Support Fibromyalgia Awareness Day with Purple Awareness Ribbons, Pins and Wristbands.
Personalized Cause Supports Fibromyalgia Awareness Day with Purple Pins, Ribbons and Wristbands
This blog is designed to raise awareness for a myriad of diseases, causes, and issues that affect people every day. Personalized Cause® is dedicated to empowering others to raise awareness for the causes and illnesses that are close to their hearts. Personalized Cause® was created in an effort to put a face on an illness or social cause so that others could see and understand their personal experiences.
We know that tying a person to a cause makes people more likely to want to listen and learn about it. This helps raise awareness one person at a time. Personalized Cause® is the number 1 source for enamel custom awareness ribbons in the United States. We carry fabric ribbons, classic awareness ribbons, custom awareness ribbons, and awareness wristbands. Our custom awareness ribbons are our most popular product because they are so unique. I hope you’ll give our website a look if you ever find yourself in the market for custom awareness ribbons.
Today, we are going to talk about a condition called Fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia Awareness Day takes place on May 12 each year.
What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a condition that affects the musculoskeletal system, causing widespread pain throughout the body. It may also cause fatigue, mood, memory and sleep problems. Fibromyalgia intensifies the sensation of pain in the nerves and muscles. It is believed that the source of the pain magnification stems from the way the brain processes pain signals in the body. The pain is real. It is not made up or exaggerated
Fibromyalgia can be caused by many different things. Some people’s symptoms arise after a physical or emotional trauma. Sometimes fibromyalgia can be caused by a surgery or an infection. Other times, fibromyalgia comes on gradually over time with no apparent cause.
Pain, Fibromyalgia, and Fibromyalgia Awareness Day
People who suffer from fibromyalgia describe the pain they experience as a chronic ache, particularly in the neck, back, and joints. People with fibromyalgia often experience chronic fatigue, regardless of how long they sleep. Fibromyalgia pain keeps patients from falling asleep or getting back to sleep. People with fibromyalgia often have other unassociated sleep issues, too, like restless legs syndrome, insomnia or sleep apnea.
Fibromyalgia and Mental Fog
Fibromyalgia can also cause serious mental cognition issues, commonly referred to as brain fog in the fibro community. Brain fog, also sometimes called “fibro fog,” is described as confusion, memory impairment, difficulty following a train of thought, and trouble with staying focused.
Fibromyalgia can co-occur with other health issues, particularly health problems that cause pain. People who suffer from IBS, interstitial cystitis, TMJ and migraine headaches or headache disorders have an increased rate of fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia Triggers and Risk Factors
While doctors have identified many of the triggers for fibromyalgia, its cause is uncertain. There does appear to be a link between fibromyalgia and genetics. The condition occurs in many people in the same family. This could be caused by a mutation in the genes, or even a genetic susceptibility to developing the condition.
There are also certain risk factors that can make you more likely to develop fibromyalgia. Women are more likely to be diagnosed with the condition than men. Family history also plays a big role in the likelihood of developing the condition. If one of your close relatives suffers from fibromyalgia, your likelihood of developing the condition is higher. Of course, other diseases and disorders also make you more prone to fibromyalgia. Many autoimmune diseases, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis also come with a higher rate of fibromyalgia. Chronic conditions that leave people too fatigued to leave the house tend to co-occur with fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia and Depression
Because fibromyalgia can be debilitating for some, there is an increased likelihood for people who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia to develop depression. Depression can also be worse during times when fibromyalgia symptoms are worse. The lack of sleep, in addition to constant pain, can cause people’s mental and emotional state to be affected.
Fibromyalgia can be diagnosed if you have experienced widespread pain for over three months. And, there are no other conditions that could be accounting for the pain. There used to be something called the “tender point exam,” where doctors examined 18 specific points on the body to diagnose the condition. The tender test is no longer protocol for diagnosis.
Fibromyalgia and Treatment Options
There are many more options for treating fibromyalgia these days than there used to be. People can treat pain with everything from over the counter pain medicines, to drugs such as Lyrica, to anti-depressants, to anti-seizure medications. They all work on the brain and can significantly reduce the pain, and symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Physical therapy and occupational therapy are also very successful if the patient complies home therapy and commits to the plan. Often times, patients become discouraged when there is no immediate sign of improvement. Both types of therapy are not instant fixes, and need long periods of time to see improvement. People who stick with it do report a decline in symptoms over time. It may also help to get frequent massages.
Purple Awareness Ribbons and Fibromyalgia Awareness Day
In honor of Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, Chronic Fatigue Awareness Day, and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Awareness Day, we recognize the very real pain and suffering caused by invisible illnesses. Invisible illnesses can be tough, so be kind to yourself and those suffering.
Fibromyalgia is represented by a purple awareness ribbon. To order a custom purple awareness ribbon, please visit us at www.personalizedcause.com
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