About 10 million Americans suffer with fibromyalgia.
Read more: Local, Health, Fibromyalgia, Marquette General Hospital, Illness
MARQUETTE -- It's often misdiagnosed and misunderstood, even by doctors. Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain illness, and it affects about 10 million Americans.
You never know where it's going to show up in your body," said Marilyn Morrison. "One day it's in your wrists, then two days later it's in your knees."
Morrison has suffered with fibromyalgia for 19 years. She is currently seeing a physical therapist due to a recent flare up.
The course of the illness varies greatly as symptoms tend to fluctuate.
"It's a strange sensation of almost being disjointed; your body movements aren't as fluid," Morrison commented.
Other symptoms include intense fatigue, sleep or memory problems.
Fibromyalgia is most commonly found in middle-aged women, however, it can strike anyone at any age. Although medical researchers have uncovered a number of possible contributing factors, the cause of fibromyalgia remains a mystery.
"There is some theory that potentially due to a misfiring or misinterpretation of the pain receptors in the central nervous system, where the typical pain may not affect the average person nearly as much as it would affect someone who has fibromyalgia," said MGH Physical Therapist Jeanette Tousignant.
Since there is no known cure, treatment of fibromyalgia is focused on managing the illness. Many people use prescription medications to reduce their pain, but other alternative therapies, such as exercise, can help as well.
"Patients who have fibromyalgia don't need to consider it as a death sentence," Tousignant said, "they should consider it as something that is a challenge."
With the right guidance and will power to stick with a consistent plan of action, people with fibromyalgia, like Morrison, can continue to ride out their lives to the fullest.
