Stop! and imagine for one moment that your body is being savagely and brutally attacked by chronic pain. This pain is so intense that you become less active. As you become less active you start to develop muscles weakness. Just trying to do normal daily activities such as, working, housekeeping, cooking, playing with the kids, shopping, walking the dog and sleeping has become an extreme ordeal. All is not peaceful in the Land of Nod. In fact, you as a fibromyalgia (FM) sufferer are downright restless.
As of this writing, fibromyalgia is the most misdiagnosed and misunderstood syndrome of the 21 century. Because it mimics other diseases and conditions, many people with FM initially have often been diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis, scleraderma, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. Fibromyalgia has also been closely associated with chronic fatigue syndrome, it shares many of the same qualities.
Since so many fibromyalgia sufferers have been misdiagnosed, experts have categorized fibromyalgia as a syndrome rather than a disease. A syndrome is defined as “an aggregated of signs and symptoms associated with any morbid process.”
Although it does occur in men, women in their late 40’s and older are at least four times more likely to develop the disorder.
Pain, it is the most common symptom and complaint of the FM sufferer. Some people experience pain, fatigue, muscle stiffness and swelling in their joints, especially in the morning. This stiffness can be quite distinct and be accompanied by pain in key areas of the body, usually in the neck, shoulder, lower back and buttoch.

Since the beginning of our creation, the plants, flowers and trees have been with us. Even at our most primitive, we relied on them for their profound healing abilities. What has changed? Mostly, our lack of personal relationship with them. Our highly technical, over busy, media-drenched lives have us relying on quick fixes with artificial chemicals and antibiotic super bugs. This unnatural reliance combined with the unhealthy air and highly processed foods are all resulting in far less than vibrant health.

According to the American College of Rheumatology, Fibromyalgia affects 2% of the population. While it is not fully understood, some symptoms include aching, fatigue, lack of sleep, morning stiffness, headaches, and depression.

Fibromyalgia is commonly diagnosed as widespread musculoskeletal pain for a period of three months in all four quadrants of the body, accompanied by tenderness at 11-18 specific points in the body.

Anatrin may be helpful with reducing pain associated with Fibromyalgia while also helping with signs of fatigue.

About the author:

J. Ratliff is author of Ask Wellness .

by Ratliff, J

Social Security has Impairment Listings for Heart Ailments, Back Ailments, etc. Fibromyalgia is not found among the Impairment Listings. Thus, an applicant cannot obtain a favorable disability “Impairment Listing” ruling because Fibromyalgia is not found among the Listings. The inquiry must proceed further.

Social Security has a five step disabilty process

- First, if you are working, then the inquiry stops.

- Second, if you do not have a “severe impairment,” the inquiry stops.

Fibromyalgia has been called the “aching-all-over” disease, but that description doesn’t begin to describe the misery the debilitating illness afflicts. A painful muscle disorder in which the thin film or tissue holding muscle together becomes tightened or thickened, fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aches, pains and stiffness, soft tissue tenderness, mild to incapacitating fatigue, and sleep disturbances.

The pain of fibromyalgia is commonly felt in the neck, back, shoulders and hands, but it is certainly not limited to those areas. According to criteria set by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) in 1990, a diagnosis of fibromyalgia requires a patient to have experienced widespread pain for at least three months in 11 of 18 tender muscle sites. Among those 18 sites are the rib cage, hips and knees.