Doctors Manage Mysterious Fibromyalgia
Exercise, Drugs Can Cure 50 To 75 Percent Of Pain
POSTED: Thursday, March 19, 2009
About 3 million to 6 million people in the U.S. have fibromyalgia, which causes fatigue and chronic pain.
"Kind of like a burning, but an ache, it's almost like you have the flu, you hurt all over," 31-year-old patient Dana Poole told CNN.
And, often, the problem isn't understood for a while, rheumatologist Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman said.
"There are a lot of things it can be confused with such as thyroid disorders, other metabolic disorders, certain rheumatologic inflammatory conditions," he said.
And while experts don't know what causes fibromyalgia, some theorize it could be an injury or traumatic event.
There is also no cure, but doctors can use medication and exercise to help people feel better.
"For most of my fibromyalgia patients, I tell them that I can get you 50 to 75 percent better, and many of those patients will jump at that," Lieberman said.
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