It’s been called “the mystery syndrome” – it’s fibromyalgia, and it’s often puzzling and frustrating to sufferers. With fleeting and changing symptoms, pain that doesn’t show up on medical tests, and more, the condition is often misunderstood and misdiagnosed.

At Lifescript.com, two doctors discuss fibromyalgia syndrome at length, shedding light and answering questions. They explore what causes fibromyalgia syndrome, whom it affects, and how it differs from lupus and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Some of the most misunderstood elements of fibromyalgia they discuss include the following facts:

• Fibromyalgia syndrome is different from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Although the two conditions share many of the same symptoms, such as overwhelming fatigue, muscle soreness, and some memory loss, they differ in some of the physical symptoms. CFS often presents itself with sore throat and swollen glands. Your doctor will differentiate between these two possibilities. Fibro is also sometimes confused with lupus (an autoimmune disease) due to the similar feeling of joint stiffness, but your doctor will be able to rule out lupus quickly with a blood test.
• Fibromyalgia primarily affects women. Doctors aren’t sure why, but 80-90% of fibromyalgia sufferers are women.
• There is a specific list of symptoms for fibromyalgia. Patients used to worry that they’d be given the “fibromyalgia” label only if everything else were ruled out, but now The American College of Rheumatology has a list of 18 specific tender points that are common among fibro sufferers. If a patient has at least 11, she will be steered toward a fibromyalgia diagnosis. For an official diagnosis, the patient must also experience widespread pain in joints and muscles lasting 3 or more months.

Visit Lifescript.com for more facts-versus-fiction on fibromyalgia syndrome, plus info on what new research is happening in fibromyalgia.

Lifescript also has a new online Fibromyalgia Health Center with articles, recipes, tips, quizzes and advice on all things fibro.

The information contained in this article is provided for informational purposes only and is not, nor is it ever intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice or professional recommendations, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician(s) or other qualified healthcare provider(s).

Have you noticed that you've been having difficulties in playing the guitar or using a kitchenaid hand mixer? Have you been feeling pain and stiffness in your hands? One of the possible reasons can be arthritis of the hands. But don't panic just yet. With the aid of a doctor and some treatment, getting back to your normal life is possible.

Arthritis is a disease involving the cartilage of bone joints. It can be caused by a lot of factors, including trauma and heredity. While there are so many types of the disease, the most common is osteoarthritis or degenerative arthritis. It's related to aging and the normal wear and tear of cartilages.

Aside from the hands, large weight-bearing joints are also at risk of getting arthritis. It's not uncommon for the shoulders, back, hips and knees to develop it. Arthritis of the hands can cause pain and swelling, which limits normal movements. A grinding or clicking sound may be observed when moving the hands. It's also possible for bony knobs to appear in the joints of the fingers.

A doctor will take your health history, as well as do a physical examination to diagnose arthritis. Structural changes in your hands' joints may be revealed by an x-ray. Blood testing is important for diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis, a form of autoimmune disease. The degree of the disease will tell the types of treatment the doctor is likely to recommend.

There are topical arthritis creams for relieving the common signs and symptoms. Your doctor may also prescribe oral Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, or NSAIDs, for pain and inflammation. However, there are also those which are administered through injections. Splints are sometimes applied to provide a stable resting position for the hands. But in extreme cases, surgery may have to be performed.

For mild pain, you can apply arthritis creams or liniments, as well as cold compresses. You may also do hand exercises, such as making a fist, spreading your fingers and having each finger tip touch the thumb. These practices are particularly helpful prior to typing on a keyboard, pressing buttons below a gadget's custom LCD, or other activities at work.

Arthritis of the hands need not get the best of you. This is as long as you seek the help of a specialist and follow prescribed treatments. In no time you can resume handling a Canon digital SLR camera, swinging a golf club and other pursuits. You will find that arthritis should not cause lingering pain, swelling and joint immobility.

Back pain affects 80 percent of the American public. That most likely includes you, too. The intensity of the pain differs from person to person with some suffering acute pain with no relief. The worse the pain and the longer it lasts the more it restricts movement and activities.

Is there any relief from the pain of strained back muscles? Try taking a pain reliever, such as ibuprofen, so you can take care of your responsibilities during the day. Before you lay down at night, take another pill, and your muscles will be able to relax so you can sleep well. The pain may be gone by morning.

If you are looking for a solution to your back pain consult a physical therapist. Even though physical therapy treatments bring relief, few people consider going to a physical therapist for their back problems. Did you know that back pain creates more jobs in physical therapy than any other health problem? That shouldn't surprise you when you realize that only two out of every ten people don't suffer with back problems.

Physical therapy jobs are available in all parts of the United States. Physical therapy has become such a need that any young person interested in a health career might consider it. They can get a certificate or a full degree to work in this field. After graduation, you won't have a problem finding a Physical therapy job.

There are three things a physical therapist can do to relieve back pain: orientation, massage and exercise. It is their job to teach the patient the cause of their problem and how to keep the problem from recurring.

One way to rejuvenate the spine is through back exercises. The goal is to condition, strengthen and stretch the muscles in order to get them in shape. Most back pain is a direct result of muscles that are out of shape because of a lack of exercise.

Passive physical therapy is something done to the patient. This can include such treatments as massage, ice or heat packs and/or ultrasound. These things work effectively for less serious types of back pain. They may, also, be used in conjunction with back exercises.

Physical therapists are able to effectively treat many different types of back pain through either active or passive physical therapy. There is no reason for you to suffer day after day with back pain that keeps you from fulfilling your responsibilities when relief is available from physical therapy treatments.