Overview

Hypochondriasis (or hypochondria, sometimes referred to as health phobia) refers to an excessive preoccupation or worry about having a serious illness. Often, hypochondria persists even after a physician has evaluated a person and reassured him/her that his/her concerns about symptoms do not have an underlying medical basis or, if there is a medical illness, the concerns are far in excess of what is appropriate for the level of disease. Many people suffering from this disorder focus on a particular symptom as the catalyst of their worrying, such as gastro-intestinal problems, palpitations, or muscle fatigue.

Hypochondria is often characterized by fears that minor bodily symptoms may indicate a serious illness, constant self-examination and self-diagnosis, and a preoccupation with one's body. Many individuals with hypochondriasis express doubt and disbelief in the doctors' diagnosis, and report that doctors’ reassurance about an absence of a serious medical condition is unconvincing, or un-lasting. Many hypochondriacs require constant reassurance, either from doctors, family, or friends, and the disorder can become a disabling torment for the individual with hypochondriasis, as well as his or her family and friends. Some hypochondriacal individuals are completely avoidant of any reminder of illness, whereas others are frequent visitors of doctors’ offices. Other hypochondriacs will never speak about their terror, convinced that their fear of having a serious illness will not be taken seriously by those in whom they confide.

Dealing With Fibromyalgia Syndrome

Fibromyalgia Syndrome is a non-disease condition with debilitating symptoms. The symptoms of fibromyalgia are faced by millions each year. Those with this health condition have to suffer widespread pain. This widespread pain often results in poor sleep. In many cases, fibromyalgia syndrome is diagnosed along with a condition such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Lupus.

If you suspect you may have fibromyalgia, you should see your doctor. Generally, if your doctor suspects you have this condition, you will be referred to a rheumatologist for a diagnosis and treatment plan. The rheumatologist usually starts testing for the symptoms with what is called the tender-point test. This is not to be confused with the trigger-point test used to check for Myofascial Pain Syndrome.

In some cases, physicians may suspect fibromyalgia to be hypochondria or depression. A test for Substance P would clarify the diagnosis. Substance P is a neurotransmitter present in higher quantities in those with fibromyalgia syndrome. The more Substance P that is present, the lower pain thresholds appear to be. Even the smallest injury may produce enough pain to dominate the thinking of a person suffering from it.

This may partially explain why those with this condition have a hard time getting good sleep. Many do not reach stage four sleep as often as they need to achieve optimal health. This compounds the pain problem, as injury repair takes place at greater rates during and after good sleep.

Another problem associated with fibromyalgia symptoms is what we often call "brainfog." A lot of the trouble thinking is probably related to the lack of high-quality sleep. Additionally, the brain is overloaded with messages of pain from the nerves, leaving less processing capacity for normal daily function.

While fibromyalgia is fortunately not a deadly issue, many people do report that it gets worse over time. These people must find ways to cope with the pain. Many turn to support organizations such as fibrofoglights.org and various other Internet support groups. Also, there are medications that your doctor can prescribe that help many people to deal with fibromyalgia syndrome. This type of treatment will have to do until a cure is found.



Autor: Jen Miller

Are you suffering from Fibromyalgia?

To Find out more about choosing the right Fibromyalgia Treatment for you, CLICK HERE.

Jen Miller is a health and fitness enthusiast. She runs a website providing fibromyalgia information remedies at http://www.helpforfibromyalgia.net


Added: October 19, 2008
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

1 comments:

Unknown June 24, 2009 at 10:25 AM

I am writing to you from the Pacific Northwest Foundation about a case study that may be of interest to your concerns regarding fibromyalgia. While this was not a study undertaken by the Foundation, it was a case with which we have had access to in virtually every detail. This includes the chart notes (with the patient's approval) as well as the observations and insights of the patient's health care provider.

The case involves an adult female who had been disabled for eight years with diagnosed fibromyalgia. Within four months of treatment, she was able to backpack, regularly work a full day and have little or no pain.

As with all our studies, it is our hope to stimulate additional efforts to determine if these results were an aberration or have wider implications. To this end, we wanted to make you aware of the cast study (which can be found online at http://pnf.org/html/fibromyalgia.html), in the hope that it might prove useful as a starting point for research within your organization.

Thanks and kind regards,

Frank Cook
Pacific Northwest Foundation