You have probably read about the symptoms of fibromyalgia, such as pain, fatigue and fibro fog, but the list of possible symptoms is far-reaching and wide-bodied. Those little lists do not even begin to describe our experience! I mounted this “monster list” of more than 60 symptoms to let you know that you are not single! The list is an adaptation of one prepared by the fibromyalgia author Devin Starlanyl along with other research.Knowing the full range of symptoms can help track them, either to help the doctor arrive at a diagnosis or to help identify the triggers . It also helps to know that you are not the only person who experiences these! Some of the following conditions are observed as overlapping, which means that they commonly occur with fibromyalgia, but in reality they are conditions that must be diagnosed and treated separately.
We may have any combination of the following symptoms, and in varying degrees of severity.
The general symptoms
- Delayed reactions to physical exertion or stressful events
- Other members of the family with fibromyalgia (genetic predisposition)
- sweats
- unexplained weight gain or loss
- Cravings for carbohydrates and chocolate
- Headaches and migraines
- changes in vision, such as vision that gets worse quickly
Muscle Symptoms & Tissue
- Pain that goes from mild to severe, and can move around the body (See the 7 types of fibromyalgia pain)
- Morning stiffness
- muscle spasms
- diffuse inflammation
- Fibrocystic (lumps, tender) breasts (as a condition of overlap)
Symptoms of allergy and paranasal sinuses
- allergies
- Goteo postnasal
- Runny nose
- Mold and yeast sensitivity
- Difficulty breathing
- Earaches and itchy ears
- ringing in the ears (tinitis)
- thick secretions
Symptoms related to sleep
- pattern of light and / or breaks sleep not restful with sleep
- Fatigue
- spurts of sleep (the fall of sensations)
- nervous muscles at night
- The teeth (bruxism)
Reproductive symptoms
- menstrual problems
- PMS (as a condition of overlap)
- Loss of libido
- Impotence
The digestive and abdominal symptoms
- Bloating and nausea
- Abdominal cramps
- Pelvic pain
- Irritable bowel syndrome (as a condition of overlap)
- Urinary frequency
Cognitive / Neurological symptoms
- Difficulty speaking well-known words, other language disorders (dysphasia)
- Directional disorientation
- Bad balance and coordination
- Paresthesias in the upper extremities (tingling or burning sensations)
- The loss of the ability to distinguish some nuances of colors
- Impairment of short-term memory
- Confusion
- difficult to focus
- Looking at the vacuum before the brain “comes into action”
- Inability to recognize their family environment
The sensory symptoms
- Sensitivity to odors
- Sensitivity to changes in pressure, temperature and humidity
- Sensitivity to light
- Sensitivity to noise
- Night driving difficulty
- sensory overload
The emotional symptoms
- Panic attacks
- Depression (as a condition of overlap)
- Tendency to cry easily
- Anxiety that float freely (not associated with the situation or object)
- Humor changes
- unexplained irritability
Symptoms related to the heart
- prolapse of the mitral valve (as a condition of overlap)
- Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (as a condition of overlap)
- Pain mimicking heart attack, often of costochondritis (as a condition of overlap)
Skin, hair and nails symptoms
- pronounced ridges nails
- Nails that curve low
- mottled skin
- Bruises or scars easily
- Hair loss (temporary)
- excessive tissue growth (noncancerous tumors called lipomas, ingrown hairs, heavy cuticles and division, adhesions)
