Adams Media - Fibromyalgia: Fibromyalgia Defined: The most important information you need to improve your health

When it comes to health, knowledge is your greatest ally. Nowhere is that more true than when youre dealing with a chronic condition, especially one as complex as fibromyalgia. Thats why this book is so important to people who have this condition.

If youre like most people, finding out you have fibromyalgia is only the first small step on a long journey. The diagnosis gave you a label to apply to your pain and fatigue, and it provided an explanation for why you cant seem to get a good nights rest. It helped to explain why you had no energy for long shopping sprees and why you hurt when someone hugged you too hard. But everyday living with fibromyalgia is another story, one that is often fraught with challenges, despair, and great difficulty.

Like anything, learning to live successfully with fibromyalgia takes time and practice. At first, you may bemoan the loss of your former self. You wish you still had the energy to play tennis. You wish you didnt have so many medical appointments. You wish you could still persevere in the career that you worked so hard to build. As the reality of your illness sinks in, however, you begin to realize that changes are necessary, and that the things you do can make a major impact on how well you feel. Gradually, you come to realize that taking care of your health now takes precedence over anything else you do in your life.

As of now, no one has all the answers to the mysteries of fibromyalgia. For instance, we still have no idea why anyone gets fibromyalgia. What is the biological mechanism or process that sets off the condition in the first place? And why does one person have a car accident and come out okay, while another one develops fibromyalgia? Those questions are best left to scientists who are working hard to improve their understanding of this perplexing condition.

What we do know now, though, is that the way you live and the choices you make can have a huge impact on how well you cope with fibromyalgia. For instance, we know that the ability to handle daily stress and difficult emotions can make a major difference in the severity of your pain. We also know that making the time and effort to both exercise and rest every day can help improve your functioning. In addition, we know that practicing good sleep hygiene which includes treating conditions like sleep apnea can greatly improve your sleep, which in turn will lessen your pain and fatigue.

No, its not at all easy to live with fibromyalgia and its myriad symptoms and associated conditions. But the good news is that our knowledge of this condition and the treatment options we have is growing every year. In the meantime, people who have it must learn as much as they can about fibromyalgia and then work hard to make sure they are getting the best possible care.

If youd like to learn more about fibromyalgia, check out The Everything Health Guide to Fibromyalgia , available in print (978-1-59337-586-7) and eBook (978-1-60550-334-9) formats.

Most of us know the unpleasantness of a sore neck, a stiff back, or an achy muscle. And we know that awful feeling that comes with not getting a good nights rest. Most problems go away after a few days, but if you have fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), the pain and fatigue dont go away so easily. With fibromyalgia, these symptoms persist, often for years. For some, the pain can be life altering.