For many years, fibromyalgia has been considered something of a mystery.
It is an often-misunderstood condition, and there are a variety of common fibromyalgia myths and misconceptions in the public consciousness. It's time to unravel the truth and clarify the facts.
Take this quiz to see how well you understand the difference between fibromyalgia myth and reality.
The only symptom of fibromyalgia is muscle pain.
Correct Answer: False
Symptoms of fibromyalgia vary from patient to patient, but almost all patients report having body pain, fatigue, and trouble sleeping.
Fibromyalgia patients have a higher risk of getting depression because patients are fatigued and constantly in pain.
There is no definite link between fibromyalgia and depression. Patients with other non chronic diseases have the same chance of getting depression as fibromyalgia patients.
Fibromyalgia is understood to be a neurological disease.
Correct Answer: True
Research over the past few years has proven that fibromyalgia is a neurological disease and a chronic pain disorder, although it was once thought to be in other categories of chronic diseases.
Fibromyalgia is a form of arthritis that can cause inflammation in muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons.
Fibromyalgia is not a form of arthritis - this is a common myth. Rather, it is a neurological disorder that causes widespread pain in muscles, ligaments, and tendons. They are both chronic pain disorders, but fibromyalgia and arthritis are two very different conditions.
Being a vegetarian or eating mostly raw foods can help reduce the symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Studies have shown that adopting a mostly raw vegan or vegetarian diet helps reduce the symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Physicians are still investigating the causes of fibromyalgia, but studies have linked the condition with patients who have recently experienced a traumatic life event.
Statistics show that an accident or the loss of a loved one can trigger fibromyalgia, leading many researchers to believe that stress following a traumatic experience may be a cause of the condition.
Fibromyalgia is associated with fatigue and abdominal pain, but it can damage your joints as well.
Even though fibromyalgia is a rheumatic condition, it does not cause damage to joints - only impairs them.
To be diagnosed with fibromyalgia, you are required to feel discomfort in all 18 "tender points."
A patient needs to experience discomfort in at least 11 of the 18 "tender points" identified by doctors to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
Recent research has proven that there is a cure to get rid of fibromyalgia completely.
Unfortunately, there is no current cure for fibromyalgia patients, but current medications can help treat symptoms like pain or sleeping problems. Physicians are still trying to understand the condition, but have not found any solid evidence defining causes or cures for fibromyalgia.
Women are at a higher risk of suffering from fibromyalgia than men.
While both genders can suffer from fibromyalgia, a higher percentage of women are reported to have the chronic pain disorder.
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