Fibromyalgia & Lupus

Table of Contents

Fibromyalgia is a very real syndrome.  It is not "all in your head".  Fibromyalgia occurs in as much as 2% of the US population.  It often occurs in conjunction with other diseases including SLE.  It is not known what causes Fibromyalgia.

Definition:

A syndrome characterized by diffuse or specific muscle, joint or bone pain, fatigue and a wide variety of other symptoms.  Fibromyalgia causes pain and tenderness when you press on certain spots on the body known as tender points.

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Symptoms:

Fibromyalgia can have many, many different symptoms.  Just a few of the most common symptoms include widespread pain in muscles and joints, headaches, fatigue, generalized weakness, numbness and tingling, nerve pain, non-restful sleep, irritable bowel, urinary urgency, difficulty in thinking and concentration, dizziness, Raynaud's syndrome, temporal mandibular joint dysfunction, anxiety, depression, allergies, and many more!

Diagnosis:

There are 2 qualifications for a Fibromyalgia diagnosis.  The first is a history of at least 3 months of widespread pain that occurs both above and below the waist as well as on both sides of the body.  The second diagnostic criteria is 11 of 18 tender points causing pain when gentle pressure is applied.  Fibromyalgia symptoms are often mistaken for a Lupus flare, but blood tests can help distinguish them. 

Treatment:

NSAIDS are used to treat pain. 

Aerobic exercise, physical therapy, relaxation techniques and coping skills have proven very effective in Fibromyalgia treatment.

Low doses of sedating tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline and trazadone are traditionally used to treat sleep disturbances.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly used as well.

A muscle relaxant such as cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) may be used for pain and sleep disturbance.

Narcotic pain relievers are typically avoided when possible.