What is Fibromyalgia Syndrome?

Fibromyalgia Syndrome is a disease that makes public speaking and daily activities difficult. Recently, Spain’s Andrea Levy also publicly disclosed the symptoms she experienced as a patient in detail.

Not long ago, Andrea Levy, head of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Department of the Madrid City Council, became a hot topic in public for not being able to read speeches well in public. According to him, the mistake was due to fibromyalgia syndrome.

Although there are many patients with fibromyalgia syndrome worldwide, it was only in 1992 that the World Health Organization (WHO) announced its severity. According to the Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association, 5.4% of the world’s population suffers from this condition, and 92.7% of patients are women.

If you’re wondering why Andrea Levy didn’t read well in public speeches, read this article to learn more about Fibromyalgia Syndrome and its symptoms.

What is Fibromyalgia Syndrome?

Fibromyalgia syndrome is a chronic disease that mainly affects middle-aged women, and the cause is still unknown. If you look at the symptoms, you can understand Andrea Levi’s official speech mistakes and obstacles in everyday life.

Studies have shown that fibromyalgia syndrome is strongly associated with burnout. Severe stress makes daily activities difficult, but it is also a disease that is difficult to diagnose because there are no clear symptoms.

The estimated cases of the disease so far are as follows.

• stress
• lack of sleep
• body temperature change

The main symptom of fibromyalgia is persistent pain in the joints, muscles, and tendons throughout the body. Levy said the pain left him almost paralyzed, and he couldn’t sleep well at night.

Symptoms such as general malaise, lack of sleep, fatigue, and low vitality affect the quality of life and workability even if you take medicine. The ‘Clinical Rheumatology’ magazine also announced that there were workers who had temporarily stopped work due to this disease for more than 10 years.

Muscle pain caused by fibromyalgia varies from acute to chronic.

Fibromyalgia Syndrome Symptoms

The main symptom of fibromyalgia is pain. Although the exact cause is still unknown, it is argued that autoimmune, genetic, and oxidative stress are the most likely causes.

Symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome include:

• Stiffness : Feeling stiff, especially in the morning. Difficulty moving fingers, straightening legs, or bending at the waist. Tension headaches and intestinal motility abnormalities may occur as the body gradually stiffens.
• Temporomandibular joint disorder : Facial muscle contraction and stiffness symptoms cause the jaw to malfunction
• Irritability and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome : Extreme fatigue prevents you from carrying out your daily activities and does not relieve fatigue no matter how much rest you take
• Brain fog : severe mental fatigue seen in patients with fibromyalgia that impairs concentration and short-term memory
• Anxiety and depression : As stress builds up, you feel chronic pain and become powerless Fibromyalgia caused by mood disorders is also difficult to treat.

Symptoms affecting quality of life

As can be seen from the above symptoms, fibromyalgia reduces the quality of life and affects social development. It is not a disease that can be ignored simply because it can cause problems with workability.

Andrea Levy says she’s been struggling with overcoming symptoms every minute since she was diagnosed in July 2020.

Fibromyalgia can cause sleep disturbances, affecting social and work skills.

Fibromyalgia Syndrome Treatment Study

Methods for alleviating and curing the symptoms of fibromyalgia are still being studied. Non-narcotic analgesics, local heat therapy, physical therapy, and exercise are currently the most commonly used treatments.

Stress management and antidepressant medication may also improve the quality of nighttime rest. Since fibromyalgia requires both mental and physical stress management, a treatment that considers various aspects is essential.

The Spanish Ministry of Health, Consumption, and Welfare also made the following statement regarding the disease:

The goal of managing fibromyalgia syndrome is to relieve symptoms, to normalize personal, home, and work-life, and to reduce the quality of life as little as possible.

If you or a loved one has symptoms of fibromyalgia, seek medical attention right away.