Current research in Virology & Retrovirology

Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals Symptoms resemble those of arthritis, but fibromyalgia affects the soft tissue, not the joints. The cause is unknown, but risk factors include traumatic injury, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune disorders, such as lupus, and genetic factors.It's not easy to spot fibromyalgia. This is one disease that doesn't have many visible signs. Most symptoms of fibromyalgia — including pain, muscle tenderness, and fatigue are hard to seeAlthough fibromyalgia isn't fatal, it can have serious, lifelong effectsYes, it does. Fibromyalgia goes away in a substantial number of people. So does chronic fatigue syndrome. In studies that we've looked at, if people have had fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue for two years or under, the chance of the condition going away reaches 70 to 80 percentEveryone with fibromyalgia may experience one or more of the following symptoms: persistent pain in several areas of the body, such as the hips, thighs, neck, and back. dizziness. chronic fatigue, even after a good night's sleepYour doctor can't detect it in your blood or see it on an X-ray. Instead, fibromyalgia appears to be linked to changes in how the brain and spinal cord process pain signals. Because there is no test for fibromyalgia, your doctor must rely solely on your group of symptoms to make a diagnosis.Several rheumatic diseases can mimic fibromyalgia. These include sero-negative rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Lyme disease, polymyalgia rheumatica and lupus. They have symptoms of widespread pain along with joint involvement.The crippling pain and fatigue you feel with fibromyalgia can leave you inactive and overweight – up to 30 pounds for some sufferers. Other symptoms and even your medication can be contributing factors too. And that only makes ailments worse. “We don't know if the fibromyalgia causes weight gain or vice versa The pain that is associated with fibromyalgia can limit your ability to stand or sit for long periods of timeThose who experience joint pain as a result of fibromyalgia may also have difficulty bending, lifting, walking, and performing other common actions required in physical work.The pain of fibromyalgia