Life with fibromyalgia, at the best of times, is a challenge. Unfortunately, one of the first lessons a sufferer learns is the fact that fibromyalgia is not curable. In spite of all the advances modern medicine has made over the decades, there is no way of curing the disease – either with medications, treatments or surgeries. Instead, he most commonly associated symptom of the disease, such as the relentless presence of pain, can be treated with drugs. Other symptoms that may be treated with prescription medicines or over the counter drugs are the fatigue that makes it impossible for many fibromyalgia to continue on in their known way of life the way they used to. Making matters worse is the fact that the pain appears to move from one area of the body to the next, making an adequate predication of the affected body parts next to impossible.

Being female, it is estimated that fibromyalgia occurs between 70 percent and 90 percent more often than in men. Disturbed sleep patterns, it is unclear whether sleeping difficulties are a cause or a result of fibromyalgia but people with sleep disorders like sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome have more of a tendency develop the condition. One may be more likely to build up fibromyalgia if a relative has the condition. People with fibromyalgia generally respond well to a comprehensive approach. Aerobic exercise like walking, running and swimming has been shown to reduce the muscle pain associated with fibromyalgia. To be effective exercise should be usual and of moderate intensity. Exercise may increase the pain, but doing it regularly often improves symptoms. One should aim for at least 20 to 30 minutes of exercise four or more times a week. Stretching and relaxation exercises are also helpful. Fatigue is one of the major effects of fibromyalgia. It is therefore necessary to get enough sleep. In addition to allowing sufficient time for sleep, one should develop good sleep habits, like going to bed and getting up at the same time and limiting daytime napping. Develop a plan to evade or limit overexertion and emotional stress.

Incurable and chronic, fibromyalgia also is not progressive. Thus, a diagnosis of fibromyalgia is more of less a determination of a new stage in life, and one with which the patient must learn to live. Initially, many patients fear the disease; in part this is done because of the anecdotal stories told by others who may have known of sufferers or simply recount their experiences with the illness. Eventually, patients with fibromyalgia recognize that they are as individual as their disease. There is no guaranteed way of living with fibromyalgia, and as much as patients would like to pigeonhole the various symptoms and also devise a certain cookie cutter way of dealing with flare ups, this is simply not possible.

The two conditions being pregnant and having fibromyalgia each on its own have plenty of discomforts, aches and pains when you combine these two conditions in one woman’s body and you are just asking for trouble. Fibromyalgia can have serious affects on the health of women and there is no greater time when stress is put upon the female body than when she is growing and nurturing another life inside her body. The physical demands put upon her body are great. When these demands are put upon a body already suffering symptoms of intense pain and fatigue and you are asking a lot of a woman. Thankfully there are many resources available to women who have fibromyalgia and who wish to bear children. Studies show that women who are pregnant and have fibromyalgia will experience a worsening of the symptoms associated with the condition during the pregnancy especially in the third trimester when the physical demands of the pregnancy are greatest.

Fibromyalgia is a musculoskeletal disorder in which there is widespread pain in the different parts and joints in the body. Fibromyalgia is still today a medical mystery, and no confirmed cause and cure has been found for the disorder. There is in this condition pain all over and the person feels fatigued and exhausted without any obvious reason. The condition of this disease is also very difficult to diagnose because there are also other disorders that mimic the conditions of the disease. The incurable and mysterious disorder affects women more than men and the ratio has been 9:1. The disease is partially harmless in that that it is not life threatening and is found in two to five percent of the population. Individuals from twenty to sixty or seventy are at the risk of this disease. The drugs in this disease are used to relieve pain and are called antidepressants. Since this disease affects the muscles and the tissues in the body and makes them stiff and inflexible it is very necessary to keep the muscles in action so that they do not get short and stiff.

The journey you take when you have fibromyalgia is filled with new faces, new treatments and many questions. You will come to know your medical team closely because you will need to schedule many routine appointments, as they will be monitoring your progress as you learn how to cope with fibromyalgia and how to manage the symptoms you have. Fibromyalgia is one of those conditions that do not stay the same but change with time. Your symptoms will change and so will your need for medical intervention. You will see your doctor and other specialists as well so getting to know new medical faces will become routine with you over the years. It is important that you trust your core medical team. The core medical team will consist of your doctor, a rheumatoid specialist, physical therapist or occupational therapists, and other health care professionals such as a registered dietician or nutritionist.

There are many simple steps one can take in order to help alleviate the fibro fog symptoms like use the computer. The computer can be a significant tool in helping to keep track of appointments, birthdays and other special events. Most computers have reminder services that can help to record these dates. Some systems even allow setting an alarm that can remind the day and even help keeping track of the hour. One can even set the computer to help keeping track of tasks that need completion or tending to like the casserole put in the oven for dinner. Use comedy to see the bright side of things. While fibromyalgia symptoms like fibromyalgia pain and nervousness can be difficult to cope with, seeing the humor in fibro fog is a great way to lessen stress and help to prevent depression.