Medical Questions » Other Problems Questions » Question No. 762
| Question: | A relative has repetitive strain injury (RSI), fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome. Is there any connection between these conditions? |
| Answer: | Repetitive strain injury is caused by performing the same action thousands of times until eventually the tendon, muscle or ligament that is being stressed finally gives way and tears. It is rather like taking a thin piece of metal and bending it back and forwards along the same line a few dozen times until finally it breaks.
Fibromyalgia occurs when normal muscle tissue is replaced with fibrous scar tissue after an injury or tear. This can cause persistent pain and weakness in the muscle because it cannot contract properly around the scar tissue.
Fibromyalgia can therefore be the result of RSI.
The irritable bowel syndrome is caused by excessive contractions of the large bowel which can cause belly pains that come and go, and may result in diarrhoea. Stress is a common cause of irritable bowel syndrome.
Stress and anxiety caused by the constant discomfort of RSI and fibromyalgia may lead to the development of irritable bowel syndrome.
Its amazing how various problems in medicine can be connected together, even though the connections can be fairly tenuous at times!
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