Fibromyalgia is an unusual illness that affects millions of people, but very few of them experience the same symptoms. While many other diseases present themselves with the same set of easy-to-diagnose issues, fibromyalgia can cause a huge variety of issues.

In general, it is known to cause chronic pain all over the body, but it's actually so much more than that. If you have been experiencing unusual symptoms, it might be something more. Many people find that it takes a long time for doctors to diagnose fibromyalgia, but that is usually because they need to rule out other potential diseases. There is no definitive test for fibromyalgia, but being able to describe your symptoms may help. Here are 7 unusual symptoms you may experience if you have fibromyalgia.

1. Paresthesia

While you may not have heard of it, paresthesia is something similar to what we all go through when our limbs fall asleep. Think back to the last time you woke up with pins and needles in your arm after falling asleep on it, well when you have fibromyalgia you may experience this without any reason or explanation. The tingling and numbness is a horrible feeling, but if you mention it to your doctor they may be able to help.

2. Sensitivity to light, sound, and smells

Your senses are often heightened when you suffer from fibromyalgia. Whether it's a hard time driving at night because of the bright lights, an inability to stand loud noises, or an excessive sensitivity to fragrances, the amount of sensory input can often be too much.

3. Excessive Sweating

Sweating is never fun, especially when it happens without a reason. Fibromyalgia sufferers often have autonomic dysfunction in their hypothalamus, which controls sweating, bowel movements and other bodily functions. When it is not functioning properly, people may experience uncontrollable sweating and even irritable bowel syndrome.

4. Hair Loss

People suffering from fibromyalgia may experience temporary hair loss from time to time. They will notice an unusual amount of hair falling out in the shower or on their pillow, but it will usually grow back in. They may also experience pain in the scalp that makes it incredibly painful to wash or brush their hair.

There are still more unusual symptoms that people may experience...

5. Lipomas

Lipomas are small little tumors that pop up on the body that are made up of fatty tissue. They often appear where patients experience pain or muscle spasms.

6. Brain fog

Brain fog or "fibro fog" happens to many people suffering from fibromyalgia. They will have random moments where they can't find or remember the right word to use, they may suffer from short-term memory loss, and sometimes will become disoriented and confused.

7. Skin problems

While it's bad enough that it hurts to be touched, many people suffer from other symptoms related to their skin. They may experience an increase of acne, as well as an abnormalities in the tissue growth. They may see that they are having more ingrown hairs then before, or that their cuticles are splitting more frequently. They may also find they start suffering from molted skin which causes a discoloration caused by swelling in the veins and obstructions in the capillaries.  

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, or any unusual and unexplained symptoms, make sure you seek medical attention.