Early Symptoms Of Fibromyalgia

Many times I will see patients who worry about early symptoms of fibromyalgia. With all the information available from medical professionals, books and the internet, it is surprising that there is still little published about the early symptoms of fibromyalgia.

You must have had symptoms for over 3 months before even considering this diagnosis. Although pain all over the body is characteristic of this syndrome, it may not present that way initially. At first, deep muscle aches and fluctuating joint pain may be bothersome.

If it continues, a couple of things may be influencing the problem, including rheumatoid or osteoarthritis

Signs Symptoms Of Fibromyalgia

Problems with memory or concentrating.
Chronic muscle aches and joint pain.
Recurring headaches or migraines.
Chemical sensitivity on the skin.
Unusual fatigue after exercise.
Chronic diarrhea or constipation.
Stiffness when waking.
Lightheadedness that may be disabling.
Jaw pain.
Sleep disturbances.
Painful menstruation.
Numbness and tingling in the extremities.
11 of 18 fibromyalgia trigger points tender to minimal touch. (see picture above)

The signs and symptoms listed above may not all occur in every person. Additionally in the beginning, with early symptoms of fibromyalgia, you might start out with fluctuating symptoms. Joint and muscle pains may come and go and you don't know why.

Many times, stiffness upon awakening is confused with arthritis, and let's face it, arthritis is more common than fibromyalgia. It's no wonder then that most doctors initally diagnose fibromyalgia as arthritis.

Fibromyalgia And Other Problems

Below are the other problems that can be found in patients with fibromyalgia. For some of them, the connection has not been worked out yet, but they occur often enough together to be more than just cooincidence.

Migraine headaches.
Irritable bowel syndrome.
Chronic fatigue.
Depression.
Restless leg syndrome.
TMJ syndrome.
Myofascial pain syndrome (muscle pain).

Read more about the fibromyalgia symptom checklist. No matter whether you have early symptoms of fibromyalgia or arthritis, you probably would benefit from a heated waterbed. Moist heat is one of the best pain relievers for joint and muscle pain. This is also quite good if you have chronic neck pain or rhematoid arthritis.

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