Fibromyalgia – The Ache That Won’t Go Away

Fibromyalgia – The Ache That Won’t Go Away

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a condition that many patients describe as a chronic, dull ache that is persistent all day long. People who have been diagnosed with it have associated fatigue, trouble with sleep patterns, numbness and tingling, and diffuse muscle pain. The theory is that people with fibromyalgia have heightened sensation of pain. Where a normal touch is perceived as mild to moderately painful. These tender areas are not just in one area such as the neck or back but diffuse throughout the body. People, at times, have categorized it like feeling like the flu. This widespread pain can range from mild to debilitating.

Chronic Pain and Depression

  • Pain and Depression

Chronic Pain and Depression

It is estimated that up to 85% of chronic pain patients suffer from severe depression.  Sometimes pain is a symptom of pre-existing depression, and sometimes the depression comes as a result of the effects of chronic pain.  With potentially one fifth of the US population suffering from chronic pain, understanding the association between depression and pain, and the subsequent treatment of the two, is becoming more and more important.