One patient wrote in saying they had been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. This is what the doctor wrote back. What do you think? Sound advice? Typical Advice? Is there better advice?

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"Fibromyalgia is a mix of many symptoms, with an ache-all-over feeling and fatigue being its two prominent symptoms. In addition, most fibromyalgia patients don't sleep well and, even if they sleep eight or night hours, they wake up feeling unrefreshed.

"No test or X-ray makes the diagnosis of fibromyalgia. That's why it's a difficult illness to uncover. However, tender points are crucial to the diagnosis. They are specific body points that, when pressed on by the examining doctor, elicit pain far out of proportion to the amount of pressure applied by the doctor. There are 18 defined pressure points. Having 11 of them makes the diagnosis of fibromyalgia probable.

"The cause of this condition has eluded detection, and that adds to the confusion of having it and treating it. Through the years, it has been found that the antidepressant amitriptyline is often a useful medicine. It's prescribed not for its antidepressant action but for its ability to restore more restful sleep. Gabapentin is one of several medicines given to reduce fibromyalgia's achiness.

"Recommending exercise to a person who has no energy and hurts all over doesn't make sense, but exercise is an effective treatment. It should be started in small doses with a gradual increase of tempo and time. Walking is an excellent starting exercise."

Post a comment and tell us what you think.

Source: http://www.sun-herald.com/NewsArchive2/060606/hn1.htm?date=060606&story=hn1.htm