Posts Tagged ‘fibromyalgia tender points’

What Are Fibromyalgia Tender Points?

Written on November 18th, 2009 by adminno shouts

fibromyalgia Tender Points

Fibromyalgia Tender Points Diagram

Fibromyalgia Tender Points what exactly are they?


Fibromyalgia Remedies Presents information help you better understand fibromyalgia and how fibromyalgia tender points help medical professionals make a correct diagnosis

Fibromyalgia is a very complicated and unusual condition that for many doctors as well as patients can be difficult to diagnose. There are parameters or a list of symptoms that can point a doctor in the direction of a fibromyalgia diagnosis, for as of this time there is no blood test, CT scan, or other diagnostic test that can pin point an exact fibromyalgia diagnosis.


If you are have been feeling ill for quite some time you are probably aware of the term fibromyalgia tender points, but if you are just starting your search you may be confused by all the different and diverse symptoms that can be labeled fibromyalgia.


You are not alone, and believe me there a few doctors out there as well who are trying to come to terms with exact what fibromyalgia is.  There is one common characteristic that does seem to follow a large percentage of fibromyalgia patients, and that is the tender points.

As you can see from the diagram above that the fibromyalgia tender points are cover pretty equally both sides of the body.

•    Front lower sides of your neck
•    Upper chest
•    Inner elbows
•    Just above inner knees
•    Back of your head
•    Top of the shoulders
•    Upper back (at shoulder blades)
•    Upper buttock
•    Hips

It should be stated that the American College of Rheumatology in 1990 outlined criteria for the classification of fibromyalgia for medical professionals. The criteria determined that there are 18 tender points on the body that correspond with fibromyalgia. For a medical professional to diagnose you with fibromyalgia a person must not just display tenderness in these points as the name implies, but must feel pain when at least 11 of 18 tender points when they are pressed upon. Not every fibromyalgia sufferer will have all 18 tender points, and other symptoms can vary vastly from person to person.


In addition your doctor will be looking for widespread pain that usually lasts for more than three months.

Men and women can suffer with this chronic and misunderstood condition.  It can take many visits to a doctor or many doctors to get the right diagnosis as the symptoms of fibromyalgia do differ from person to person. It is unfortunate, but symptoms can mimic many neurological disorders, as well as arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, ruptured discs, and other spinal problems. This can lead to misdiagnosis on many occasions.

You can find a more extensive list of fibromyalgia symptoms by clicking  on the hyper link.

Fibromyalgia

“It’s a common misconception that fibromyalgia is a manifestation of mental problems,” says Karin B. Jensen, postgraduate at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience.


Legitimacy of Fibromyalgia Still A Contentious Point

Medical literature has been slow to publish data on fibromyalgia. Recent studies have gone a long way in disputing the claims of Wolfe and Hadler.


Smoking may increase Lou Gehrig’s disease risk

The better-designed studies show consistently that smoking increases the risk of developing ALS, with some findings suggesting that smoking may be implicated directly in causing the disease.”


Fibromyalgia Discussions at DailyStrength

Barres added that other studies should investigate whether thrombospondin and ?2?-1 are involved in formation of synapses in the neuromuscular junction, since they are so highly concentrated.


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Treating Fibromyalgia – Remedies For Fibromyalgia

Written on August 7th, 2009 by adminno shouts

Fibromyalgia Treatments and

Natural Remedies For Fibromyalgia


Treating Fibromyalgia is not an easy task. I know that is not what you really want to hear, but it is a fact.  What treatment works for one sufferer will not work for another. Finding a doctor or medical professional that treats Fibromyalgia patients, and understands their pain, and what treatments to offer will be a great benefit to you. You will find that even today many doctors are unable to provide the treatment and support you will need. It is up to you to be your own advocate. It will take determination and some trial and error to discover which treatment options will be suit you.

The Goal Of Fibromyalgia Treatments: Fibromyalgia Medications, Herbal Remedies For Fibromyalgia, Natural Remedies For Fibromyalgia, Alternative Treatments For Fibromyalgia

  • To help you function, and participate in daily activities
  • To Decrease pain – Fibromyalgia trigger points, fibromyalgia tender points, all over body pain
  • To provide you with support

You need to remember that fibromyalgia is a real condition, but it is hard to remember when you are riddled with pain that it is not a life threatening condition. It does not cause any deformities although it can mimic arthritis. It does not cause paralysis although it can mimic certain neurological conditions.

Living with this chronic condition can be trying,  and difficult, but you must never give up striving to find a treatment for fibromyalgia that works for you.

Fibromyalgia Remedies

What Are Remedies For Fibromyalgia and the Fibromyalgia Treatment Options?


  • 5-HTP- Natural Nutritional Supplement helps with helps to treat headaches, migraine headaches, and can help with sleep disturbances as well. Naturally increases serotonin
  • Acidophilus: IBS, and sensitive stomache issues, and constipation
  • Acupuncture- Helps treat fibromyalgia pressure points, and fibromyalgia tender points
  • Anti Depressant Medication – These medications are not used solely to treat the depression associated with this debilitating disease.  They also work to balance out serotonin in the brain, and break the chronic fibromyalgia pain cycle and sleep disturbances.  Amitriptyline, Cyclbenzaprine, Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Effexor, Serzone, and Celexa are some used for treatment.  Milnaciran and Duloxetine are newer antidepressant Norepinephrine Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors. Many people find that the side effects can be bothersome: dry mouth, dry eyes, drowsiness, visual disturbances, weight gain, and other physical effects.
  • Antacids – Zantac, Tagament, Tums these may help treat IBS, acid reflux, and other stomach ailments associated with a sensitive stomach
  • Anti-Anxiety Medications- Klonopin, Ativan, and Sanax
  • Anticonvulsant –Help to treat neurologic fibromyalgia pain, can include:  Pregabalin, Neurotin, and others
  • Anti-inflammatory – Advil, Alleve, Motrin, prescription non- steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, and other analgesics. Many people do not find these useful as fibromyalgia does not cause inflammation as once thought, but can work after physical activities that cause pain at fibromyalgic tender points .
  • Anticonvulsants –These can be used to treat the neuropathy pain that is generated by the nerves themselves.  Many fibromyalgia pain sufferers complain of burning, hot, shocking, and electric buzzing sensations in their hands and feet. Neurontin, Dilantin, Depakote and Tegretol.
  • B-12: Natural Nutritional Supplement can help treat fatigue, neurologic symptoms, boost the immune system
  • Biofeedback – Helps with relaxation and stress
  • Epidurals – Epidural Steroid Injections can be used for sever back pain due to disc problems, or pinched nerves.
  • Exercise – Believe it or not, but once you start gentle exercise you will feel better. Walk, use resistance bands, water therapy, ride a bike, and stretch. Exercise can exasperate fibromyalgia tender points, take it slow and easy.
  • Flaxseed, Borage Oil, Fish Oil, Evening prim oil: Natural Nutritional Supplement helps with joint pain
  • GABA – Natural Nutritional Supplement helps treats adrenal fatigue, assists with sleep disturbances, natural HGH, increased memory, increases energy, fibro fog, treats low growth hormone levels, and increases sexual desire and performance.
  • Ginkgo Biloba : Natural Nutritional Supplement helps with fibro fog, memory
  • Good Nutrition: helps with stomach problems, pain, weight gain, fibro fog
  • Hypnosis:  Helps with pain, relaxation and stress
  • LYRICA : also called  Pregabalin? This is an analgesic and anti-convulsant drug that can help manage the fibromyalgia pain, and neuopathy Lot’s of side effects can affect cognitive thinking, and has many side effects
  • Magnesium and Calcium: Natural Remdies for fibromyalgia, this combination can help with relaxation, stomach problems, energy, muscle pain, muscle spasms, headaches, migraines, and natural deficiencies
  • Magnetic Therapy: Used to decrease fibromyalgia pain, inflammation, reduce pain in fibromyalgia tender points, and boost blood flow to joint
  • Massage: Helps with relaxation, decrease pain in fibromyalgia tender points, and toxin release
  • Melatonin: Natural Nutritional Supplement helps with sleep disturbances
  • Moringa:  100 % Natural Herbal Remedies Supplement, Capsules, Teas from the leaves of the Moringa Tree
  • MSM: Natural Nutritional Supplement helps with helps with pain in the joints
  • Muscle Relaxants:  Flexeril, Soma, Skelaxin and Robaxin.
  • Narcotics – Help dull the pain, but are used sparingly due to the fact that they are habit forming.
  • Nerve Blocks – A mixture of anesthetic and a steroid are injected into a specific inflamed nerve root area.
  • Over The Counter Analgesics – Tylenol, Aspirin helps treat fibromyagia pain
  • Physical Therapy: decrease fibromyalgia pressure points pain, and increase flexability
  • Prescription Analgesics- Narcotics, Codeine, Vicodin,  Darvocet, OxyContin, Percocet, Ultram, Ultracet
  • SAM-e : Natural Nutritional Supplement can help with depression, and decrease pain
  • Sleep Aid Medications- Restroil, Ambien, Sonata, Melatonin – Long tem dependence, and side effects limit their long term use
  • Topical Medications- Can include Lidoderm, and specially create compound pain creams- may help with neurological and surface pain by anesthetizing the nerves below the skin
  • Trigger- Point Injections – Botox, Nerve Blocks, Selective Nerve Blocks, Epidural Steroid Injections
  • Used for treating the myofasciaol pain that fibromyalgia sufferers experience in the neck or shoulder areas.
    Myofascial pain is a type of pain or sensitivity in a specific are of the body. The trigger point is where the muscle or the junction of the muscle and the fascia join or meet or joint creating tender or painful areas. It is in these areas that the injections will be administered, and the medications can include 1-2% lidocaine, or Botox administered by a physician.
  • Injection Treatments:  Botox – Used on to treat tender points-Epidural Steroid Injections – Used to treat lumbar pain associated with disc problems, or nerve irritation
  • Injections – A mixture of anesthetic and a steroid are injected into the facet specific regional vertebral joints.
  • Valerian Root – Helps with sleep disturbances, and muscle relaxation, and IBS  (irritable bowl syndrome)

Fibromyalgia can be treated with: Fibromyalgia medication that have been found to help with the pain associated with this chronic condition. It can include natural remedies for fibromyalgia such as natural supplements, vitamins and minerals. Alternative treatments can be used, and will be discussed in another post.  Fibromyalgia treatment can be hard to pin down as stated earlier that no one treatment for fibromyalgia will work for everyone. Please look for other posts that will delve deeper into the  herbal remedies for fibomyalgia.

Stay Positive, and keep moving, and don’t give up……

Fibromyalgia Pain Relief Can Small Lifestyle Changes Make a Difference?
Fibromyalgia Diagnosis, What Type Of Doctor Treats Fibromyalgia?
The Causes of Fibromyalgia Pain, Living Wth Fibromyalgia
The Symptoms of Fibromyalgia


Fibromyalgia Syndrome

Fibromyalgia Pain Condition

Exercise eases chronic shoulder pain (cbc.ca)

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