Essay On Fibromyalgia

Improved Essays
Adult Home Care and Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is not a specific disease. It is a disorder featuring musculoskeletal pain with fatigue, problems sleeping, memory issues, and mood swings. There does not appear to be any reason for these pains and complications, but researchers think that fibromyalgia might actually be a change in the way the brain receives and processes pain signals. There is currently no cure for fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia pain is considered chronic and widespread. Chronic pain lasts at least three to six month. Mayo Clinic notes that "widespread" refers to pain that "must occur on both sides of your body and above and below your waist." In other words, fibromyalgia pain is pain that hurts everywhere all the time.

Individuals who suffer from fibromyalgia sleep a lot, but the sleep is
…show more content…
Many are not even able to complete daily living tasks. Seniors tend to have even more severe problems as the fibromyalgia mixes with other age-related ailments. As a result, seniors with fibromyalgia who choose to age in place almost always require some form of adult home care.

There are medications that can ease fibromyalgia pain, but the side effects can be severe. Further, seniors who are taking many other medications for other conditions may face a number of drug-related complications. Adult home care can help with your loved one's medication management, which is often a challenge for those with this disorder.

While exercise may be difficult for those with fibromyalgia, it has been shown to decrease the symptoms of the disorder. The most helpful exercises are those that involve stretching and relaxation. Yoga and Tai Chi have both been found to be particularly helpful. An adult home care aide can help your senior loved one find an exercise routine that is right for them. They can also provide the physical and emotional support needed to stick with

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Fibromyalgia Case Studies

    • 669 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The claimant has a past medical history significant for a fibromyalgia, cardiomyopathy, migraines, osteoarthritis, endometriosis, recurrent MRSA, and severe exhaustion. A progress note from Henry Echiverri, MD, dated 06/07/2017, indicated that the claimant presented with a possible diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. She stated that bumping into walls had been on for years, but had worsened the past few months. She felt that her vision was off and the pupils just dilate without a cause.…

    • 669 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    What is fibromyalgia syndrome? Fibromyalgia (known by the initials "FM") is a complex, chronic condition which causes generalized pain and deep exhaustion, and also a variety of other symptoms. As the name suggests, fibromyalgia primarily affects the soft tissues of the body.…

    • 238 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Life expectancy has steadily increased over the years and a large portion of our population is over the age of 65.1 In the article Our Future Selves: Unprecedented Opportunities Carol B. Lewis speaks about the geriatric population and how important physical therapy is for those individuals. She discussed how current…

    • 705 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Age, dementia, and the need for complex care are the three main disparities that prevent patients from acquiring a long-term care bed. As mentioned above, there is a high number of people above the age of 65, which is expected to rise with the baby boomers moving into their later stages in life (Rice and Fineman, 2004). These older adults also are requiring more complex help with there health as they have multiple conditions that require high levels of support (Ontario Long-term Care Association, 2016). Dementia is reported as being a common diagnosis among ALC patients and is known to be a common risk factor for institutionalization (McCloskey et al., 2014). To be specific, 63.6% of the ALC population had a diagnosis of dementia (McCloskey…

    • 216 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and TMJ in the eighth grade. It completely altered my life and how I lived it. I underwent surgeries and various blood tests to deduce what conditions I could have had. The surgeries and blood tests never revealed that anything was problematic with my body. In order to acquire a definite diagnosis, I had to endure a series of pokes and taps of the tender points for a fibromyalgia patient.…

    • 830 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Introductions within the fibromyalgia support group would consist of each individual introducing themselves, how long they have struggled with the illness and who they brought to the group. The supportive individual would introduce themselves, what their relationship is to the fibromyalgia individual and how long they have known them since the diagnosis. The group rules would be that the group needs to demonstrate respect towards each person regardless of ethnicity, gender, religious or sexual preferences.…

    • 487 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Diagnosing fibromyalgia can be tricky, so there are a number of tests your doctor can use to make an accurate diagnosis. Fibromyalgia symptoms may also be symptoms of a number of other conditions, including lupus, depression, systemic exertion intolerance disease, chronic myofascial pain or even arthritis. It is more than likely that several of the tests listed below will have to be performed in order to arrive at an accurate diagnosis. As some doctors say, “MD” could also stand for “medical detective.” What is Fibromyalgia? Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder where sufferers have musculoskeletal pain and issues with mood, fatigue and sleeping at night.…

    • 502 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Community Health Resource Paper: Chronicity in the Context of Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Chronic Urinary Incontinence Chronic illness is defined as “the irreversible presence, accumulation, or latency of diseased states that involve the total human environment for supportive care and self-care, maintenance of function, and prevention of further disability” (Curtin & Lubkin, 1995, p. 6). Though the specifics of this definition can be contentious, for the purposes of this paper, any disease which can be considered in these terms will be regarded as a chronic illness. As such, diseases which fulfill these parameters have the ability to significantly impact the health and wellbeing of the individual and those around them, and therefore must be…

    • 1973 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Essay On Holistic Pain

    • 507 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Disc problems including sciatica pain, degenerative disc disease and disc prolapse are the serious health aliments that can produce bothersome symptoms. Spinal discs act as a cushion between the back bones and are very susceptible to injury or disease, causing severe pain in the back and legs. These problems greatly affect aging individuals because of wear and tear in the spine disc cartilage, causing the loss of normal function or structure and decrease quality of life. Proper pain management for disc problems is decisive to deal with this painful health ailment and prevent any serious outcome. Symptoms of Disc Problems…

    • 507 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The psychology of nursing home patients has not been widely studied due to poor funding and lack of motivation to find a solution to elderly mental illness, however the studies that have been done have found that a drastic number of patients suffer from depression and anxiety. Anytime a person goes through a major change in their life a great deal…

    • 1190 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Home Assistance Menopause

    • 478 Words
    • 2 Pages

    If your senior loved may be suffering from andropause, they should seek medical advice as soon as possible. In the meantime, home care assistance can help them with many areas of physical, mental, and emotional…

    • 478 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Opioids In Nursing

    • 880 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Chronic pain has a multidimensional effect on a person’s life and ultimately changes life completely. Pain that is chronic and debilitating can cause stress & anxiety, sleeping problems, family/relationship worries, financial stress, and can lead to unemployment. Chronic pain is defined as, “any pain that lasts for more than three months. The pain can become progressively worse and reoccur intermittently, outlasting the usual healing process. After injured tissue heals, pain is expected to stop once the underlying cause is treated, per conventional ideas of pain”.…

    • 880 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In order for the elderly to stay active and have a healthy life they must exercise and have proper nutrition. As people age the muscles become weak and in order to remain ambulatory the muscles must be strengthened. Exercise can help relieve joint pain and stress; it can also contribute to lowering the risk of dementia, heart disease, diabetes and hypertension (Exercise and Fitness).…

    • 843 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Geriatric Interview Essay

    • 705 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In my journey of becoming a physical therapist, I also inspire to become a geriatric care specialist. I will aim to educate my geriatric patients on the importance of remaining active and its benefits, physically and mentally. I will also express that the positive influence geriatrics receive from those around them uplifts them to have something to live for. My ultimate goal is to encourage the geriatric population that age is nothing but a number and old is just word. With the proper exercise and psychosocial support, they will be able to live happy, healthier, and fulfilling lives like they…

    • 705 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    For my reflective essay I have chosen to look at the challenges of working with older people in a health and human service setting and in particular how this would challenge me to work as an effective practitioner in the discipline of nutrition. In the last five years I have worked and spent time with older adults from different settings, some who are healthy and engaged in all areas of their lives, living independently and contributing to their community. I have also spent time with older adults who are determined to live out their years in their own home despite chronic pain, disease and social isolation and finally I have worked with older adults living in aged care facilities who have multiple conditions, prescribed multiple medications…

    • 838 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays