Lady Gaga Deserves A Special Shout-Out For Braving Fibromyalgia

There have been several instances when Lady Gaga has spoken about a condition she has been suffering from — fibromyalgia. She first spoke about it on Twitter when she revealed that she suffered from the disorder. The illness obviously left fans in a tizzy, who were praying for her speedy recovery. This also got a lot of fans curious about the illness.

So What Is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder that involves musculoskeletal pain, which is accompanied by stiffness and soft tissue tenderness all over the body. The existence of fibromyalgia can be traced back to 1994.

What Are Its Signs And Symptoms?

Aside from pain and stiffness, the common signs of fibromyalgia are, according to WebMD, headache, numbness of the hands and feet, fatigue, sleeping problems, fibro fog (problems in concentration and memory) and depression/anxiety. The person suffering from the illness will also experience irritable bowel syndrome, urinating problems and painful menstrual cramps.

What Are Its Effects?

Fibromyalgia affects a person in every which way. Besides having chronic pain all throughout the body, it also affects an individual’s brain functioning. That’s why it makes it difficult for people to remember things.

Fibromyalgia also leads to severe changes in the sleeping patterns of a person. In most cases, the pain is too harsh; that’s why it gives the affected sleepless nights.

What Causes It?

Although the exact cause of fibromyalgia is still not known, experts believe that psychological and physical trauma could be one of the major reasons leading to it. Genetics, hormones and environmental factors too may lead a person to having fibromyalgia.

How Did Gaga Learn She Has It?

Gaga first disclosed on social media that she had been suffering from this rare condition where she experienced chronoic pain all throughout her body.

“I feel stunned. Or stunted,” she told Vogue. “You know that feeling when you’re on a roller coaster and you’re just about to go down the really steep slope? That fear and the drop in your stomach? My diaphragm seizes up. Then I have a hard time breathing, and my whole body goes into a spasm. And I begin to cry.”

How Has The Disorder Affected Her Career?

In her interview, Gaga revealed that the illness started getting in the way of her career a few years back. Sometimes the pain were so bad that she got admitted to the hospital and had to skip concerts and various events.

Is There A Cure For It?

Currently, there’s no cure for fibromyalgia. But with the right medication and treatment, the symptoms can be managed.

How Is Gaga Dealing With The Disorder?

Lady Gaga has been proudly braving the illness and is not letting it get in the way of her career and success. “It’s getting better every day because now I have fantastic doctors who take care of me and are getting me show-ready,” she said.

And indeed Lady Gaga has been show ready and is not displaying signs of backing out any time soon. After her critically acclaimed movie “A Star Is Born,” she’s set to do a series of shows at the MGM Park Theater in Las Vegas. She also just recently launced her makeup line and is getting ready for her sixth studio album.