Fibromyalgia is hard to spell, hard to say, and very hard to live with if you have the painful condition. There's no doubt that many people experience the aches and pains, fatigue, and sleep disturbances associated with the syndrome ... and yet fribromyalgia is something of a medical mystery.
Doctors aren't sure what causes the condition. Some even argue that fibromyalgia is actually just a combination of other conditions. With all the information and misinformation out there, let's focus on the truth. Take this quiz to see how much you know about the "mysterious" fibromyalgia.
Which of the following is NOT a symptom often associated with fibromyalgia?
Hallucinations.
Everything else on the list is an established symptom of fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia is often characterized by tenderness at "trigger points" located throughout the body. How many of these trigger points are there?
18.
There are 18 trigger points located throughout the body. Doctors can make a diagnosis of fibromyalgia if 11 of these 18 points are tender.
Which sex is more likely to develop fibromyalgia, women or men?
Women.
Fibromyalgia can affect women or men, but women are seven times more likely to develop it.
Which of the following conditions have been associated with fibromyalgia?
A, B and C.
The cause of fibromyalgia is not known, but all of the conditions on the list have been associated with fibromyalgia.
The onset of fibromyalgia symptoms often occurs after:
A physical or emotional trauma.
It's not true in 100 percent of the cases, but there does seem to be a connection between experiencing trauma and the onset of fibromyalgia.
Regular exercise is a good way to treat fibromyalgia.
True.
According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise may increase your fibromyalgia-related pain at first, but regular exercise eventually helps reduce symptoms.
