What is fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a disorder that describes widespread pain throughout your body. This pain may feel like a persistent burning or stabbing pain or like a sharp ache.
Many people with fibromyalgia also have an increased sensitivity to touch. Because of the constant pain, you may also find it difficult to stay physically active or get good quality sleep at night. For some, the pain is severe enough to cause a disability.
What causes fibromyalgia?
While there’s no clear understanding of what causes fibromyalgia, the disorder may be the result of your brain’s abnormal processing of pain signals. When you have fibromyalgia, your brain may amplify pain signals to cause widespread, chronic pain.
Your family history may contribute to your risk factors for the condition. Infections, injuries, and even emotional trauma can also trigger fibromyalgia pain.
Women are more likely to develop fibromyalgia than men and may experience other conditions, like irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, and depression, simultaneously.
How is fibromyalgia diagnosed?
Diagnosing fibromyalgia involves a review of your medical history and a physical exam. During your exam, Dr. Brennan assesses the areas where you feel pain and works to rule out other conditions that may be causing it.
You may need blood work to confirm that you don’t have an underlying infection, as well as imaging tests to rule out nerve-related pain or other chronic conditions.
Typically, your diagnosis will be fibromyalgia if you have unexplained widespread pain for longer than three months and no underlying health issues.
How is fibromyalgia treated?
If you’re not able to find relief of fibromyalgia pain with over-the-counter medications, Dr. Brennan and the team at Coastal Pain Medicine can customize a treatment plan that may include:
- Exercises
- Acupuncture
- Massage therapy
- Prescription medications
- Intravenous (IV) ketamine infusions
Dr. Brennan may also recommend an epidural steroid injection that delivers anesthetic and steroid medications into the epidural space of your spine. Steroids reduce inflammation that presses on surrounding nerves, and the anesthetic blocks pain signals from traveling to your brain.
The Coastal Pain Medicine team also works with you on lifestyle changes to keep you pain-free and physically active.
To find out more about solutions for fibromyalgia pain, book an appointment online or call Coastal Pain Medicine today.
