Reaching for Relief.(free of pain from Fibromyalgia)(Brief Article)

The chronic aches and pains of Fibromyalgia can take a serious toll. But there are a growing number of remedies that can ease the symptoms.

Imagine waking up from a restless night's sleep, tired, achy and depressed. For the three-to-six million Americans who suffer from a debilitating condition known as fibromyalgia (FM), this scenario isn't imaginary; it's a fact of everyday life. And to make matters worse, fibromyalgia is as difficult to diagnose as it is to treat. In fact, some patients recover, then relapse months or years later.

What is fibromyalgia?

According to the National Institute of Health's (NIH) National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), fibromyalgia is "a chronic disorder marked by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and multiple `tender points.'" These tender points refer to soreness that occurs in precise, "localized areas, particularly in the neck, spine, shoulders and hips." People with this syndrome "may also have sleep disturbances, morning stiffness, irritable bowel syndrome," in addition to other symptoms. Although this syndrome mostly strikes women of childbearing age, children, the elderly and men can also be affected.

What causes fibromyalgia?

Like other similar ailments -- including chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple chemical sensitivity -- fibromyalgia was not taken seriously by many medical experts, who believed its origins were emotional or psychological, rather than physical.

But recently, researchers at the University of Alabama have discovered that fibromyalgia patients have less blood flowing to the areas of the brain that focus on pain; others have suggested that there is decreased blood flow through the muscles, leading to fatigue and decreased strength. In addition, they also have abnormally high amounts of Substance P, a chemical that relays pain messages throughout the cells in the central nervous system. These factors could explain why the symptoms of FM include everything from sore joints and areas of the body that are tender when touched to fatigue, insomnia and irritable bowel syndrome.