Fibrositis is an inflammation of the small, tough and muscular nodules found between the shoulder blades. When these muscles are stressed and become tense, tiny buds of tissue protrude through the weak areas in the membranous capsule of the muscle and become pinched and short of blood. Generally, the nodule will cause pain, press the nerves and result to toothache-like pain or neuralgia down the arm.
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Fibrositis usually affects the muscular regions of the lower back, shoulder, arms, neck hips, chest and the thighs. People aged between 30 and 60 are prone to this condition. It affects women more than men.
Symptoms of fibrositis
- At first, weakness and stiffness
- Presence of nodules on areas which are tender when touched or called trigger points
- Fatigue
- Sudden and painful spasms of muscles when performing activities
- Painful muscles
- Lastly, difficulty remaining asleep
Causes
- Autoimmune disorder or an imbalance in brain chemicals
- Sleep disturbances
- Injury to the muscle
- Stress
- Viral infections
- Poor nutrition
- Exposure to cold or dampness
- Fatigue or overworking
- History of the disorders which result to inflammation of the joint such as polyarteritis.
Treatment
- Take plenty of rest especially the affected area for fast healing of the condition.
- Apply heat on the affected area to lessen the pain. Heat can be in the form of an electric heating pad, heat lamps, and hot compresses. Another alternative is taking a hot shower is also good for the condition.
- Perform exercises such as swimming in a heated pool to lessen the spasm and stiffness of the affected muscles.
- Use the prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen and aspirin or clycooxygenase-2 inhibitors to lessen the pain and the inflammation.
- Massage gently the painful areas to lessen the inflammation and the pain.
- Perform some relaxation and breathing techniques such as yoga to prevent stress.
- Biofeedback for the condition to relax the contracted muscles. Biofeedback uses different relaxation exercises that includes deep breathing, meditation, which focusing the thought and letting go of negative emotions, and guided imagery, which is concentrating on specific image such texture and color of an orange to focus the mind and feeling more relaxed.
- Injection of the prescribed cortisone to the affected area to lessen the pain and the inflammation.
Tips
- Perform general conditioning exercises and stretching is needed to lessen the pain caused by fibrositis.
- Avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine to prevent difficulty in sleeping.
- Do not strain the muscles of the shoulder such as lifting heavy weights.
- Avoid spasms and cramping of shoulder muscles by performing measures that lessens the stress.
FACT CHECK
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/03009748709102176?journalCode=irhe20
https://www.spine-health.com/glossary/fibrositis
https://www.epainassist.com/muscles-and-tendons/what-is-fibrositis-and-how-can-it-be-treated