Five years ago, Lady Gaga made headlines when she revealed her battle with fibromyalgia, a chronic disease that caused her pain so severe that it led to the cancellation of tour dates and a halt to her music career. Significant disruption occurred. His openness brought attention to an often misunderstood condition that continues to affect millions of people today.
Fibromyalgia is a long-term disorder that causes widespread pain and tenderness throughout the body. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, it is challenging to diagnose because no definitive medical test can detect it. This has led to skepticism among some people who question whether fibromyalgia is a real disease, as it is often diagnosed only after other possible conditions have been ruled out.
In a candid interview with circulationLady Gaga, born Stefani Germanotta, expressed her frustration at those who dismiss the validity of the condition. “I get very irritated by people who don’t believe that fibromyalgia is real,” she said. “People need to be more kind. Chronic pain is no joke. And it’s like waking up every day not knowing how you’re going to feel.”
Gaga’s experience is shared by many others. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that approximately 4 million adults in the US suffer from fibromyalgia, or about 2% of the adult population. Symptoms include widespread pain, extreme fatigue, and sleep disturbances, which often overlap with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Benjamin Netelson, professor of neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and an expert on fibromyalgia, said that for years, many doctors dismissed patients’ concerns, attributing their symptoms to psychological factors. Without solid clinical trials, fibromyalgia is diagnosed primarily based on patient-reported symptoms, which often makes those who suffer from it feel invalidated.
The complexity of fibromyalgia is evident in the ongoing debate about its relationship with other conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome. “Whether those two diseases are the same or different has been the focus of my research,” Netelson said. Despite similarities in symptoms, there are still unresolved questions about how they interact.
Lady Gaga’s openness about her battle with fibromyalgia helped raise awareness of the condition, and emphasized the importance of compassion for those struggling with chronic pain. Her experience serves as a reminder that even without visible symptoms or definitive tests, the struggle of people with fibromyalgia is very real and worth understanding and support.
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