Fibromyalgia Specialist

What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition that causes widespread musculoskeletal pain, tenderness, and fatigue. Fibromyalgia can be challenging to diagnose as pain is subjective and unique to each patient, and there’s no single test to identify the condition.

However, if you live with chronic pain that interferes with your day-to-day activities, it’s important to talk to a pain specialist like Dr. Oppong at Innovative Pain Solutions Centers for help. When left untreated, conditions like fibromyalgia can worsen over time and lead to serious complications such as depression and anxiety.

What are the symptoms of fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia causes a variety of symptoms that range in severity including:

• Muscular and joint pain
• Tenderness to touch
• Fatigue
• Disrupted sleep
• Headaches and migraines
• Depression and anxiety
• Trouble focusing
• Abdominal pain

Fibromyalgia symptoms may also come and go, with periods of remission and flare-ups.

What causes fibromyalgia?

Medical researchers and doctors haven’t identified a specific cause of fibromyalgia. However, many factors are known to contribute to the condition. For example, your pain may be caused by a neurological malfunction that causes an overreaction to normal pain signals. Your hormones and brain chemistry could contribute to this overreaction. Other factors that can contribute to fibromyalgia include your family medical history, a history of physical or emotional trauma, or high-stress levels.

Your risk of fibromyalgia is higher if you’re a woman, as women account for up to 90% of fibromyalgia diagnoses. Your risk may also increase if you have a rheumatic disease such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.

How is fibromyalgia diagnosed?

At Innovative Pain Solutions Centers, Dr. Oppong diagnose fibromyalgia with a comprehensive physical exam and a variety of diagnostic tests. During your exam, they talk to you in detail about your symptoms and your medical history. They check for pain or tenderness in several different trigger points on your body.

They also order additional testing to rule out other conditions that could be contributing to your pain and other symptoms. There’s no single test to identify fibromyalgia, so your doctor needs to rule out other diseases before confirming your diagnosis.

How is fibromyalgia treated?

Dr. Oppong provide customized treatments designed to relieve your symptoms including:

• Physical therapy
• Trigger point injections
• Aquatherapy

They also offer personalized medication management and may recommend cognitive behavioral therapy to help you deal with the mental and emotional effects of living with a chronic pain condition.

Call Innovative Pain Solutions Centers or schedule a consultation online today for expert, customized treatment for fibromyalgia.