As some sufferers in the U.S. may know, fibromyalgia is an illness that can completely debilitate a person. It can cause widespread pain across a person’s body, manifesting itself as an ongoing dull ache that can persist for three months or more. The pain occurs all over a person’s body — on all sides of a person’s body, left to right and top to bottom.
Individuals with fibromyalgia also experience extreme fatigue, waking up tired, even if they have slept for a long period of time. Moreover, the individual’s pain often disrupts their sleep, and those with fibromyalgia may also suffer from other sleep disorders. In addition, fibromyalgia can cause other issues as well. An individual may feel mentally foggy and unable to concentrate. They may also experience headaches, or become depressed.
It is not yet known what exactly causes fibromyalgia. It is possible that it might have a genetic component, as it tends to run in families. Sometimes, certain illnesses, such as infections or rheumatic diseases, seem to trigger fibromyalgia in some individuals. Also, if an individual suffers some sort of physical or emotional trauma, he or she may later suffer from fibromyalgia. Women seem to suffer from fibromyalgia more than men.
Those who suffer from fibromyalgia may find that the pain and suffering the disease causes significantly interferes with their ability to function at work or even in their day-to-day home life. If the condition becomes so severe that the individual is unable to work at all for a long period of time, the individual may want to see if it is possible to seek Social Security Disability benefits. These benefits can be the lifeline an individual needs to cope financially.
Source: MayoClinic.org, “Fibromyalgia,” accessed on Aug. 28, 2016