Some say yes, but there is no published data to prove it; What is becoming more and more prominent is that Fibromyalgia has to do with or is a Sleep Disorder in terms of its etiology.

Dear Glenys Chartrand

Radiological imaging such as X-ray may not be what you are looking fore; the description you provided is more like chronic compartment syndrome; thus the best relevant test will be compartment pressure measurement.

However, in terms of a test that can be replicated to check the progress of the treatment, MRI is more sensitive in demonstrating muscle edema or collection of fluids, yet for less cost and rather more practical utility, a good rad-tech can help you with Ultrasound, as it also can show edema as an increase in muscle echogenicity, yet less sensitive than MRI.

The Treaty of Sleep Medicine, of the Spanish Sleep Society, published by the Editorial Médica Panamericana, is the first book written in Spanish on this discipline. In it, the subject of fibromyalgia and its relationship with sleep disorders is deepened with scientific evidence. The symptoms and discomfort caused by this disease are usually complex and difficult to approach, and they usually require the intervention of different professionals in the field of medicine and health: PATIENTS WITH FIBROMYALGIA ASSOCIATE PRIMARY SLEEP DISORDERS MORE OFTEN THAN GENERAL POPULATION.

Let's describe some key points to understand it a little more.

The characteristic symptoms of fibromyalgia are pain and fatigue. However, the majority of patients also have cognitive, mood and sleep disturbances, which is why these episodes have also been included in the diagnostic criteria for the disease.

The mechanisms involved in the development of fibromyalgia have an effect on sleep disturbances, but remain a source of research at the present time.

Fibromyalgia patients associate primary sleep disorders (insomnia, sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome, periodic leg movements during sleep, and restless legs syndrome) more often than the general population.

Fibromyalgia patients frequently have mood or anxiety disorders, which in turn are accompanied by sleep disturbances. There seems to be a relationship between pain, mood disorders, and sleep disturbances.

There is no drug specifically approved for the treatment of sleep disturbances in fibromyalgia. However, duloxetine, pergabalin, and laamitriptyline are the most recommended by evidence-based guidelines. Sodium oxybate, a drug used for daytime sleepiness and cataplexy (sudden and usually brief episodes of bilateral loss of muscle tone during wakefulness), has performed very well in studies of fibromyalgia patients.

Melatonin is a molecule with the ability to regulate the sleep-wake rhythm and circadian rhythms or biological rhythms (oscillations of biological variables at regular intervals of time), so it could have beneficial effects in the treatment of fibromyalgia. This element has the ability to decrease the cadence of sleep and promote its continuity. Although at present there are favorable results due to its use –always under medical prescription-, the number of studies carried out is small.

Failure to achieve restorative sleep night after night, or systematically suffer from other sleep disturbances is related to a clinical worsening of fibromyalgia, so appropriate treatment can improve the overall symptoms of the disease.

If a dream is a wish, the fibromyalgia wish may be fulfilled by dreaming.!!!