10 fibromyalgia Early Signs

Could It Be Fibromyalgia? 10 Early Signs

Fibromyalgia is a difficult illness. For those who have never had this, they often do not understand just how much pain and fatigue this causes those who suffer.

However, most sufferers compare this to having the aches and pains associated with the flu, but having this year-round.

In fact, those who are diagnosed with fibromyalgia often initially go into their doctor with the idea that they do have the flu.

Only to find that they will be suffering with this illness for the rest of their lives. Knowing the early signs of fibromyalgia can help a person to start now in preventing this illness from becoming worse.

The sooner you know what you are dealing with, the sooner you can ensure that your diet, medications and exercise is going to benefit you rather than make this illness take over your body.

Your Mind is in a Fog

While we all suffer with having fog in our minds from time to time, those who suffer with fibromyalgia have what doctors have terms “fibro fog”.

Mental tasks, even if they are super simple, are often harder for the person to concentrate and remember.

Those who suffer with fibromyalgia may find themselves forgetting what they came to the grocery store to get.

Or they may have harder times focusing their attention on what they are reading. While this sign can also be a sign of other illnesses, it does go hand in hand with fibromyalgia.

Tenderness Felt in the Face

Even with a slight pressure on the face, a person may feel as though tens of thousands of needles are pressing into their skin. This tenderness is often felt in the jaw and other areas of the face.

For many, this tenderness is one of the most painful aspects of having fibromyalgia, as they try to avoid contact during times of flare up.

fibromyalgia odors

Sight, Smell, Taste and Feel Affected

With fibromyalgia, the senses are usually affected in one way or another. Keep in mind, not every sense is affected, while others may not notice these issues.

Certain odors can cause a person to feel sick, noises may cause intense headaches, bright lights can cause a person to feel nauseous or even develop headaches, medications that were once not an issue may become an issue, certain foods may have the same affect that medications are having, and coldness or other changes in temperature can cause pain.

Most commonly, people talk about the temperature is affecting their entire body, with colder temperatures leading to more aches and pains.

fibromyalgia and insomnia

Tired…No Matter What

One of the main early signs of having fibromyalgia is that you feel tired, no matter what you do. Many people suffer with insomnia which does lead to feeling more tired.

This insomnia may be due to the pain that they have throughout the body, making it impossible to get a full night’s rest. Other people, report going to sleep, but waking as though they have had no sleep at all.

In addition, those who have fibromyalgia may find that even after the smallest of activities they are super tired and fatigue.

fibromyalgia and fatigue

Zapped of Energy

The energy that a person once had may simply leave. The fatigue is one issue, but when coupled with the fact that the person may have no energy any more, it leads to a general unwell feeling.

Those who notice this symptom first often think that they simply need a dose of caffeine.

However, studies have shown that those who do this, can make their symptoms worse once their body comes crashes from the caffeine.

fibromyalgia and depression

Anxiety and Depression

Due to the pain in which a person is going through when they suffer with fibromyalgia, it is not uncommon for the person to feel as though anxiety and/or depression. There are those who are not affected with this.

However, in most cases, the pain of this illness ends up causing a person to feel as though they cannot carry on with their daily activities.

In turn, they become depressed or have anxiety over those simple things that they once could do, but now cause pain.

fibromyalgia and Bladder issues

Issues with the Bladder

This is one sign that most people do not associate with fibromyalgia. Those who develop this illness often have the frequent need to urinate.

This increases as the illness rages on in the body. The person may believe that they simple have irritable bladder.

However, it is the fibromyalgia that is bringing on the feeling of needing to urinate even if the person has already when to the bathroom.

fibromyalgia foot Swelling

A Feeling of Swelling

The hands and feet of the person may feel as though they are swollen. But, upon examining these body parts, they are not actually swollen.

It is simply the feeling as though they are. If there is swelling this could be a separate issue to discuss with your doctor.

fibromyalgia and arm numbness

Numbness, Tingling and Pain

The face, arms, feet and legs are the top locations for feeling numbness, tingling and pain. The tingling feeling may affect a person early in the morning.

In fact, those who have fibromyalgia often report stiffness in these body parts when they first wake up. This can also happen if they are in the same position for too long.

The numbness in this body parts can make it harder to grip objects, and with the feet and legs being affected, the person is more likely to fall, even if they are not doing anything out of the ordinary other than walking from one room to the next.

fibromyalgia stomach pain

Stomach Issues

Many fibromyalgia sufferers develop what is termed irritable bowel syndrome. They often have abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and nausea. And this then alternates with bouts of diarrhea.

On its own, this is a serious issue that can affect daily life. However, when coupled with fibromyalgia, it can make a person feel even worse.

The dehydration that often is accompanying irritable bowel syndrome can make the pain, numbness and weakness in the body even worse.

Those who have these early signs will find that as they age and the illness progresses, these symptoms become worse and often they battle these daily.

When seeing these signs, it is time to get checked out. From there, you can develop a plan that will decrease the symptoms and help you to still live the life that you want.

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2 Comments

  1. Very interested in any new info on Fibro or Lupus I have both plus Antiphospholipid Syndrome, DDD,Spinal Stenosis, 2 bulging discs and 1 protruding in cervical spine, arthritis hands, neck back & knees, mitral valve pro lapse, asthma, COPD, depression, Thombocytopenia and I’m sure I forgot something

  2. Laura DuVall Hatten, I have fibromyalgia (and another autoimmune disease dr can’t identify yet). I also have mitral vavle prolapse. It all sucks!! My MVP is SEVERE with SEVERE regurgitation and 65% effciency. How is yours?

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