Fibromyalgia: A Disease or a Symptom?

Have you been tired and lethargic lately? Did you blame the weather or the workload at office? Think again! This might be Fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia is a bunch of symptoms that include chronic pain and pressure throughout the body. The pain is literally everywhere; neck, shoulder, back, torso, jaw. It gets unbearable when the pain is associated with nausea and insomnia. Lack of sleep in-turn causes fatigue and lack of energy. Migraine headaches, inability to focus, and inexplicable neurological symptoms are usually results of overwhelming fatigue.

When you visit your doctor, he might tell you that stress, sleep disorder, and possible depression usually lead to a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. The disease on the other hand causes all these symptoms. It is almost like a vicious cycle with no escape. The truth is, we still know very little about fibromyalgia. There is no solid theory to explain what causes the disease.

The good news is, we know the risk factors. Females are said to be more prone to developing the symptoms. Like most other arthritic diseases, this one also seems to be predisposed by genetic history!

While the doctors are working on finding the causes and treatment for fibromyalgia, here’s what you can do if you are suffering from it:

Exercise Regularly: Make exercises such as swimming, cycling, walking, or stretching a part of your daily routine. Here's a list of exercise for fibromyalgia.

Do not Over-exert: Realize the limitations this disease is going to put on your body. Avoid taxing your body or mind unnecessarily.

Get Enough Sleep: Sleep is essential to counter the fatigue.

Keep Calm: Researches have indicated that over-activity of neurotransmitters cause the pain. Therefore it is necessary to keep calm.

Good Posture: Maintain good posture at work as well as during your activities of daily living.

Over-the-counter medications: Try pain meds like Tylenol, advil, acetaminophen, or aspirin.

Eat Healthy.

Day Dreamer

I am a daydreamer. I look out from my office window on a foggy winter morning and see Rakesh, the tea vendor busy serving his customers. The sudden drop in temperature seemed to benefit his little business. Everyone seemed to be craving for a cigarette and a hot cup of tea.

Rakesh is now serving Roger, a sales executive, who works in the same office building with me and a handyman is waiting for his turn to be attended. Roger is looking frustrated; his team is yet to meet their year-end sales target. His supervisor is not very happy about it. He was running late to work this morning, had to skip breakfast. Holding a steaming bowl of Maggi, Roger is wondering how the chaiwallah manages this busy stall so effortlessly all by himself.

Rakesh, the chirpy guy in his late teens is friends with everyone who visits his stall. He never went to school. We even wonder how he learnt counting! He made special tea with his secret ingredient for his customers. The other day he told us he made more money than us. And guess what? We did believe him.

I feel a tap on my shoulder and I am drawn back to reality.