What fibromyalgia feels like
Fibromyalgia is a long-term condition whose most common feature is widespread pain in the muscles and joints, accompanied by profound fatigue. In plain terms — you ache all over. The pain is not confined to one joint or one region the way arthritis might be; it moves through the body, and it is exhausting in a way that rest alone does not resolve.
Who is more likely to experience it
Certain factors make fibromyalgia more likely, though they do not guarantee it:
- Being female
- Living with another painful condition such as arthritis, or a significant infection
- Having anxiety or depression
- A history of physical or emotional abuse, trauma, or post-traumatic stress
- Leading a very sedentary life
- Having a family member with the condition
Common symptoms
The experience varies, but these are the symptoms people most often describe:
- Muscle pain, burning, twitching or tightness
- A low pain threshold, with tender points across many areas of the body
- Draining fatigue that rest does not fix
- "Brain fog" — trouble concentrating, remembering and recalling
- Poor or unrefreshing sleep
- Anxiety and low mood
Fibromyalgia can feel like osteoarthritis, bursitis or tendinitis, but instead of hurting in one specific spot, the pain and stiffness spread through the whole body. Other symptoms can include irritable bowel type digestive complaints, headaches and jaw pain, dry mouth and eyes, sensitivity to temperature, light or sound, and numbness or tingling in the face, arms or legs.
There is a way forward
After twenty years of practice I have learned that what works in theory does not always work in reality — and that every person needs a program shaped around their own symptoms and circumstances. My approach combines physiotherapy, kinesiology and gut health to address the many facets of fibromyalgia, rather than treating it as a single problem with a single answer. If this article speaks to your experience, I would be glad to talk it through with you.