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Chronic Suffering: Fibromyalgia Causes Muscle Pain and Stiffness, As Well As Sleep Problems, Fatigue and a Variety of Other Symptoms.

Posted on: Tuesday, 10 January 2006, 12:00 CST

By Steven Henshaw, Reading Eagle, Pa.

Jan. 10--EVERY DAY WHEN Ginny M. Chudgar wakes up, her body feels as if it had been put through a rigorous workout the previous day. "It's the way you feel if you've overexerted, only I feel that way every day," the 58-year-old Spring Township resident said. Chudgar suffers from several physical ailments, including osteoarthritis and back disorders. But the chronic, all-over muscle pain and stiffness that bothers her constantly was given a name a few year ago by her doctor -- fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a pain syndrome disorder rather than a disease. It causes widespread pain and tenderness in the muscles and soft tissue, as well as sleep problems, fatigue and a variety of other symptoms. While there has been some debate in the medical community about whether the condition even exists, recent research has linked the disorder to actual changes in the nervous system, said Dr. James P. Barrett, a painmanagement specialist at Center for Pain Control, Wyomissing. "Those changes can be characterized by a simple word -- hypersensitivity," Barrett said. Physical trauma In some cases, symptoms follow physical trauma such as an automobile accident or fall. It also can be something that occurs with overexertion, such as with a person who is working two or three jobs. "But we do not know what triggers the hypersensitivity and do not know very well how to turn it off once it's started," Barrett said. The condition is closely related to chronic fatigue syndrome and is three times more common in women than men, he said. "These are not really well-defined conditions, and these are subject to being dismissed as being all in your head," Barrett said. Chudgar knows that well. After the birth of her second child at the age of 32, Chudgar began noticing strange muscle fatigue and soreness in her hips and buttocks. "It was almost like the muscles were very tired," she said. The muscles in her calves would quickly become fatigued if she was walking up a set of stairs. "I felt as if I was about 85 years old," Chudgar said. Chudgar said a huge burden was lifted when a doctor finally gave a name to her condition. "I felt so relieved when I knew it had a name and I wasn't making it up," she said. The worst part of the day is when she first wakes up. "I start with exercises in bed just to be able to move -- to be able to sit up," said Chudgar, who also uses gentle self-massage techniques to relieve pain and stiffness. Chudgar has learned to cope with her chronic condition through a combination of modern medicine, lifestyle modifications and practicing centuriesold healing arts such as yoga, tai chi and Reiki. She takes low doses of antiseizure and antidepressant medications, which are often prescribed for hypersensitivity disorders. She has also learned to pace herself throughout the day. About three years ago, she decided to quit her full-time job as director of volunteer services at St. Joseph Medical Center. The stress of working long hours wore her down, worsening her symptoms. She now works part-time from home, doing technical writing, putting in a few hours at a time. Chudgar estimates she spends up to two hours each day on activities that improve her overall well-being, including taking a daily walk around her Colony Park neighborhood. Along with prescribing antidepressant and anti-seizure medications, Barrett will often refer patients for complimentary therapies, including acupuncture (he has an in-office acupunturist) and psychological counseling. "What is most effective it seems to me is getting psychological help and learning to improve your coping strategies and coping skills," he said. Pacing oneself is important, Barrett explained. The key to living with fibromyalgia is to achieve a level of physical exertion that is not overdoing it or underdoing it, said Barrett, explaining that inactivity can also aggravate the pain symptoms. Chudgar believes her willingness to take her time, get plenty of sleep and do things that improve her overall well-being allow her to do the things she wants to do in life. "I just have to be reasonable and just can't plan things for early in the morning," she said. Contact reporter Steven Henshaw at 610-371-5028 or shenshaw@readingeagle.com

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Copyright (c) 2006, Reading Eagle, Pa.

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Source: Reading Eagle

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