how to describe my fibromyalgia to attorney

Symptoms of fibromyalgia that the adjudicator should consider include those mentioned in the American College of Rheumatology’s definition of fibromyalgia: Widespread pain in all four quadrants of the body As many as are present of the 18 specified tender points around the neck and shoulder, chest, hip, knee, and elbow regions.

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How do I explain my fibromyalgia to friends and family?

May 04, 2013 · Chronic pain: Aching, radiating, shooting, gnawing, burning, exhausting and nagging pain may plague victims of fibromyalgia. The pain may not always be consistent in location or intensity. Some people who are affected by fibromyalgia may be impacted more severely during a certain time of day.

What are the signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia?

Aug 20, 2015 · Your doctor needs to know not just how much the pain hurts, but how the pain hurts and how it impacts your life. Those of us with fibromyalgia suffer from different types of pain. Some words that can help you describe the way your pain feels include: Dull, deep aching pain. Sharp, stabbing pain.

How can I help someone with fibromyalgia?

Feb 13, 2018 · A person’s time is their most valuable asset and yours is appreciated. { { {Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as fatigue and multiple tender points – places on your body where slight pressure causes pain. Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic form of muscle pain.

Why is it so difficult to understand fibromyalgia?

Probably the simplest, clearest explanation is: Fibromyalgia is like a migraine all over your body. 1 . Most people, whether they've had one or not, have a pretty good idea of what a migraine is, so this makes sense to them. Of course, that explanation only deals with pain, and we have dozens of possible symptoms.

What is the best way to describe fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain and spinal cord process painful and nonpainful signals.Oct 26, 2021

How do I get proof of disability for fibromyalgia?

The criteria and requirements for claiming disability due to FM are extensive. They include: symptoms of pain in joints, muscles, and surrounding tissues that must be severe and present for at least 3 months. documented evidence that rules out other conditions.

What is the description of fibromyalgia?

What is fibromyalgia? Fibromyalgia (fi·bro·my·al·gi·a) is a condition that causes pain all over the body (also referred to as widespread pain), sleep problems, fatigue, and often emotional and mental distress. People with fibromyalgia may be more sensitive to pain than people without fibromyalgia.

How do I explain fibromyalgia to my doctor?

Physical Exam and Medical History for Diagnosing Fibromyalgia. In order to diagnose fibromyalgia, your doctor should ask you about the following symptoms and their severity: pain you've felt throughout the past week, fatigue, cognitive problems, and whether you wake up feeling tired.Aug 29, 2019

Can you get SSI for fibromyalgia?

Describing your fibromyalgia symptoms alone will not qualify you for Social Security disability. You have to be specific about signs and physical findings related to fibromyalgia and pain and how that impacts your ability to work. The Social Security staff will consider all your symptoms, including pain.Jun 15, 2021

Is fibromyalgia a long term disability?

Most long-term disability insurance policies require you to apply for SSDI benefits. Moreover, the Social Security Administration (SSA) recognizes fibromyalgia as a disability. Your case for LTDI benefits will be stronger if the SSA determines that you are disabled.Apr 7, 2014

What are the 7 stages of fibromyalgia?

The 7 Types of Fibromyalgia PainHyperalgesia.Widespread Muscle Pain.TMJ Pain.Allodynia.Neuropathic Pain.Headaches.Abdominal and Pelvic Pain.Summary.Dec 12, 2021

Is fibromyalgia autoimmune or neurological?

1. FACT: Fibromyalgia is a neurological disease affecting a person's sensory processing system. Fibromyalgia does not involve inflammation or damage to joints. Brain imaging and studies have shown that fibromyalgia is a disorder of the central nervous system.

What does a fibro flare feel like?

Usually, increased pain and worsening fatigue are the hallmarks of a fibromyalgia flare-up. Additional symptoms may also occur during flare-ups these flare-ups, including poor sleep, trouble thinking (cognitive dysfunction), digestive difficulty (such as acid reflux), swollen extremities, and numbness and tingling.

Can you see fibromyalgia on an MRI?

An MRI may be able to detect brain activity connected to fibromyalgia pain. For patients dealing with fibromyalgia, the widespread musculoskeletal pain they feel is made worse by the frustration and misunderstanding that usually accompanies the disorder.Jun 27, 2017

What is the newest treatment for fibromyalgia?

What is the new medication for fibromyalgia? The newest medication approved by the FDA to treat fibromyalgia is called Savella. It's a type of antidepressant called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that helps the body respond to pain signals better.Nov 17, 2021

Does fibromyalgia show up in blood work?

Fibromyalgia Diagnosis. Fibromyalgia is a chronic health condition that involves widespread pain throughout your body, tenderness in certain areas, and fatigue. It can be difficult for your doctor to diagnose fibromyalgia. There are no lab tests or imaging tests available for it.

What is the pain of fibromyalgia?

Chronic pain: Aching, radiating, shooting, gnawing, burning, exhausting and nagging pain may plague victims of fibromyalgia.

What is the best treatment for fibromyalgia?

Because fibromyalgia has no cure, doctors focus on managing symptoms and providing pain relief. Some common treatments include using analgesics such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), muscle relaxants and antidepressants. Lyrica (Pregbalin) is the first drug approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration specifically for the treatment of fibromyalgia. In one study, about half of fibromyalgia sufferers reported improvement after taking Lyrica.

Why is fibromyalgia so painful?

However, it is often attributed to traumatic events such as accidents, surgeries or occupational illnesses. Fibromyalgia causes widespread discomfort throughout the body and can be quite limiting for those who are affected the most.

How long does it take to diagnose fibromyalgia?

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, it can take years to diagnose because pain and fatigue – the hallmark symptoms of fibromyalgia – are present in a host of other illnesses and medical conditions.

Who handles fibromyalgia cases in North Carolina?

Hardison & Cochran handles many injury and workers’ compensation cases in North Carolina where the injured person has fibromyalgia. If you or a loved one needs a lawyer to handle your fibromyalgia claim, make sure the attorney has experience representing clients who suffer from fibromyalgia. Contact Hardison & Cochran today or call 800-434-8399.

Why do I wake up groggy?

Sleep disorders: Many fibromyalgia sufferers have disrupted sleep patterns and may wake frequently during the night. Even if they are able to sleep well, they still may wake up feeling groggy. Memory problems: Fibromyalgia can also affect short and long-term memory.

What is the name of the drug that is used to treat fibromyalgia?

Lyrica (Pregbalin) is the first drug approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration specifically for the treatment of fibromyalgia. In one study, about half of fibromyalgia sufferers reported improvement after taking Lyrica.

What are the symptoms of fibromyalgia?

Those of us with fibromyalgia suffer from different types of pain. Some words that can help you describe the way your pain feels include: 1 Dull, deep aching pain 2 Sharp, stabbing pain 3 Radiating or shooting pain 4 Stinging pain that feel like a sunburn or pins and needles 5 Strange sensations that feel like crawling, tingling, burning, itching or numbness 6 Shocking pain, it can feel like electricity zinging along the nerve and explodes in a certain area

What does fibromyalgia feel like?

Sharp, stabbing pain. Radiating or shooting pain. Stinging pain that feel like a sunburn or pins and needles.

How to track pain over time?

Shocking pain, it can feel like electricity zinging along the nerve and explodes in a certain area. Keeping a pain diary is a good way to track your pain over time and will help you be more specific at your doctor appointments. You can also use the American Pain Foundation’s LOCATES memory aid.

How to help someone with fibromyalgia?

If you want to be helpful to someone with fibromyalgia, just ask what you can do. Be flexible with invitations and plans that you have made. Understand that sometimes the pain of fibromyalgia is overwhelming. Be active. Accompany them to a doctor’s appointment and take an active interest in their treatment.

What are the symptoms of fibromyalgia?

{ { {While the most predominant symptoms of fibromyalgia include widespread pain and persistent fatigue, the resulting cognitive impairment of this condition may be its most maddening.

What is fibro fog?

Commonly referred to as fibro fog, this symptom is a conglomeration of cognitive challenges. Fibro fog is understood to be a physical symptom of fibromyalgia, not a psychological one.

What is fibromyalgia awareness?

Fibromyalgia Awareness Store: With so many people across the world affected by the pain, fatigue and brain fog of fibro, it is critical we raise awareness of the condition.Along with speaking, lets spread out fibromyalgia awareness with some others means, let the things speak out it self.

What is myofascial pain syndrome?

Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic form of muscle pain. The pain of Myofascial pain syndrome centers around sensitive points in your muscles called trigger points. The trigger points in your muscles can be painful when touched. And the pain can spread throughout the affected muscle.}}}. I want to talk to you about fibromyalgia (FM) ...

What is fibromyalgia like?

Probably the simplest, clearest explanation is: Fibromyalgia is like a migraine all over your body. 1 .

Who is Adrienne Dellwo?

Adrienne Dellwo is an experienced journalist who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and has written extensively on the topic. Learn about our editorial process. Adrienne Dellwo. Medically reviewed by. Medically reviewed by Scott Zashin, MD on April 25, 2020. linkedin.

Can you understand fibromyalgia?

Sometimes, you may need someone to understand fibromyalgia in more medical terms. If you're a research geek, it can get easy to get into too much detail and confuse people with explanations of things like neurotransmitters and the body's stress-response system.

Is fibromyalgia a constant?

People tend to think of illness as a constant, so it's confusing for them to see you doing well one day (or one minute) and unable to function the next.

What is the condition where you can't sleep?

Insomnia (difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep) Inability to reach or stay in a deep sleep. Sleep apnea (breathing disturbances that can wake the person repeatedly) Restless leg syndrome (twitching, jerking limbs that make it hard to sleep)

Is fibromyalgia hard to cure?

It IS the result of widespread dysfunction in the body and the brain that's hard to understand, difficult to treat, and, so far, impossible to cure. The hardest thing for people with fibromyalgia, however, is having to live with it. Having the support and understanding of people in their lives can make it a lot easier.

Is fibromyalgia a psychological problem?

If you're trying to understand this condition, in someone you know or even in yourself, it can be incredibly confusing. The strangeness of it, combined with a slew of negative medical tests, leads some people to decide that fibromyalgia must be a psychological problem.

Is fibromyalgia always sick?

Most people with a chronic illness are always sick. The effects on the body of cancer, a virus, or a degenerative disease are fairly constant. It's understandably confusing to see someone with fibromyalgia be unable to do something on Monday, yet perfectly capable of it on Wednesday.

Does stress affect fibromyalgia?

Physical stress can have the same effect on fibromyalgia as emotional stress. 1 . Think of what it's like to wake up to a phone call or a frightening noise in the middle of the night when you're in a deep sleep. Now imagine feeling that way every time you're running late for work or you have to swerve to avoid a traffic accident, ...

Can fibromyalgia make you sleep better?

For most people, one or two good night's sleep would take that feeling away . With fibromyalgia, though, comes sleep disorders that make a good night's sleep a rarity. We can have anywhere from one to all of the following sleep disorders: Insomnia (difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep)

Is fibromyalgia difficult to understand?

Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD. Updated on January 17, 2020. Understanding fibromyalgia is difficult, especially if you don't have extensive medical knowledge. It's a complex condition, and because it involves the nervous system, it can have an impact on virtually every part of the body.

What are the criteria for fibromyalgia?

According to the ruling, for fibromyalgia to be considered a medically determinable impairment, the patient should have evidence of chronic widespread pain, including pain in the back, neck, or chest, and a doctor must have ruled out other diseases (such lupus, hypothyroidism, and multiple sclerosis) through the use of lab tests or x-rays. In addition, the patient must have one of the following: 1 Tender points in at least 11 of 18 tender point areas of the body, with tender points occurring on both sides of the body and both above and below the waist. (You can see a list of the tender points in SSR 12-2p, SSA's ruling on fibromyalgia.) OR: 2 Repeated occurrences of six or more fibromyalgia symptoms, particularly fatigue, cognitive, or memory problems (" fibro fog "), non-restorative sleep, depression, anxiety, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Other possible symptoms include headache, muscle weakness, abdominal pain, Raynaud's phenomenon, seizures, and dizziness.

Why do people get denied for fibromyalgia?

Part of the reason is that Social Security doesn't have a disability "listing" for the condition. (Social Security's disability listings provide the criteria needed for many different impairments to be approved as disabilities.) The Social Security Administration (SSA) has, however, published a ruling giving guidance to disability claims examiners and administrative law judges (ALJs) as to how to assess fibromyalgia cases. This ruling has helped reduce the number of fibromyalgia claimants who are denied at the initial application stage and increase the number of fibromyalgia sufferers who file an appeal and eventually win disability benefits.

Where are tender points located?

Tender points in at least 11 of 18 tender point areas of the body, with tender points occurring on both sides of the body and both above and below the waist. (You can see a list of the tender points in SSR 12-2p, SSA's ruling on fibromyalgia.) OR:

Is fibromyalgia a medical condition?

According to the ruling, for fibromyalgia to be considered a medically determinable impairment, the patient should have evidence of chronic widespread pain, including pain in the back, neck, or chest, and a doctor must have ruled out other diseases (such lupus, hypothyroidism, and multiple sclerosis) through the use of lab tests or x-rays.

Is fibromyalgia a determinable impairment?

Social Security's published ruling explains when fibromyalgia should be found as a "medically determinable impairment ," which is the first test you must pass when applying for disability. (To be considered for disability benefits, you must have an impairment that has been established by medical evidence such as lab tests and medical "signs" ...

How to get rid of fibromyalgia?

1. Make a to-do list for tomorrow. Then, pick only four items on your list to accomplish. If you try to do more than that, the next day you can only do two things. With fibro, I have to carefully balance my activities and how much energy I expend every day.

What does it feel like to have fibro?

One of the most annoying symptoms of fibro just might be “fibro fog.” Some days, it feels like you’re living in a fog of confusion, and there’s nothing you can do to get yourself together. We’re talking putting your keys in the fridge, forgetting what year it is, and getting disoriented as you try to find your way home on a basic route you’ve driven hundreds of times before.

How to get rid of aching muscles?

Just go out and run it, no walking allowed. How your aching muscles feel the next day is how I feel most days when I get out of bed. That feeling continues through most of the day, and pain medication doesn’t help much. 6. Turn your thermostat down by 10 degrees.

Is fibromyalgia a mystery disease?

Fibromyalgia is still somewhat of a mystery disease: No one knows just why it occurs or how to treat it . Many doctors are so unfamiliar with it or don’t even believe it’s real that getting a diagnosis can be a marathon journey.

Can friends and family know I have fibro?

Unfortunately, even when friends and family know I have fibro, they can’t always understand how significantly it affects my life. This is a scenario that I’ve actually been through, and the fact that I’m no longer dating that person indicates just how well he reacted to the cancellation.

Is fibromyalgia challenging?

Fibromyalgia makes life insanely challenging, but it also brings its own strange advantages, like learning to be thankful for the small everyday beauties of life. One thing I’m grateful for are my loved ones who truly try to understand how I’m feeling, even though it’s challenging.

Is fibromyalgia invisible?

Since it’s largely an invisible illness, those who have it appear outwardly to be just fine. Unfortunately, that’s not actually the case. Fibromyalgia is particularly difficult to describe to friends and family, since its symptoms vary in severity from day to day.