- What are the causes of this chronic disease and why experts warn that it is highly disabling
This is a pathology that produces a deep fatigue, all the time produces fatigue, and the person does not resist the slightest effort.
Since this disease was recognized in 1994 by the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that this pathology affects 0.5% of the world population, 90% of whom are women and the majority are between 29 and 35 years of age. years.
It is as if it were a kind of encephalomyelitis, as if it were a viral disease, which is why it is also known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) or Systemic Effort Intolerance Disease (ESIE).
This disease still has a few mysteries, since it is not known to which domain of medicine it belongs. It may be in the domain of infectious diseases, since it is not a rheumatic disease like fibromyalgia.
The issue is that it greatly affects the quality of life, because it prevents concentration, makes memory difficult, makes you want to do things and, above all, invalidates the person.
It is a very disabling disease and it is a chronic disease. What are the causes? It is believed to be an inappropriate reaction of the immune system.
In some cases it is related to infection with some type of virus, but it is not really known.
It is also important to note the differences between tiredness and fatigue.
It is that while fatigue is something that appears at a moment, and after resting one recovers, fatigue is a state in which one is exhausted, but also unmotivated.
What he does know is that he can recover, even though it is a chronic disease, with nutritional treatments, physical activity and recovery.
And what is recommended is not to fall into magical treatments because these can make one not only not improve the situation, but also make it worse.
Although this condition is more common in adult women, it can also affect children, the elderly, and men.
The severity of the pathology can vary depending on the day, even the pain can change places.
It is worth noting that fibromyalgia pain is often accompanied by muscle spasms.
Other symptoms of fibromyalgia are:
Sleep disturbances: Although patients may sleep enough hours, they may feel tired. In addition, they may experience difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, and even suffer from sleep apnea.
Stiffness: also known as stiffness, this symptom can be evidenced, particularly, during the first hours of the morning or after long periods of little movement (either after standing or sitting), or due to changes in temperature or relative humidity in the environment.
Headaches or facial pain: whether they are migraines, tension or vascular type headaches, fibromyalgia patients report these discomforts, which can be located in the temples or behind the eyes.
Abdominal discomfort: they may experience digestive disorders, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and/or diarrhea. They may even have problems swallowing food due to changes in the smooth muscle of the esophagus.
Sensitivity: patients with this pathology are more sensitive to temperature (with the sensation of being hotter or colder than that present in the environment and changes in the color of the skin), light, noise, smells and changes in the environment. time as a consequence of a “state of hypervigilance of the nervous system”. In addition, they can show allergic-like reactions to different substances.
Imbalance: Other symptoms can be vertigo and/or balance, and can be experienced in a variety of ways. Some are: nausea or visual confusion when driving a car, reading a book, or following objects with your eyes.
Restless legs: some patients may also suffer from the so-called restless legs syndrome, which is described as “an uncontrollable urge to move the legs, especially when resting or resting.”