WHAT ARE THE TENDER POINTS IN FIBROMYALGIA?

The tender points of Fibromyalgia are the exact locations on the body that cause pain when pressed. These specific locations are extremely sensitive to the touch in people suffering from this illness upon examination by a doctor. These pressure points are situated at different sites on your body. There are 18 specific points at 9 bilateral locations.

The nine bilateral locations for fibromyalgia pain: 1. Greater Trochanter- This is near the hip. 2. Gluteal- This is located at the upper outer quadrant of the buttocks or rear end. 3. Knee- This is found at the knee area and at the medial fat pad proximal to the joint line. 4. Latera Epicondyle- This is situated at the elbow area and 2 cm distal to the lateral epicondyle. 5. Tapezius Muscle- This is at the back shoulder area and is at midpoint at the upper border. 6. Supraspinatus Muscle- This is located the medial edge of the scapular spine or at the shoulder blade area. 7. Occiput- It is at the suboccipital muscle insertions at the back of the neck. 8. Second Rib- It is positioned at the front chest area at second costochondral junctions. 9. Low Cervical Region- This is at the front neck area at anterior aspect of the interspaces amid the transverse processes of C5-C7. There must be at least 11 of the 18 tender point places that must be painful when pressed to get a medical analysis of the illness and the symptom of extensive pain must have been present for at least three months.

It is important to consult to a qualified rheumatologist to get an appropriate diagnosis of your illness. Be sure to tell tell your rheumatologist the exact areas where you feel pain and also any other symptoms that are associated with fibromyalgia such as chronic fatigue, insomnia, muscle pain, depression and irritable bowel syndrome in order for you to get an effective treatment. They will use a doximeter or dolorimeter which is a special apparatus to apply just the right amount of pressure on the tender points. Fibromyalgia is not easy to treat but there are things that you can do to reduce the impact of the illness. A combination of occupational therapy and physical therapy Coping Techniques and learning pain management

EXERCISE According to research, exercise is one of the most effective treatments of this illness. It is important to be physically active in order to increase your endurance. The pain will make exercise difficult so it is best to start with walking or other gentle exercises. EATING HEALTHY Its so important that you eat a well-balanced diet. Providing your body with the necessary vitamins and minerals will help prevent it from having a flare up. But beware of the nightshade foods. These foods contain a substance that can actually increase pain. Stay away from foods like tomatoes, blueberries, eggplant and any form of pepper. NATURAL THERAPIES Acupuncture Massage therapy Chiropractic treatments Exercise therapies such as Feldenkrais method and Pilates GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP Some researchers think one of the causes of fibromyalgia is years of not getting enough sleep. Living off of only 4-5 hours of sleep just wont cut it. Eventually it will take its toll. If not fibromyalgia, then something else. Try getting 8-9 hours of sleep every night.

WORK CHANGES Transfer to a less demanding job Lessen the number of working hours Use an ergonomic chair to relieve your back pain

Unfortunately there is no cure for fibromyalgia because of the many different causes. When treating it, you need to cover all your bases. Eat right; get lots of rest and exercise. If you would like to find drug free ways to treat your fibromyalgia then you may want to consider seeing a naturopath doctor or a holistic specialist. They can help you find safe, natural, and effective treatments without all the drugs. Learn more about Natural Remedies for Fibromyalgia here.