virus
infection
accident or trauma
nutritional deficiency

The information above comes from the website of Dominie Bush. She publishes a Christian-based newsletter about Fibromyalgia (FMS), Chronic Fatigue & Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) and shares her thoughts, research and experiences.

Here is the direct link to her site if you would like to explore more info about FMS/CFIDS: www.fms-help.com

Fibromyalgia Symptoms

The primary symptom of Fibromyalgia is chronic, widespread pain. This pain is on both the right and left sides of the body as well as both above and below the waist.

This pain can be in the muscles, ligaments, tendons, or it can just be generalized. It can be described as deep-aching, persistent, stabbing, throbbing, radiating, gnawing, shooting, tingling and/or burning. It migrates throughout the body, varies in intensity and can be made worse or better with stress, weather, activity or anxiety. Pain is also felt in at least 11 of 18 tender points (required for Fibromyalgia diagnosis).

Most symptoms of Fibromyalgia can also be caused by other conditions. It is important to discuss all of your symptoms with your doctor and not to overlook other possible causes.

Specific Fibromyalgia symptoms may include:

Cardio-Vascular System Symptoms

Heart Palpitations - This is typically caused by anxiety in FMS and is usually nothing to worry about but should be evaluated by a doctor.

Central Nervous System Symptoms

Chronic Headaches or Migraines - People with fibro are more likely to suffer from chronic headaches and/or migraines than the normal population. Most all fibromyalgia fighter will experience headaches as a symptom. As many as 60% of FMS fighters suffer constant headaches or migraines.
Fibrofog (Cognitive and Memory Problems) - "Affectionately" known as fibrofog, cognitive and memory problems are also common in fibromyalgia. It can range from mild confusion or trouble concentrating to short term memory loss, forgetfulness, and difficulty communicating.
Impaired Memory - 46% of Fibro fighters have trouble with memory.
Numbness and Tingling - More than half of fibro fighters report numbness and/or tingling in the arms, legs, feet or hands.

Gastointestinal Symptoms

Nausea - Between Up to 70% of fibro fighters say they experience chronic nausea and/or diarrhea.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) - IBS is characterized by hypersensitivity to muscle contractions in the large intestine causing diarrhea and/or constipation, bloating, abdominal pain or cramping, nausea, flatulence, and more. An estimated 70% of fibro fighters have IBS.

General Symptoms

Cold/Allergy Symptoms - Many fibromyalgia fighters experience chronic, non-allergic rhinitis with sneezing, runny nose, and itchy, watery eyes.
Dizziness - Some patients experience chronic dizziness that can last hours, days or longer. It can cause nausea, headaches, vertigo and fainting.
Exercise Intolerance - Fibro fighters are known to have a hypersensitivity to exercise and can feel worst immediately afterward as opposed to the normal "soreness" experienced by others hours after exercise.
Fatigue - 96% of FMS fighters have moderate to severe, even debilitating fatigue that can last days, weeks, months or even years.
Insomnia - As many as 86% of fibromyalgia fighters have difficulty going to sleep, staying asleep or getting restful sleep for at least 1 month.
Malaise - A general unwell feeling.
Mouth Symptoms - Irritation of the tongue and bad, metallic, or scalded taste in the mouth can be a symptom of FMS. Fibro can also cause difficulty in swallowing.
Skin Symptoms - Most fibromyalgia fighters are plagued with chronically dry, itchy, molted and/or tender skin that sometimes lead to rashes and infections. Other dermatologic complaints include hives, blotchyness, tiny bumps or blisters, eczema, and more. FMS can cause the skin to feel electric vibrations, sensitive, stinging, cold or hot, flush (especially with sweating), crawling or prickling.
Sleep Disorders - A very important part of fibromyalgia, sleep disturbance is believed to be linked to the cause of FMS.
Urinary Problems - Bladder spasms, burning during urination, frequent urination, frequent bladder infection, interstitial cystitis, and pungent urine can all be part of fibromyalgia.
Vision Problems - FMS fighters sometimes have dry, itchy or burning eyes, and/or blurred vision.
Weight Gain - Hormonal imbalances, fatigue, pain, and depression can all lead to weight gain.

Musculoskeletal Symptoms

Chest Pain (Costochondritis) - Inflammation in the cartilages that connects the rib cage to the breastbone. This causes pain that can be both dull/achy and sharp and can mimic a heart attack. Deep breathing, and coughing can aggravate it. 60-70% of fibromyalgia fighters have costochondritis.
Joint Pain - There is no inflammation involved in Fibromyalgia, however as many as 72% of people with fibro may have joint pain.
Leg Cramps - Cramping in the muscles of the legs is reported in 42% of people with fibromyalgia.
Morning Stiffness - Stiffness in the morning is a common complaint with FMS. It usually lasts around 30 minutes but can last hours or even all day. It can affect range of motion and cause aches and pains all over the body.
Muscle Cramps - Cramps in the legs and feet are common.
Muscle Pain - All fibromyalgia fighters have muscle pain.
Muscle Twitches - Tiny contractions in muscles can cause tingling or electric feeling, involuntary movements, and sleep disturbance. Half of FMS patients experience this and/or muscle weakness.
Muscle Weakness - True muscle weakness differs from fatigue in that exerting all of your energy does not achieve the desired movement

Psychological Symptoms

Anxiety - Everyone feels these feelings of worry, fear, nervousness or apprehension from time to time. Fibro fighters may experience these feelings more often and they may worsen other symptoms.
Depression - Researchers still do not fully understand the relationship between these two conditions. Most patients will experience depression either as a symptom or in conjunction with fibromyalgia.
Irritability - Pain, fatigue, and the stresses of dealing with a chronic condition can lead to irritability.

Related Conditions

Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome - Fascia is like a web that surrounds the bones, tissues, organs, and blood vessels. Pain of this type usually begins specific areas of the body known as Myofascial Trigger Points that develop throughout the body where the fascia comes in contact with a muscle. These trigger points are areas of extreme tenderness, and sensitivity that form in bands of muscle underneath your skin. They differ from the tender points found in fibromyalgia is that trigger points can be felt beneath the skin causing pain and muscle twitching. Fibromyalgia can cause myofascial trigger points to form.
Hypoglycemia - This condition can be triggered or worsened by fibromyalgia, called fibroglycemia. As many as 40% of women with fibro and 20% of men with fibro suffer this low blood sugar condition. It can cause sugar cravings, tremors, heart palpitations. sweat, anxiety, panic attacks, faintness, and frontal headaches.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) - IBS is characterized by hypersensitivity to muscle contractions in the large intestine causing diarrhea and/or constipation, bloating, abdominal pain or cramping, nausea, flatulence, and more. An estimated 70% of fibro fighters have IBS.
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndromes (MCS) - This syndrome is characterized by hypersensitivity to chemicals and/or smells. It can also cause sensitivity to loud noises, temperature and lights. MCS can cause a variety of symptoms such as rhinitis, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, migraines, etc. FMS fighters are at higher risk of MCS than the normal population. A study found that 50% of Fibro fighters experience sensitivity to odors, noise, bright lights or certain foods.
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) - RLS is a neurological condition in which the patient experiences an irresitible urge to move their legs. This condition is found in those with fibromyalgia 56% of the time according to a 1990 report.
Temperomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) - TMJ is a disorder of the temperomandibular joint (jaw bone). It also attacks the muscles and cartilage throughout the face and neck causing, popping or clicking (especially when chewing), severe pain, headaches, locked jaw, and more. It is thought that up to 90% of fibro fighters have TMJ symptoms.

Reproductive/Sexual Symptoms

Dysmenorrhea - Excruciating pain in your pelvis or abdomen during menstruation can be triggered or worsened by fibromyalgia.
Vulvodynia - Evidence suggests that Vulvar Pain Syndrome including vaginal spasms, painful intercourse, and vulvitis (irritation of the lips) may be more common in women with FMS.

Sources:

http://cure4fibromyalgia.org/fibro/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37&products_id=201 by Daniel Wallace and Janice Wallace

http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/

http://arthritis.about.com/cs/fms/ht/recognizesigns.htm

Arthritis and Rheumatism. Vol. 33, No. 2 (February 1990)

The original article can be found here: Fibromyalgia Symptoms