Buy Soma

Fibromyalgia is associated with a wide range of symptoms. Most studies report that these symptoms can be remarkably persistent and pervasive over the years, sometimes remaining as long as 15 years after onset. Most symptoms, however, do tend to improve over time.

Symptoms are typically worse during cold or damp weather, periods of emotional stress and at the beginning and end of the day. They may be aggravated by poor sleep, physical and mental fatigue, excessive physical activity or inactivity, anxiety or stress. Signs and symptoms include:

* Multiple tender points (trigger points). The presence of multiple tender points, usually at muscle-tendon junctions, is a major characteristic of fibromyalgia. These points are more susceptible to pain than the rest of the body.

* Chronic, widespread pain. Another major characteristic of fibromyalgia is tender skin and an overall reduction in pain threshold. The pain is most often within the muscles (myalgia). It may be confined to specific areas (e.g., neck, shoulders) early in the course of the disorder but usually spreads to other muscle groups over time (e.g., back, arms, legs, chest). This pain is often described as deep muscular aching, throbbing, twitching, stabbing and/or shooting pain. It may be accompanied by soreness, stiffness, numbness, tingling, burning and/or a crawling sensation. Though varying in intensity, some degree of muscle pain is always present. Pain behaviors such as limping, grimacing, or guarded movements and postures, may be easily noticeable and impair quality of life.

* Muscle stiffness. This is usually present upon awakening and tends to improve over time, but may remain throughout the day. Often, the joints feel swollen, although inflammation is not present.

* Fatigue. A general, all-encompassing exhaustion exists in the vast majority of fibromyalgia patients. Specific muscle fatigability and weakness is also increased. This fatigue tends to interfere with daily activities and may leave the individual with a limited ability to function, mentally and physically.

* Sleep problems. Includes disorders that prevent deep, restful, restorative sleep. An individual may have difficulties falling asleep or may be awakened repeatedly during the night. Other individuals may get a full night’s sleep, but awaken feeling unrefreshed and exhausted. Specific sleep problems, including sleep apnea (repeated episodes where an individual temporarily stops breathing) and bursts of awake-like brain activity that interrupts deep sleep may be observed.

* Headaches. More than half of all patients who have fibromyalgia report migraines and other headaches.

* Impaired cognitive function (“fibro fog”). Includes memory failure, poor working memory (ability to hold something in mind while using it for another mental process) and impairments in concentration, coordination and vocabulary retention. Research indicates that these individuals perform as poorly as healthy individuals 20 to 30 years their senior, although they retain a speed of mental processing roughly equal to healthy individuals their age.

* Hypersensitivity (increased sensitivity). Many fibromyalgia patients report heightened sensitivity to temperature, odors, sounds, lights and vibration. They also suffer from increased skin sensitivity.

* Mood disturbances. Irritability, depression and anxiety are common symptoms of fibromyalgia. Depressed individuals may not be aware of or deny their depression, which can complicate the treatment of fibromyalgia. The presence of these symptoms may be due to many factors, including:

- Prolonged pre-diagnosis period
- Disrespectful medical treatment
- Grief and loss common to any chronic illness
- Poor support
- Sleep deprivation
- Other coexisting chronic health conditions
- Severe chronic pain
- Neurotransmitter abnormalities

* Difficulty in sustaining repetitive motor tasks. Many fibromyalgia patients report trouble performing repetitive activities such as typing because of increased pain and fatigue.

* Reduced physical efficiency. Decreased physical efficiency, due to a longer time required to accomplish tasks, is common.

* Variations in alertness. Many fibromyalgia patients report a diurnal (daytime) variation in energy levels and alertness and describe a window of opportunity at which they are at their best that typically extends from about 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

* Other symptoms, including:

- Dry eyes and mouth
- Rashes
- Excessive menstrual pain
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and ear pain
- Painful intercourse
- Dizziness
- Vision problems
- Low-grade fever
- Below-normal temperature

buy cheap soma muscle relaxant no prescription drugs
FedEx overnight shipping no prescription drugs online pharmacy

The underlying cause or causes of fibromyalgia are still unknown, but there are many theories. Research in brain imaging and neurosurgery are exploring these theories as well as identifying new ones. Possible causes include:

* Neuroplasticity. Faulty synaptic connections (the connections between the nerves). If prolonged, it can result in pain despite the absence of a source for that pain. One of the most classic examples of neuroplasticity is phantom limb phenomenon, where an individual feels touch and pain sensations in a missing limb after amputation. It is believed that the pain felt by fibromyalgia patients, which has no identifying cause at the pain site, may have some link to neuroplasticity. Just what this link is or how extensive it may be is not known.

* Neurotransmitters. Brain chemicals that help transmit and amplify pain signals. Fibromyalgia patients often have abnormal levels of these chemicals. Specifically, levels of substance P (responsible for initiating pain signals) are high, and levels of serotonin (responsible for reducing intensity of pain) are low. This is believed to be responsible for the hypersensitivity (increased sensitivity) to pain demonstrated by patients with fibromyalgia.

* Changes in muscle metabolism. Deconditioned muscles, such as those caused by a general lack of fitness, may play a role in causing fibromyalgia. Poor fitness can result in decreased blood circulation in the muscles, cell damage within muscle fibers, and decreased voluntary muscle strength. It is unknown whether the decreased strength and increased fatigue of such muscles are merely symptoms of fibromyalgia or linked to a cause of the disorder.

* Infections. Viral Lyme disease is an infection caused by a deer tick bite that can lead to problems if untreated.infections (e.g., hepatitis, HIV, coxsackie virus) and bacterial infections such as Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) have preceded the onset of fibromyalgia in a large number of cases. These infections may cause abnormalities in the endocrine system that may lead to fibromyalgia.

* Physical or emotional trauma. According to the American Academy of Pain Management, trauma may play a role in causing fibromyalgia in some cases. Emotional trauma may lead to changes in brain chemistry, and physical trauma may affect the central nervous system. Either of these conditions may trigger fibromyalgia. It takes at least three months after a trauma incident for fibromyalgia to evolve, according to criteria of the American College of Rheumatology.

* Biological agents. Some physicians and researchers believe that there may be a link between specific biological agents (e.g., bacteria and toxins) and fibromyalgia. There is not a great deal of evidence to support this theory yet, but research is continuing.

* Genetics. Speculation remains as to how an individual’s genes regulate the way the body processes pain stimuli. Fibromyalgia may be associated with a gene or genes, but no such genes have yet been identified. However, the condition is more common among individuals closely related to fibromyalgia patients.

* Hormone changes. Some researchers believe that female reproductive hormones may be involved in the increased sensitivity to pain characterizing fibromyalgia. This may explain why the condition is far more prevalent in women.

* Sleep disturbances. Disrupted sleep patterns are a major symptom of fibromyalgia. Recent research indicates that these disturbed sleep patterns may be a cause rather than just a symptom.

Several factors lead to an increased risk of developing fibromyalgia. These include:

* Sex. Women are affected more often than men, although men may be underdiagnosed.

* Age. Onset of fibromyalgia occurs more often in early to middle adulthood than in childhood or late adulthood.

* Rheumatic disease. Fibromyalgia is found in increased numbers in individuals affected by rheumatic diseases.

* Family medical history. Individuals related to fibromyalgia patients have increased chances of developing fibromyalgia.

* Psychological and social factors. Fibromyalgia is found in increased numbers in individuals with histories of physical and sexual abuse, alcoholism or depression in their families.

In addition, the U.S. Institute of Medicine has found a higher prevalence of certain conditions in veterans deployed during the Gulf War of the early 1990s. These include fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and a rare nerve disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease).

buy cheap soma muscle relaxant no prescription drugs
FedEx overnight shipping no prescription drugs online pharmacy

Certain conditions are commonly associated with fibromyalgia, though their exact links to the condition are not well understood. The following conditions often appear along with fibromyalgia:

* Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Characterized by frequent abdominal pain, bloating and episodes of alternating constipation and diarrhea. More than half of all fibromyalgia patients suffer from this condition.

* Migraines. Many people with fibromyalgia also suffer migraines and other headaches. Researchers have found that a common link may be problems with a brain chemical called serotonin and adrenal hormones such as cortisol or adrenergic nerve fibers.

* Restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder. Characterized by uncontrollable contractions of the calf muscles and leg muscles that twitch, ache or feel like pins and needles. Many fibromyalgia patients experience this source of leg pain.

* Raynaud syndrome. Characterized by episodes of whitish and bluish discoloration of the fingers and toes, associated with tingling sensations, numbness or pain and the subsequent redness of the affected areas. It is usually triggered by cold temperatures and strong emotions. Researchers have reported that nearly half of all fibromyalgia patients suffer from this disorder.

* Urethral syndrome. Characterized by the often severe urge to urinate without an identifiable cause, such as infection. Often associated with urinary frequency and pelvic pain.

* TMJ disorder. Commonly associated with fibromyalgia. It is characterized by:
- Jaw and facial pain or tenderness
- Limited jaw movement
- Clicking, snapping, or popping sounds while opening and closing the mouth
- Pain within the facial or jaw muscles, as well as in or around the ear
- Headaches

* Rheumatoid arthritis. A chronic disease primarily characterized by persistent inflammation of the joints, resulting in discomfort, pain, swelling and potential deformity of the affected joints. Fibromyalgia does not involve inflammation or deformity but may exist with rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, rheumatoid arthritis patients are more likely to develop fibromyalgia.

* Immune dysfunction. Fibromyalgia may cause a dysfunction with the immune system, making patients more susceptible to infections.

A great deal of controversy remains as to the relationship between fibromyalgia and certain similar disorders. Two disorders seem particularly linked to fibromyalgia, although physicians and researchers disagree on whether these links are substantiated:

* Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). A condition characterized by excessive fatigue that seriously impairs the patient’s ability to function. Many physicians believe that fibromyalgia and CFS may be different manifestations of the same underlying disorder. Both conditions share a large number of symptoms (e.g., headache, fatigue, pain) and similar physical abnormalities (e.g., reduced blood flow to key areas of the brain). Also, brain scans of fibromyalgia and CFS patients display very little difference. The most prominent difference lies in whether pain or fatigue is the most dominant symptom. Although fibromyalgia is the more common of the two, more than half of those diagnosed with fibromyalgia also fulfill the criteria for CFS.

* Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). A chronic disorder characterized by pain and tenderness confined to a specific body region, such as the neck and shoulders. Many researchers have suggested that this may be a localized or regional form of fibromyalgia.

buy cheap soma muscle relaxant no prescription drugs
FedEx overnight shipping no prescription drugs online pharmacy