Symptoms of Fibromyalgia – How it impacts Men
Fibromyalgia is a neurological condition causing unceasing pains and weariness. Though symptoms of fibromyalgia have been observed to strike mainly women, but from the approximate five million people affected with this condition in the United States merely ten percent of them are males. Due to this reason, it is commonly perceived to be a woman-centric disease.
Fibromyalgia Atypically Affects Males
The reason behind fibromyalgia occurring or why only a small populace of males ail from it is still unclear. Being infected with some forms of viral infections, traumatic episodes like vehicle accident, being emotionally stressed out could elicit symptoms of fibromyalgia. In several situations, though it has been found to strike without any caveat.
Irrespective of the reason, there are some biological indicators or markers that are usually present in people having this disorder. Fibromyalgia is typified by an imbalanced level of brain chemicals. Individuals having fibromyalgia have been observed to have an above-average level of neurotransmitter P which is responsible for signalling pain and below-average levels of serotonin, a type of neurotransmitter which reduces pains.
Heredity and hormones additionally don a part in being causal to the disorder as the well as reason for the gender bias linked to it.
Presence of some genes in a person increases susceptibility to pains and several are linked to sex. Women have far greater susceptibility to pains due to estrogen hormone presence that lowers threshold of pains. This increased sensitiveness to pains might give females greater chances of being diagnosed with symptoms of fibromyalgia.
A commonly conducted test is the application of an unchanging level of pressure to the eighteen precise points all over the body known as tender points where a faint touch could be the reason for pain.
A minimal of eleven of these tender points should be producing a considerate pain reaction for a diagnosis to be confirmed. However since males possess a greater pain threshold hence they mostly fail in meeting the criteria.
Fibromyalgia and its effects on Men
Chronic pains could be the main fibromyalgia symptom; however fibromyalgia could at times be accompanied by added complications. Incessant weariness and sleeplessness are widespread complaints alongside others like IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), restless leg syndrome and headache. Memory-related problem and concentration deficit are also experienced by several men.
By and large, males experience lesser symptoms of fibromyalgia as compared to females and sense lesser weariness and pains in only some parts of the body. However, in a myriad ways, fibromyalgia affects males more due to reasons being more biologically or sociologically based.
Non-diagnosed Fibromyalgia cases
Males do not generally approach a physician as often as compared to women. Men are generally hard-wired about not seeking medical assistance and not complaining about their problems due to which an estimate twenty percent of males having this disorder fail to get diagnosed.
Delay in seeking medical advice could lead to an array of complications which negatively impact job, close bonds and hobbies. Depression, suicidal tendencies and feeling shattered often creep in among males that delay getting diagnosed.
Fibromyalgia Management
There is an apparent association in-between being obese or overweight and weariness and pains. Being obese or overweight is one of the Fibromyalgia risk factors. A latest study finding found definite links between being obese and an increased likelihood of developing fibromyalgia.
Although fibromyalgia is not curable, but there are several drugs which could assist in curbing the symptoms. Making lifestyle modifications, maintaining a fixed and apt exercise and diet schedule are analogously crucial in managing the disorder.
