Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Month

Senior Care in Keyport NJ

Being in a senior care relationship with your elderly parent means understanding the health risks that they face and being prepared to handle those that arise. This gives you greater confidence that you can give your parent the care that they need and deserve however your care journey unfolds. May is Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Month. During this month dedicate your care efforts to learning more about this disease, how it can impact your parent, and how you can modify your care to ensure that your parent gets the care, support, and assistance they need should they suffer this disease.

 

Some things that you should know about fibromyalgia include:

• Between 3 and 6 million people throughout the United States are currently suffering from fibromyalgia
• This is second only to osteoarthritis in frequency among musculoskeletal ailments
• Up to 90 percent of those people who are diagnosed with fibromyalgia are women
• Those who have a family member who has already received a diagnosis of fibromyalgia are far more likely to receive such a diagnosis themselves
• Up to 65 percent of people who have fibromyalgia also have another rheumatic condition
• 50 percent of those with this condition report having difficulty performing basic daily tasks

 

 

The symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary widely, which often results in it being difficult to come to an accurate diagnosis. Some of the most common symptoms of this condition include:

• 90 percent experience some facial tenderness or jaw pain
• 50 percent experience sensory issues such as sensitivity to foods, bright light, odors, or noise
• More than 50 percent experience chronic migraines or severe headaches that can seem to be continuous
• 83 percent experience emotional distress and those with this condition are nearly 3 and a half times as likely to experience depression as the other adults
• Constant dull ache throughout the joints and muscles
• Widespread pain that impacts both sides of the body both above and below the waist
• Fatigue
• Sleeping for long periods
• Sleep disruptions generally caused by pain
• Restless legs syndrome
• Difficulty concentrating
• Difficulty paying attention
• Cognitive impairment
• Cramping in the lower stomach

 

Though symptoms tend to be continuous, many people with the condition report that certain activities or influences can increase the severity of their symptoms. Some of these triggers include:

• Extended periods of physical inactivity
• Physical injuries
• Extended car travel
• Sleep disruptions or not getting enough rest
• Strenuous activity
• Mental stress
• Intense worry
• Periods of conflict in the family

 

If you notice that your parent is experiencing unexplained pain, tenderness, or fatigue, it is important that you get them to their doctor as soon as possible so that they can get a proper diagnosis. After diagnosis some of the ways that you and your parent’s senior health care services provider can help your parent cope with the effects include:

• Encourage a healthy lifestyle including a balanced diet and plenty of physical activity
• Discourage your parent from overdoing physical activity, particularly on days when the symptoms are serious
• Discourage your parent from not doing enough activity
• Get plenty of sleep
• Reduce and manage stress

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in Keyport, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Lares Home Care 1-800-781-7435 or 732-566-1112.

 

Sources:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/fibromyalgia/basics/definition/con-20019243

http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/fibromyalgia.htm

http://www.myfibro.com/fibromyalgia-statistics