As mentioned, diagnosing fibromyalgia is very complicated, because many symptoms are common to other musculoskeletal, endocrine, or neurological diseases.
A very careful study of the patient’s history will be necessary to rule out the presence of other pathologies . There are no specific diagnostic tests for fibromyalgia, and it is essentially a diagnosis by exclusion. The specialist of reference is a rheumatologist, who will first make the diagnosis and then prescribe the most appropriate treatment for each individual case.
Fibromyalgia syndrome is often confused with multiple sclerosis , but the latter requires a specific diagnosis: a brain MRI and a lumbar puncture. Among the many symptoms that can co-occur, stand out: irritable bowel syndrome; sleep disturbances; vaginal burning; widespread muscle pain; “fibro-fog” (difficulty concentrating and performing simple mental processes); and chronic fatigue. Added to these symptoms is a very specific one, yet so common that it’s difficult to associate it with this type of disease: it appears at night.
This is a sleep disorder . Many Italians have trouble resting and sleeping, which is why a medical consultation is always essential to identify any correlation with the underlying pathology.
Studies have shown that the most effective therapy is aerobic exercise. Relaxation techniques (yoga, Qi Gong, Tai Chi, mindfulness, and acupuncture) are also effective in reducing muscle tension. As for pain medications, in selected cases, medications that also improve sleep quality (such as those containing amitriptyline, duloxetine, tramadol, and cyclobenzaprine) can be taken.
