Arthritis and Fibromyalgia – Answering Common Questions about Arthritis and Fibromyalgia
Are arthritis and fibromyalgia the same thing? The answer is no. Arthritis describes any of over 100 different diseases that cause pain and inflammation in joints. Fibromyalgia on the other hand is a disorder with pain throughout the muscles and joints that is not related to arthritis conditions. When comparing arthritis and fibromyalgia, you need to look at the underlying physical condition. With arthritis, the joints are quite swollen. With fibromyalgia, they are not. The pain associated with both Arthritis and Fibromyalgia can be overwhelming. If you are handling the pain of either of these conditions, you need to know the facts when seeking treatment.
If arthritis and fibromyalgia are different things, why do doctors often give a wrong diagnosis? The symptoms of arthritis and fibromyalgia are extremely similar. That is the easiest explanation for this common mix-up. The pain of both arthritis and fibromyalgia can seem concentrated around the joints of the body. However, arthritis has other symptoms that fibromyalgia does not. Arthritis involves swelling of the joints as well as pain in those areas. Most of the time, fibromyalgia does not have swelling. If your doctor gives you a diagnosis of either, make sure you know why that diagnosis.
What are the treatments for arthritis and fibromyalgia? Treating arthritis and fibromyalgia are two very different things. Since arthritis is a disease that causes swelling and pain in the joints, most doctors recommend the use pain killers that alleviate the swelling as well. In advanced stages of the disease, doctors can perform joint replacements in many cases to alleviate the ultimate pain and joint damage done. When treating fibromyalgia, the options are a bit different. This is a general pain disorder. There is no real joint damage. General pain killers can help with both arthritis and fibromyalgia.
What else do you need to know about Arthritis and fibromyalgia? If you receive a diagnosis for either of these disorders, make sure you know why the doctor gave the diagnosis. Because arthritis and fibromyalgia are so similar in symptoms, you want to get on the right treatment regimen as quickly as possible. Both arthritis and fibromyalgia are quite painful. However, swift treatment will make a big difference in the long term outcome of both diseases. When you start to get the symptoms of either, seek medical treatment quickly. You will help your body recover faster and give your joints a break in the process.
