Healthbeat 4: Living with Fibromyalgia

SIOUX CITY (KTIV) - When you go to the doctor, they ask, “Where does it hurt?” For people living with Fibromyalgia -- the answer is all over.

The chronic condition is also hard to diagnose due to the fact that there isn’t an exact test and no known cause.

“We have no blood test, no imaging test. Typically everything comes back normal. That can be really hard for patients to understand what is going on if everything looks fine. What is challenging is it is more so in the central nervous system. So there have been some studies that use MRIs,” said Dr. Kelly Delaney-Nelson, a CNOS Rheumatologist.

People with Fibromyalgia will live with chronic pain, fatigue, depression, digestive problems, and headaches. The good news is that it can be managed once diagnosed.

“There’s not one medicine that takes the pain away and it takes attacking it from different areas in order to help people feel better overall,” said Dr. Delaney-Nelson. “When we study Fibromyalgia, exercise is the one treatment that helps people feel better overall. It is very strategic. This is not starting training for a marathon. This is ‘I’m going to go walk for five minutes’.”

While they can certainly evaluate for the condition of Fibromyalgia, CNOS recommends that it should be managed by your primary care provider.

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