Fibromyalgia and the Migraine Syndrome
Fibromyalgia is the great impostor! It can present as
depression, neck or low back aches, chest pain, headaches, panic
attacks, insomnia, memory problems, tennis elbow, ear pain, plus
many others. I have seen patients with so many different
complaints that turn out to have this frustrating disorder. I am
hesitant to give a possible presentation scenario for
fibromyalgia. In short, fibromyalgia is the migraine syndrome
(explained below) gone haywire. Treatment has to be directed
toward controlling the migraine syndrome which can lead to a
cure for fibromyalgia! That's right; I said a cure for
fibromyalgia is possible! I have had so many patients have their
fibromyalgia resolve that I am optimistic that I can really make
a difference in the quality of life. At a minimum, marked
improvement should be expected. There are always exceptions in
medicine, but they are rare.
Let me explain what I mean by the migraine syndrome. It
is the outward expression of the body's sensitivity to light,
sound, smell, food, and/or stress. Some people are more
sensitive than others; therefore, their reactions to different
stimuli are greater. This sensitivity can be manifested in the
body as migraines, sinus headaches, neck aches, palpitations,
irritable bowel syndrome, motion sickness or vertigo, reactive
hypoglycemia, temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ), panic
attacks, and/or fibromyalgia. Now that's a mouthful!
Understanding what is going on with you is very important in the
healing process.
Fibromyalgia is traditionally defined as a syndrome which may
feature constant pain, fatigue, sleep loss, headache, TMJ,
restless legs, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, irritable
bowel, bladder symptoms, memory impairment among other
complaints. Physical exam reveals tender points or what we call
"trigger points." There are 18 specific trigger points to be
examined. 11 out of 18 tender trigger points are required for
diagnosis; however, usually I find 16-18 out of 18 tender
trigger points on most of my patients. Fibromyalgia should be
treated by a headache specialist that understands that
fibromyalgia comes from the migraine syndrome. An enlightened
primary care physician could be your answer.