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.

Fibromyalgia Tender Points - A Guide to Self Diagnosis

Posted by glos Monday, March 23, 2009 at 9:12 AM

If like me, over the years you've had niggling little pains, nothing too debilitating but funny little pains that just won't go away-- you've probably been at a loss as to just what was wrong with you.

One day you could have an ache in your arm & then the next, that will disappear but you could have a pain in your knee. Friends and family get fed up hearing about the latest strange pain and just resign themselves to the fact that there is always something wrong with you.

So are you a hypochondriac or is there actually something going on in your body that can be recognized & then labeled and treated? After all; although you're not in agony, this constant pain is annoying and drains your energy & limits your enjoyment of life. So you surely owe it to yourself to get to the bottom of it, once and for all!

Where are these pains?

Is it tender to touch the following places on the front of your body?

Knees
Hips
Collarbone
Biceps

Is it tender to touch the following places on the back of your body?
(You may need a partner to help test these)

Nape of the neck
Top of the back
Shoulders
In between the shoulder blades
Elbows
Top of each buttock
Point on spine just above bottom

I suspect your answers may have been yes to most of these.

You may have a Fibromyalgia tender point in all of the above areas or just some. Maybe like me, you just have Fibromyalgia tender points on one side of the body only. This is quite common.

The really annoying thing is that there's no other definitive test for Fibromyalgia other than seeing if you test positive on a Fibromyalgia tender point examination.

There isn't a blood test or X ray that can help with diagnosis.

I was lucky. A new General Practitioner came to my local surgery and I was assigned to her books. I'd gone to see her with my usual moans of how my whole left side seemed to be constantly in pain, in different areas at different times. Even I knew that sounded odd & was even on the verge of asking her if there was anything I could take for hypochondria.

By using her knowledge of the 18 tender point examination she was able to diagnose me with Fibromyalgia.

The other doctors at the surgery usually told me I had tendinitis and prescribed anti-inflammatories.These helped in the short term but the pains always came back. Other doctors just put everything down to stress. I agreed. The stress caused by always having constant pain! Up until seeing this new doctor the whole scenario was just a vicious circle.

You owe it to yourself to get a proper diagnosis so that you know once and for all, if what you're dealing with is Fibromyalgia & then you can start on the road to recovery.

Book a Fibromyalgia tender point examination today with a Fibromyalgia tender point friendly doctor. Take responsibility for your health and do it today!

In the meantime, I hope my list of tender points has helped you to self-diagnose Fibromyalgia, dispelling any concerns that you too may be a hypochondriac.

Good luck with your own Fibromyalgia tender point examination and I wish you a happier & healthier future.



Autor: Laraine Turner

Find out more about safe and natural remedies to Fibromyalgia pain & symptoms at http://fibromyalgiaholistic.blogspot.com


Added: March 23, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

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