• Long-term disorder that affects the muscles and joints
• Symptoms may include widespread muscle and joint pain, tiredness, depression and anxiety
• Cause unknown but may be associated with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, irritable bladder, restless leg syndrome and premenstrual syndrome
• Cannot be spread from person to person
• Affects males and females
• Can occur at any age but more common in older adults
• May be mild to severe and tends to recur at different times
• Not life threatening

• Exercise regularly
• Maintain good sleep habits
• Keep your stress levels low
• Maintain a healthy diet

FOR PAIN

• Apply hot or cold packs to the area
• Relaxation techniques
• Distraction
• Over-the-counter medicine (refer to manufacturer’s recommendations for dosage):
  • Acetaminophen
  • Ibuprofen