NATIONAL FIBROMYALGIA AWARENESS DAY

Each year on May 12th, millions of people observe National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day. This day shares the spotlight with other May 12 awareness days such as International Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, International Awareness Day for Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases or International Awareness Day for MCS, ME/CFS and FM, which are observed globally.

Fibromyalgia affects more than 12 million Americans. It is a musculoskeletal syndrome and causes a variety of symptoms. Some of them include:

widespread pain

tender points

incapacitating fatigue

anxiety

depression

migraines/chronic headaches

irritable bowel syndrome

irritable bladder

insomnia

hypersensitivity to cold/hot

swelling

fibro fog (inability to concentrate/focus)

difficulty remembering

numbness

stiffness

decreased energy

noise, light and odor sensitivity

skin sensitivity

Symptoms may come and go, lasting a few minutes, an hour, a day, a week, a month, or a year. While there is no cure for fibromyalgia, a variety of treatments and therapies focus on reducing the amount and frequency of pain. They also aim to improve sleep. Therapies such as exercise, massage, acupuncture, and chiropractic care aim to manage symptoms without pharmacological interventions. Prescriptions manage pain, improve sleep, and combat depression, too.

HOW TO OBSERVE #FibromyalgiaAwarenessDay

Learn more about fibromyalgia. Support those who have been diagnosed with the condition. If you have symptoms described above, seek medical attention from your physician for a referral or diagnosis. If you’ve been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, continue to seek treatment or share the treatments that have worked for you. Use #FibromyalgiaAwarenessDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL FIBROMYALGIA AWARENESS DAY HISTORY

The first National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day was observed in 1992 in honor of the birthday of Florence Nightingale. Historical documentation suggests Nightingale may have suffered from symptoms similar to fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. For more information visit www.fmcpaware.org.

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