What are the fibromyalgia symptoms?

Fibromyalgia affects the entire body from head to toe and manifests in various ways. These manifestations range from something simple such as a headache to more complex issues like sensory sensitivities.  And the never-ending question seems to be, “What are the fibromyalgia symptoms?” There is no confirmed list, but here is a place to start with fibromyalgia symptoms.

What are the fibromyalgia symptoms?

There are many symptoms of fibromyalgia, and these symptoms can vary from person to person. Some of the main symptoms experienced by a majority of people living with fibromyalgia are:

• lasting muscle pain and/or muscle spasms
• stiffness upon waking or staying in one position too long
• difficulty remembering or concentrating, known as ‘fibro fog’
• abdominal pain including IBS, bloating, nausea, leaky gut syndrome
• frequent headaches
• jaw/facial tenderness
• sensory sensitivities
• anxiety or depression
• numbness or tingling in the extremities such as the feet, hands
• increase in urinary frequency
• muscle knots
• reduced tolerance for exercise and increased muscle pain after exercise
• swelling in hands and feet without actual swelling
• chronic pain and tenderness
• fatigue and sleep disturbance

In other words, we hurt all over, can’t sleep, tired all the time, irritable, have frequent headaches, and spend most days with some type of stomach issue. When one or more symptoms feel more intense or frequent, it’s called a flare. Read more about fibromyalgia flares.

Are there ways to relieve the symptoms?

There is no ‘cure’ for fibromyalgia, but there are various ways to alleviate the symptoms and make the pain much more manageable.

Tips and other articles about fibromyalgia symptoms

Donna from Fed Up with Fatigue asked fibro thrivers to share their best tips for reducing symptoms. Read her tips here.

Often times symptoms can be confused with side effects from medications, so Julie, the writer at Counting My Spoons, wrote an article on the two. Read that article here.

How Do You Talk to Others About Fibromyalgia?

If you have made the decision to tell others about your illness, you may feel confused as to what to say or how to say it. You may not know how to tell the other person how they can help you, and be supportive in a way that is not pitiful, guilt-ridden, less than, or upsetting. Here’s how to tell others, how much to tell others, and how others can help in this Fibromyalgia Magazine article entitled Relationships Part 2: Effectively Communicating Your Illness.

What Your Kids Should Know

No matter how young they are, it’s important for your kids to know about your illness especially how they can help you with it, too. Here is what your kids need to know about your fibromyalgia and how they can help. Join our fibro parenting group for additional support as a parent living with fibromyalgia.

Click here to access How to Talk to Your Kids About Fibromyalgia.