UnTouchableConditions
A diagnosis can feel like it has only ever happened to you. It has not. Here is what each condition is, in plain English, and the people who have talked about living with it.
Muscular system
The muscles, which move the body.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body. Alongside the pain, people often have a heightened sensitivity to pain, stiff muscles, sleep that does not refresh, and the exhaustion that follows. Many describe 'fibro fog' — trouble concentrating and remembering. Headaches, irritable bowel syndrome and low mood are common too, and symptoms come and go unpredictably. The cause is not known. Research points to differences in the way the nervous system handles pain signals, genes may play a part, and symptoms often start after something physical or emotional such as an injury, an infection or a period of stress. There is no single test for it and the symptoms look like those of other conditions, so it can take a long time to reach a diagnosis. It is more common in women and usually begins between 25 and 55, though anyone can get it. There is no cure. Treatment usually combines exercise and relaxation, talking therapies, and medicines. Fibromyalgia Action UK offers information and a helpline. The NHS says to see a GP if you think you have fibromyalgia. Source: the NHS page on fibromyalgia.
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Stiff-person syndrome
Stiff-person syndrome is a rare neurological condition in which the muscles of the torso, arms and legs become stiff, and noise, touch or emotional distress can set off painful spasms. It is thought to be autoimmune — the immune system attacking healthy cells by mistake — and it is progressive, meaning it gets worse over time. It can affect one part of the body or spread widely. Over time some people develop a hunched posture, and some become unable to walk safely because spasms and unreliable reflexes cause falls. Many become afraid to go out, because something as ordinary as a car horn can trigger a spasm. It affects about twice as many women as men, and usually begins between 20 and 60, most often in someone's thirties or forties.
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