The Most Common Signs Of Fibromyalgia

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Patients with fibromyalgia may also develop irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as one of their symptoms. IBS is a chronic digestive disorder that needs to be managed long-term. It affects the large intestine and causes a range of other symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, cramping, gas, and diarrhea or constipation.

Irritable bowel syndrome can be caused by many different factors and affects individuals differently. Therefore the treatment plan differs from patient to patient. However, some standard methods of treatment include reducing stress, quitting smoking, limiting caffeine intake, adding more fiber to the diet, limiting dairy, drinking more water, and eating smaller meals more often instead of eating three big meals.

Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis is a chronic condition of an individual's bladder that causes pelvic pressure, recurrent pain in the pelvic area, urgency, and urinary frequency. This condition is categorized as one of the many diseases that make up painful bladder syndrome. The cause of interstitial cystitis is not clear, but it is thought to involve a combination of nerve signal abnormalities, defects in the bladder epithelial lining, allergies, and autoimmune reaction. Many individuals affected by fibromyalgia are also affected by interstitial cystitis. The exact correlation between the two conditions is not completely understood, but it is thought to be associated with problems and abnormalities in the affected individual's nerve impulse transmissions to and from certain regions of the brain.

The abnormal signaling of the immune system has also been implicated as a possible association between fibromyalgia and interstitial cystitis. Increased sensitivity to stimulus around the body can cause an individual with fibromyalgia to have the same type of symptoms in the bladder region. A diagnosis of these conditions together requires the patient to have experienced fibromyalgia pain for at least three months and interstitial cystitis symptoms for longer than six weeks.