Q: I have Fibromyalgia and still don’t understand what causes it. What does cause it and why is there so much confusion over it.

A: Fibromyalgia is a mysterious illness with a bad reputation. The symptoms range from inexplicable pain, stiffness, fatigue to full body joint ache. Most patients in the past were told that they were stressed out, depressed or it was psychosomatic. There is such an abundance of these combined symptoms that much attention has been focused on this syndrome. Researches and clinical data now imply that Fibromyalga is linked to chronic fatique syndrome and possible the after effects of lyme disease.

Other theories contest that Fibromyalgia can be due to decreased blood supply to the parts of the brain that process pain and twice the normal level of a brain chemical called

"Substance P" which helps the nervous system cells send pain messages to the brain. Another more radical theory contends that residual effects of antibiotic and vaccine treatments express themselves after years of dormancy.

The complaints are serious, from swelling, tingling, numbness and stiffness in soft tissues

( muscles, tendons, ligaments) to aching, throbbing pain that is worse in the morning, intensifies again at night and has been known to drive suffers to suicide. Fatigue is one of the most common complaints (reported in as many as 9 out of 10 cases) caused perhaps by disturbances in the deep-sleep phase the body needs to get properly refreshed at night. Women get Fibromyalgia seven times more than men do for some unknown reason.

There is no known cure for Fibromyalgia. Many patients manage their pain with aerobic exercises such as cycling and jogging. Others feel stretching and yoga are effective. Many patients utilize massage and chiropractic as their primary treatment.

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John F. Kennedy

35^th U.S. President