Balance.
I don't have any.
But, that's about right.
The Romberg Test. I had no idea what it was until my neurologist started testing me years ago. It was one of the many tests that I flunked and the doctor wasn't surprised.
There are so many symptoms. I mean, there's the obvious pain and fatigue......or the twins, as I like to call them. The creepy little twins. The pain of Fibromyalgia can be as severe as the pain of Rhuematoid Arthritis. It can be low back pain with debiliating pain that shoots down your legs (I have this and it's not fun.)
Did you know that 40% of people with Fibromyalgia report that they have muscles spasms and leg cramps? Those aren't real fun either. Have you ever been wakened from sleep with one of those babies?
So more about balance and the Romberg test. The reason this came up? A woman in our support group had a question regarding balance. Some of the people in our group didn't know that balance can be a problem in Fibromyalgia. So what is this test? Basically, it measures how different systems of your body work together to maintain balance. It's pretty simple to do:
1. Stand up with your feet together. Have someone nearby just in case you have a strong reaction to this test.
2. Keep your eyes open for one full minute.
3. Then stand with your eyes closed for one full minute.
A positve reaction to this test is if you sway or even fall over. A lot of times it doesn't even matter that your eyes are closed. Even when my eyes are open, if my feet are together, I tend to sway. But, let's get back to balance. It seems that most people with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue are unstable. For those of you who know me well......don't even go there...but it is true. We have trouble with body boundaries and gait tracking. When I first get up and I've been in a real sound sleep, I've been known to walk into walls. I've walked off the sidewalk and bumped into doorways.
That's why I don't drive on holidays.
Why?
If I was stopped, I'd NEVER pass a field sobriety test.
And I don't even drink!
1. Stand up with your feet together. Have someone nearby just in case you have a strong reaction to this test.
2. Keep your eyes open for one full minute.
3. Then stand with your eyes closed for one full minute.
A positve reaction to this test is if you sway or even fall over. A lot of times it doesn't even matter that your eyes are closed. Even when my eyes are open, if my feet are together, I tend to sway. But, let's get back to balance. It seems that most people with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue are unstable. For those of you who know me well......don't even go there...but it is true. We have trouble with body boundaries and gait tracking. When I first get up and I've been in a real sound sleep, I've been known to walk into walls. I've walked off the sidewalk and bumped into doorways.
That's why I don't drive on holidays.
Why?
If I was stopped, I'd NEVER pass a field sobriety test.
And I don't even drink!
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