National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day - May 12
Fibromyalgia is a chronic musculoskeletal disorder which can cause continuous severe pain all over the body.
Sadly, at this time there is no known cure and suffers have to endure a number of very unpleasant symptoms, which can play havoc with their lives, wellness and general health.
Symptoms
Apart from the pain
Other symptoms include:
- extreme fatigue
- poor sleep patterns
- sensitivity to pain and touch
- extreme muscle stiffness making movement difficult
- difficulty in concentration, memory retention and mental awareness – often referred as “fibro–fog”
- feelings of depression and lack of hope
Why National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day is SO important
As said, there is currently no cure for this debilitating condition that reportedly affects as many as 7% of the world population at any one time.
Think about that figure for a moment .... at the time of writing the world population is nearly 8 billion even if [only] 1% were suffering this amounts to a huge 8,000,000 sufferers ... a staggering number.
Some, probably many sufferers live with these horrid symptoms without a diagnosis ... and incredibly the pain and other symptoms can be with them for up to 7 long years.
Sadly, really sadly in fact, as fibromyalgia doesn't have any particular visible signs , like say having a broken limb, or an operation many people believe that the condition is either not real, and is purely psychological and worse still that the person suffering has simply made it up!
That's awful ... thank goodness I've not had fibromyalgia and wouldn't want to inflict it on anyone ... but I do know people who have Fibro [as its often called] right now, and they find life very difficult at times.
Through National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day all the millions of people living each day with Fibro can wish for the following:
- Those who believe it to be a 'made up' condition will do some reading up about the condition, think again and show empathy to sufferers of Fibro
- More medical research will be carried out to find a cure
When did National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day first become recognised?
National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day was initially commemorated in 1992 in honor of Florence Nightingale’s birthday, a British social reformer and the founder of modern nursing.
Nightingale is lauded for her services during the Crimean War when she served as a trainer and manager for nurses in Constantinople. Years after her death, scholars, who studied her extensively, claimed that she may have suffered from fibromyalgia.
The National Fibromyalgia Association, founded by Lynne Matallana, officially established the day in 1998.
Matallana has suffered from the illness for almost 30 years herself, therefore, her aim behind the organization was to bring awareness to the disease and help people cope with it.
[source: https://nationaltoday.com/]
Is there hope for Fibro sufferers?
Whilst there is currently no cure, there is definitely hope for sure.
Those living with Fibro can help themselves with some lifestyle choices and decisions ( but its NOT easy) ... read this Fibromyalgia post for much more information on what can be done.
So, if you've maybe heard of Fibromyalgia but don't really understand what is please take the time to read more about it.
Go take a look at the The National Fibromyalgia Association website and read my other Fibromyalgia blog posts.[see the links below]
If you have any of the symptoms listed above and wonder if you might have Fibro too, then do consult with your doctor for a diagnosis.
If you know you have Fibro then you certainly have this authors empathy ... and I know from my work as a Reiki Master that one of the most beneficial things you can do is to keep stress, any form of emotional stress under control, and this is why I teach stress reducing techniques through Reiki to ALL of my students, whether they have Fibro or not.
I encourage anyone with Fibromyalgia, or if your loved one does, to consider learning the calming, stress reducing, therapy of Reiki.
You can read more about it here
In fact I want to help Fibro sufferers as best I can by offering a 20% discount coupon code off the price of those taking my Reiki for Stress Training Packages
Fibro sufferers - do your family, friends and employers understand? - Do they get it?
I've suggested before that unfortunately many people don't really understand what Fibromyalgia is, or what it's like to be under its clutches.
If you know people who are like that then I urge you to share this short blog post with them ... it might just help them to finally 'get it'
Other related articles:
Discover Why This Surprising Fibromyalgia Treatment Is Worth Trying
13 Startling Fibromyalgia Facts and 5 Myths Busted
Fibromyalgia: 4 Top Vitamins To Help Lower Stress
Please note: If you consider you, or a loved one, has fibromyalgia it is recommended that a diagnosis is obtained from your doctor. There is no suggestion that Reiki can, or will, cure fibromyalgia. Reiki, may however, give some relief of the symptoms.
