Painful stiff muscles for over a month now?!
Question:
Painful stiff muscles for over a month now?
I've been dealing with painful stiff muscles for over a month now. Some days I can't turn my neck a certain direction. I've been to the doctor; used the heating pads; taking the aleve...What are the early signs of arthritis? Any remedies you recommend?
Answers:
You need to see a doctor of rheumatology. Your symptoms sound like Fibromyalgia. Only a rheumatologist can diagnose problems such as you have described.
Muscular pain, tingling, burning, and numbness are common symptoms of a repetitive strain injury. However, these symptoms are also common in a condition called Fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia basically means pain in the muscles, tendons and ligaments. It affects mostly women and up to 4% of the general population.
The pain of fibromyalgia occurs in areas where the muscles attach to bone or ligaments and is similar to the pain of arthritis. The joints themselves are not affected, however, so they are not deformed nor do they deteriorate as they may in arthritic conditions. The pain typically originates in one area, usually the neck and shoulders, and then radiates out. Most patients report feeling some pain all the time; and many describe it as "exhausting." The pain can vary, depending on the time of day, weather changes, physical activity, and the presence of stressful situations; it has been described as stiffness, burning, stabbing, sudden, radiating, and aching. The pain is often more intense after disturbed sleep.
The other major complaint is fatigue, which some patients report as being more debilitating than the pain. Fatigue and sleep disturbances are, in fact, almost universal in patients with fibromyalgia, due to lack of serotonin, and if these symptoms are not present, then some experts believe that physicians should seek a diagnosis other than fibromyalgia. Up to a third of patients experience depression, and disturbances in mood and concentration are very common.
I have written an article on this subject and I've enclosed suggestions to help with the pain. The link is below.