Health Gateway Program  

At Tutu's House

“Exploring health information on the Internet"

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia (sometimes referred to as fibrositis) causes prolonged fatigue and widespread muscle aches and pains. Recurrent sore throat, headache, low fever, and depression are also common symptoms. A characteristic feature of fibromyalgia is the existence of at least 10 distinct sites of deep muscle tenderness that hurt when touched firmly, including the side of the neck, the top of the shoulder blade, the outside of the upper buttock and hip joint, and the inside of the knee. The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, and its course is chronic. Below is a list of web sites to research.

Fibromyalgia Web Sites:

American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association, Inc. (http://www.afsafund.org/) is a non-profit organization dedicated to research, education and patient advocacy for fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Toward the bottom of their resources section they list a number of publications and videos pertaining to fibromyalgia.

FibroHugs (http://fibrohugs.com) is a friendly and supportive place where sufferers of FMS, their families and friends, can go for love, gentle hugs, and lifelong friendships. This is a place to learn about fibromyalgia, and ways to fight this disease.

Fibromyalgia & Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome (http://www.sover.net/~devstar/)

Fibromylagia Information (http://www.cfs-news.org/fibro.htm) provides a variety of links to FMS resources.

Fibromyalgia Network (http://www.fmnetnews.com/) provides information on FMS.

Questions & Answers About Fibromyalgia (http://www.nih.gov/niams/healthinfo/fibrofs.htm) from the National Institute of Arthritus and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

National Fibromyalgia Research Association (www.nfra.net), an FMS activist group located in Salem, Oregon, "dedicated to education, treatment and finding a cure for fibromyalgia".

USA Fibromyalgia Association (http://www.w2.com/fibro1.html), known around the world, has become a national clearinghouse for any hospital, health care professional or individual looking for detailed information on fibromyalgia.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

The chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a clinically defined condition characterized by severe disabling fatigue and a combination of symptoms that prominently features self-reported impairments in concentration and short-term memory, sleep disturbances, and musculoskeletal pain. Diagnosis of the chronic fatigue syndrome can be made only after alternative medical and psychiatric causes of chronic fatiguing illness have been excluded. No pathognomonic signs or diagnostic tests for this condition have been validated in scientific studies; moreover, no definitive treatments for it exist. Recent longitudinal studies suggest that some persons affected by the chronic fatigue syndrome improve with time but that most remain functionally impaired for several years.

(Source: US - CDC definition from The Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Comprehensive Approach to Its

 Definition and Study, http://www.lifelines.com/cfstxt.html)

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Web Sites

American Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (http://www.cdc.gov/cfs/)

is a non-profit organization of research scientists, physicians, licensed medical healthcare professionals, and other individuals and institutions interested in promoting the stimulation, coordination, and exchange of ideas for CFS research and patient care as well as periodic reviews of current clinical, research and treatment ideas on CFS.

Center For Disease Control, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Homepage (http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/cfs/index.htm) provides general information on CFS as well as information on support groups, research and management.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome / Myalgic encephalomyelitis (http://www.xs4all.nl/~maartens/me/ccpccd.pdf) provides links to news sources, information files, discussion groups and CFS-related web pages.

The Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Comprehensive Approach to Its Definition and Study (http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/121/12/953) is the United States, Center for Disease Control definition of CFS.

Yahoo: Health: Disease and Conditions: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (http://dir.yahoo.com/Health/Diseases_and_Conditions/Chronic_Fatigue_Syndrome/)

lists 50+ web sites in which to find CFS-related information.

General Health Web Sites

WebMD (http://webmd.com),a free service designed to help users sift through the ever growing amount of data of/on/about or in any way regarding, health. Browse a subject index or perform a key word search.

New York Online Access to Health (NOAH) (http://www.noah-health.org/) seeks to provide high quality full-text health information for consumers that is accurate, timely, relevant and unbiased. Use the key word search; type in “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”

MedicineNet.com (http://www.medicinenet.com) provides relevant, easy-to-read, in-depth medical information for consumers. The health and medical information is written, reviewed and/or edited by one or more board-certified physicians. Browse a subject index or perform a key word search.