2. What is Fibromyalgia? Photo Courtesy of Scientific American. “…chronic widespread muscular pain and symptoms such as fatigue, sleep disturbances, stiffness, cognitive and memory problems, and symptoms of depression and anxiety…” - American College of Rheumatology
3. Common Symptoms Photo Courtesy of A Disease A Day Above shows a short list of the most common symptoms.
4. Fibromyalgia Cycle Photo Courtesy of The Medical Symptoms Database Symptoms tend to appear in a cyclical series.
5. The 18 Tender Points Photo Courtesy of www.fibromyalgia-leesburg.com Fibromyalgia sufferers experience tenderness in the parts of the body illustrated above.
6. Stressors Can Exacerbate Symptoms Photo Courtesy of Fibro Center. Patients were polled on what stressors aggravate their symptoms.
7. Treatments: Medication Photo Courtesy of Photo Courtesy of Lyrica, Savella. There are few fibromyalgia-specific drugs, however there are numerous other types of drugs prescribed to best fit the patient’s symptoms.
8. Treatments: Alternative and Complementary Photo Courtesy of Web MD. Diet, massage therapy, exercise, stress-management, acupuncture, herbal supplements, and ample sleep are all treatments for Fibromyalgia.
9. Fibromyalgia Awareness Photo Courtesy of National Fibromyalgia Association. The mission of the National Fibromyalgia Association is to bring awareness and promote research about this disorder.