Is pain from fibromyalgia different than normal pain?
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Dr. Michael Roizen answered:While acute pain lasts for a few hours or days, fibromyalgia pain is chronic, or long-term, and lasts for months to years. In fact, widespread body pain and deep muscle pain are the main symptoms of fibromyalgia. People with fibromyalgia describe the pain as stabbing, shooting, throbbing, and aching. Some people with fibromyalgia have tingling and numbness throughout the body, along with the deep muscle pain. Others with fibromyalgia may have more pain in the morning. Pain may also worsen with weather changes, poor sleep, too much exercise, not enough exercise, and chronic emotional stress.Helpful? 9 people found this helpfulWhile acute pain lasts for a few hours or days, fibromyalgia pain is chronic, or long-term, and lasts for months to years. In fact, widespread body pain and deep muscle pain are the main symptoms of fibromyalgia. People with fibromyalgia describe... More -
Dr. Mehmet Oz answered:Fibromyalgia is debilitating and relentless. It's not like the pain you get from a headache or a sprained ankle. With fibro, you might feel like there's a four-alarm fire raging in your muscles or sulphuric acid in your joints. The pain is intense and widespread. Getting out of bed can be more challenging than sprinting along the Great Wall of China.
Along with the muscle pain, fibromyalgia may happen with another pain-related illness such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. Unlike the acute pain of a pulled muscle or backache, fibromyalgia pain is chronic or long-term and needs an ongoing treatment plan to manage the pain and other symptoms.Helpful? 3 people found this helpfulFibromyalgia is debilitating and relentless. It's not like the pain you get from a headache or a sprained ankle. With fibro, you might feel like there's a four-alarm fire raging in your muscles or sulphuric acid in your joints. The pain is... More -
Pfizer LYRICA™ (pregabalin) Team answered:The pain of fibromyalgia is different than normal pain, because it is believed to have a different cause.
There are many ways to describe the pain symptoms of fibromyalgia:
- Deep muscle pain and soreness
- Morning stiffness
- Flu-like aching
- Radiating pain
- Sensitivity to touch
Nerves throughout the body and spinal cord send messages to the brain. It is believed that people with fibromyalgia have changes in the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord, and nerves) that result in overactive nerves. The changes may be responsible for the chronic widespread pain and tenderness of fibromyalgia. LYRICA is believed to calm overactive nerves. It is unknown exactly how LYRICA works in the body. Animal studies suggest that LYRICA calms nerves by reducing “extra” electrical signals sent out by overactive nerves. The implication of these studies in humans is not known.
LYRICA is FDA-approved for the management of fibromyalgia. In the past you may have taken over-the-counter pain relief pills or narcotics when you felt that your pain was getting to a point that was difficult to manage. Over-the-counter pain relief pills and narcotics are not approved by the FDA for the management of fibromyalgia. LYRICA is not an antidepressant or narcotic. However, those who have drug or alcohol problems may be more likely to misuse LYRICA.
There are treatment options available that can help your condition. In clinical studies, LYRICA was proven to provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain compared with a placebo, so patients felt better and could do more.*
*Individual results may vary.Helpful? 2 people found this helpfulThe pain of fibromyalgia is different than normal pain, because it is believed to have a different cause. There are many ways to describe the pain symptoms of fibromyalgia: Deep muscle pain and soreness Morning stiffness Flu-like aching Radiating... More -
Debra Fulghum Bruce PhD answered:We all get tired. And who doesn't feel sore, achy and stiff, especially after a weekend of sports activities or heavy gardening? For those with fibromyalgia, these debilitating symptoms of pain and fatigue are severe and constant, lasting for months and years and causing poor quality of life for its millions of victims--damaging jobs, families and personal lives.
Coined in l976, the term “fibromyalgia” describes the basic symptoms of constant muscle pain, tenderness, fatigue and tender points. Fibromyalgia causes widespread pain--in the back, neck, arms and legs--with many tender or trigger points that are very painful when touched.
Helpful? 6 people found this helpfulWe all get tired. And who doesn't feel sore, achy and stiff, especially after a weekend of sports activities or heavy gardening? For those with fibromyalgia, these debilitating symptoms of pain and fatigue are severe and constant,... More -
Dr. William D. Knopf of Piedmont Heart Institute answered:Fibromyalgia patients are thought to have a resetting of the volume control of their central nervous system and thus feel an exaggerated pain. They have a lower pain threshold. The pain is generally widespread and is characterized as an oversenstitization of the nervous system as it is stimulated.
However, pain thresholds are variable from person to person.
Helpful? 2 people found this helpfulFibromyalgia patients are thought to have a resetting of the volume control of their central nervous system and thus feel an exaggerated pain. They have a lower pain threshold. The pain is generally widespread and is characterized as an... More -
Dr. Matthew McCarty answered:Fibromyalgia pain can often be perceived as worse than normal pain because of its characteristics and related consequences. Fibromyalgia is described as a long-term body wide pain with associated tenderness in joints, tendons, muscles and other soft tissues. Normal pain such as that after a back or neck strain or ankle sprain is often self-limited after the body begins its normal healing phase. In Fibromyalgia the body may have an abnormal response to painful stimuli. Sleep disturbances, physical or emotional trauma have also been implicated in causing fibromyalgia. Often the pain from fibromyalgia takes on a burning quality and physical exam will reveal at least 18 tender knots where muscles are in constant spasm. As the pain drags on sleep can be further compromised and depression and anxiety can develop or worsen which can require separate treatment. A thorough investigation and treatment of underlying sources of pain such as osteoarthritis of the spine, degenerative disc disease, rheumatoid arthritis etc. can hopefully remove a source of pain if the fibromyalgia is caused from the body’s abnormal response to underlying pain.
Helpful? 2 people found this helpfulFibromyalgia pain can often be perceived as worse than normal pain because of its characteristics and related consequences. Fibromyalgia is described as a long-term body wide pain with associated tenderness in joints, tendons, muscles and... More -
Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum answered:It can be because the pain tends to be widespread and persistent. Think about a toothache that is felt all over the body and lasts for many years. It can be severe.
The good news, it is also very treatable and I can count on my fingers how many of the thousands of fibromyalgia patient's I have treated have not been able to get good pain relief. It is not acceptable for you to be left in pain!
Helpful? 1 person found this helpfulIt can be because the pain tends to be widespread and persistent. Think about a toothache that is felt all over the body and lasts for many years. It can be severe. The good news, it is also very treatable and I can count on my fingers how many of... More -
Dr. Rosendo Collazo of Baptist Health South Florida answered:Fibromyalgia is condition characterized by widespread chronic pain and fatigue with no known cause. The pain is normally not caused by injury or a single chronic condition. Because symptoms can resemble those of other conditions, but fibro is not like other more common problems causing chronic pain.
Fibro is not like any other condition because the pain can vary in both the location on the body where it is concentrated and the frequency. Many feel a heightened and painful response to applied pressure.
The pain is often accompanied by extreme fatigue, sleep disturbance and joint stiffness.Fibromyalgia is condition characterized by widespread chronic pain and fatigue with no known cause. The pain is normally not caused by injury or a single chronic condition. Because symptoms can resemble those of other conditions, but fibro is not... More
