Amplified Muscular Pain Syndrome (AMPS)
This will be about what amps is and how it personally effects me.
What is amps?
AMPS is a chronic condition that’s is normal manger via physical and occupational therapy if available.
“Amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome (AMPS) is a very painful medical condition that can cause pain anywhere in the body. These episodes of pain can be intermittent or constant, can affect the whole body or be localized to one area of the body or affect just a limb. Whenever it occurs, the degree of pain children with AMPS experience is more intense than one would normally expect.
-The damage sends a signal through the pain nerve to the spinal cord.
-The signal is transferred up to the brain.
-The brain recognizes the signal as being painful.
These nerves cause the blood vessels to become smaller (constrict). This constriction restricts blood flow and oxygen to muscles and bone and leads to an increase in waste products such as lactic acid. It is this lack of oxygen and acid build-up that causes pain.This new pain signal also goes across the abnormal short circuit in the spinal cord and causes a further decrease in blood flow leading to more pain. The pain then becomes greatly “amplified” through this continuous cycle.”
Symptoms
-Chronic musculoskeletal pain without other explanation
Somatic symptoms including, but not limited to, headaches, abdominal pain, dizziness, arthralgias, tachycardia, etc.
-Allodynia (a painful sensation in response to non-painful touch)
-Affect that is incongruous with the situation (smiling despite experiencing pain)
-Disproportional physical dysfunction relative to the anticipated amount of pain that would occur in response to the stimulus. This may include inability to bear weight, disuse of the extremity, intolerance of touch from other people or even clothing or bedding, school absences and discontinuation or reduction in participation in extra-curricular activities.
-chronic fatigue or constant tiredness from not being able to sleep due to pain.
-symptoms not explained by a physical disorder may occur, including, but not limited to, extremity shaking, paralysis, blindness, non-epileptic seizures, and conversion gait.
How amps effects me/my symptoms
AMPS effects my day to day life. Sometimes I can not due things due to flair up and tremors. As well as losing mobility at times (the ability to hold a pen or walking without a mobility aid) As well as some days not being able to touch anyone or anything due to pain levels. normally I’m an 6-7 pain and that’s typically unnoticeable, because it’s like a constant and I’ve learned to function with it though I can still feel it and it does still suck. If I have a big fall or something that would be typically painful it can increase my pain. 8-9 is really ruff like an 8 is like if I touch anything or anyone No matter how gently or not I’m in sever pain 9 is just constant bad pain and 10 and above is a flair up. Flair ups can happen at anytime. They commonly happen for me when it’s hot or there’s a saver change in weather. I also struggle with fatigue due to amps finding myself napping a lot or passing out well sitting in my bed on my phone. Though my fatigue scale does vary and can be at 0 unlike my pain.
The symptoms I have are:
-Chronic musculoskeletal pain without other explanation
-Allodynia (a painful sensation in response to non-painful touch)
-Affect that is incongruous with the situation (e.g. smiling despite experiencing pain)
-Disproportional physical dysfunction.
-Fatigue.
-tremors.
There for doing a lot of simple task can be extremely difficult form me. I tend to have to leave work early or miss out on activities or school. Some days I can do more then others.
Thank you for taking your time to read! If you have any questions feel free to reach out.