lady gaga put fibromyalgia in the spotlight

lady gaga, whose real name is stefani joanne angelina germanotta, is a lot of things: actress, singer and songwriter. she is also known for he r philanthropy and activism, raising awareness of mental health and the prevention of bullying. but gaga has also played an important role in starting a dialogue around what it’s like to live with fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, memory and sleep issues. according to statistics canada , about three per cent of canadians live with fibromyalgia — that’s roughly 900,000 people.

gaga first revealed that she lived with chronic pain in 2013, according to the bbc , but in 2017, she publicly connected the pain to fibromyalgia on twitter, the symptoms of which patients say are often dismissed by health-care professionals because of their vagueness. in fact, she has repeatedly shared her frustration over the fact that people struggling with the condition are often not believed. she even spoke to oprah about it.

gaga also used her documentary, gaga: five foot two, to raise awareness of the fact that the symptoms of fibromyalgia are actually very real.

in our documentary the #chronicillness #chronicpain i deal w/ is #fibromyalgia i wish to help raise awareness & connect people who have it.

— lady gaga (@ladygaga) september 12, 2017

while gaga has described her symptoms as muscle tightness, spasms as well as paranoia and fear, signs of fibromyalgia can also include trouble with bowel movements, chronic fatigue, and inability to focus.

there’s no cure for fibromyalgia

fibromyalgia has no known cure but symptoms are typically managed, according to the mayo clinic , by a combination of medication, like antidepressants, anti-seizure drugs and pain relievers, and other strategies, such as physical and occupational therapy and counselling.

support and resources for people living with fibromyalgia

fibromyalgia association canada and the canadian spondylitis association | fibromyalgia offer education and other resources for people with fibromyalgia, as well ways to connect with people who share their experience.

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lady gaga put fibromyalgia in the spotlight

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