Could Your Chronic Pain Be Fibromyalgia?

Living with pain is always frustrating, but that’s especially true when you don’t know what’s causing your discomfort. Widespread, unexplained discomfort might feel mysterious and disheartening, but there could be a medical explanation for it.

It could be fibromyalgia. Here at Hawai’i Pain and Spine, on the Windward side of Oʻahu in Kailua, Hawai’i, Dr. Jonathan D. Carlson and our team can help you determine if fibromyalgia is causing your chronic pain. And if it is, we can work with you to develop a personalized treatment program that minimizes your discomfort and improves your quality of life.

So, is fibromyalgia to blame for your pain? Let’s talk about it. 

Fibromyalgia 101

Fibromyalgia causes discomfort all over your body and often comes with other unwelcome symptoms. Researchers are still looking for the root cause of fibromyalgia, but you’re more likely to be diagnosed with it if you’re a woman or you’re middle-aged or older.

Widespread pain throughout your body serves as the hallmark of this condition. In fact, if you come in for a fibromyalgia diagnosis, Dr. Carlson checks 18 specific points on your body. If you have tenderness in 11 or more of those points, it’s very likely that you’re living with fibromyalgia. 

In addition to the widespread pain, fibromyalgia can come with a number of other physical and mental symptoms, including:

• Fatigue
• Brain fog
• Trouble sleeping
• Anxiety
• Headaches
• Depression
• Memory problems
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Bladder pain

In short, fibromyalgia can create a major obstacle to you living your best life. That’s why targeted fibromyalgia treatment becomes so important after your diagnosis. 

If you’re living with chronic pain throughout your body and any of the other symptoms we’ve discussed, don’t wait to talk to Dr. Carlson. The sooner you start figuring out which treatments work best for you, the sooner you can feel better. 

Living with fibromyalgia

Unfortunately, scientists have yet to discover a cure for fibromyalgia. That said, here at Hawai'i Pain and Spine, Dr. Carlson and our team can partner with you to improve your quality of life. 

With pain management techniques, lifestyle modifications, and treatments and therapies, we can help to moderate your pain and keep you more comfortable. 

Some of the tools we might employ to bring you relief include:

• Physical therapy
• Trigger-point injections
• Counseling
• Seizure medications
• Antidepressants 

Ultimately, we’re here to help you feel your best. If you think you might be living with fibromyalgia, don’t hesitate to contact us to start the diagnosis process. Just phone our office to schedule your appointment.