It affects about 5 million people in the United States. It can also affect children and teens. Fibromyalgia has been in the medical literature for more than 100 years but only in the past ten years has it received serious medical attention from the medical community. It is a confusing syndrome because so many of the symptoms are present in other conditions. In 1990, the American College of Rheumatology and 20 specialists established diagnostic criteria that allow the diagnosis to be made with confidence.
Many different factors can trigger fibromyalgia.
A number of stresses, physical or emotional trauma, inactivity and anxiety can lead to or further aggravate the condition. The treatment of fibromyalgia includes education about the disease, exercise, rest, medication and adaptation. The symptom is not yet curable. The educational treatment component for fibromyalgia is extremely important. The Moses Taylor HealthInfo Library has many resources to offer anyone interested in learning more about this condition.