Fibromyalgia

This book is a look at the progression of a once discounted medical disorder, from suspicion of malingering and mental illness to mainline acceptance by the world medical community. It covers different aspects of the disease and its treatment, including global, economic, and risk statistics; a timeline of key events in the study of fibromyalgia; common symptoms and diagnostic indicators; pharmacologic and non-pharmacological treatments; associated disorders and syndromes; and the impact of fibromyalgia at home, in the workplace, and in society at large. Not that long ago, patients complaining of severe pain at the slightest touch were all too often met with disbelief from the health care profession, as well as by family, friends, and coworkers. But with cases growing and evidence mounting, this mysterious condition is becoming less mysterious and is increasingly recognized as a genuine illness. As described in this volume, three decades of objective scientific evidence has finally transitioned a suspicious set of symptoms into a real diagnosis for, and potential treatments of, fibromyalgia. It is a work focusing on important research discoveries, the struggles of patients, and hopes for a future cure. Adding to the coverage is a firsthand account from a young patient describing her experiences with this disease.

Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Mental Health, Nonfiction. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.