Fibromyalgia has a wide variety of symptoms. It’s a multi-system disorder affecting just about every area of the body. Signs and symptoms of the condition are tricky to pin down because they can change due to stress, weather, fluctuations in hormone levels due to aging or menstruation, your level of physical activity and the time of day. Most people with fibroyalgia report that their symptoms are worse late in the evening or early in the morning.

The majority of people with fibromyalgia have difficulty falling asleep. They also have difficulties with receiving refreshing sleep. Studies have shown that fibro patients tend to suffer from an EEG-sleep anomaly. This means that they don’t remain in the REM (deep sleep mode) long enough. This is the healing part of sleep where the body repairs itself. This leads to a heightened neurological pain response as well as issues with fatigue. In fact, fatigue is one of the most serious symptoms of fibromyalgia. It can often be debilitating.

The truth is that fibromyalgis is often difficult to diagnose because the condition seems to be customized to the individual with it.

Some of the other common symptoms of fibromyalgia include:

• Headaches
• Increased sensitivity to light, sounds, odors, touch and so forth
• Constipation and/or diarrhea
• Abdominal cramps
• Jaw pain and Temporomandibular Dysfunction (TMJ)
• Swelling
• Dizziness
• Depression and/or anxiety
• Mood changes
• Cognitive difficulties such as short-term memory loss and difficulty concentration (Referred to as fibro-fog by sufferers)
• Weakness
• Flu-like aches and pains
• Low-grade fever
• Premenstrual syndrome
• Painful periods
• Dry eyes and/or mouth
• Numbness and/or tingling in the extremities