6 of the More Subtle Signs of Fibromyalgia

Research on fibromyalgia has been a hot medical topic for the last several years. One reason can be credited to Lady Gaga announcing her fibromyalgia condition. She stopped a concert in mid-tour because of her intense pain and fatigue. It was such a shocking announcement, and research into the symptoms, causes, and treatments of fibromyalgia by her fans and others amped up. It’s a hard condition to diagnose and recognize, and many still believe that it's not a real disease.

The condition often goes undetected because the symptoms are similar to the symptoms of many other diseases. Fibromyalgia does not happen quickly, but it takes its time, which causes pain and suffering. Margaret Mulroney, RN says, “the onset of fibromyalgia can be very slow, and it can take years before someone receives a proper diagnosis.”

Fibromyalgia is really a syndrome rather than a disease, which makes it even harder to find the cause of the chronic symptoms. There are times when fibromyalgia manifests itself as a post-traumatic condition. For example, if you have been in a car accident and still suffer from pain months afterward, you may have developed fibromyalgia.  If you have suffered an injury and the pain lingers for months or years, you might have fibromyalgia.

The symptoms are vague; health professionals think your symptoms belong to other causes like viruses, menopause in women, and accident or injury, or even anxiety. Doctors downplay the condition since they can’t find an organic or physiological cause of the fatigue and pain. They focus on the patient’s psychological needs and finally decide the causes of fibromyalgia are psychosomatic.

6 subtle signs of fibromyalgia

There is no known cause of fibromyalgia, but fibromyalgia is real. Someone who is always in pain or feels drained all the time needs to make an appointment with a doctor and let them decide if fibromyalgia is a cause of your suffering. Don’t try and self-diagnose yourself, this will drive you into unnecessary panic.

1. Fatigue

Fatigue is a huge symptom of fibromyalgia. Waking up after six to eight hours of sleep and feeling like you’ve been up all night and haven’t had any rest is one symptom.

Studies from the Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center at the University of Michigan, and Daniel J. Clauw, MD told Health.com that at least 80 percent of those with fibromyalgia have enduring fatigue. They also have difficulty sleeping, and this can be a result or the cause of on-going pain.

2. Chronic migraines

Headaches are a sign of illness or stress, but a severe throbbing migraine occurring in one area of your head is a symptom of fibromyalgia. Migraines can lead to feelings of nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and the agonizing pounding pain that just doesn’t go away.

Read on to have a full understanding of the other 4 subtle symptoms of fibromyalgia and ways to overcome them.