Fibromyalgia is a condition that is characterised by chronic widespread pain and fatigue. In general it is diagnosed by a rheumatologist after excluding other conditions that may also cause these symptoms. There are a host of physical problems that are attributed to fibromyalgia which include: fatigue, reduced clarity of mental processing, skin symptoms and bowel symptoms to name a few.
People with fibromyalgia typically report areas of tenderness in specific areas of the body. In addition to these tender points some authors have also described areas of thickening within the tissues which they call 'lumps and bumps' of fibromyalgia.
One self-treatment option is to use guaifenesin. Clients considering this option are referred to the book 'What your doctor may not tell you about fibromyalgia' by R.Paul St Amand and Claudia Craig Marek. This explains the treatment and advocates the 'mapping' of the lumps and bumps to monitor response to treatment.
Mapping involves palpation (feeling) of your arms, legs, back and neck to locate the lumps and bumps. The size, shape and postion of these lesions are recorded on a body chart for comparison before and during treatment to establish an optimum dose.