Japanese woman calls for greater awareness of fibromyalgia
Reina Serikyaku, a 30-year-old Tokyo resident living with fibromyalgia, shares on social media her more than decade-long journey to receiving a diagnosis and calls for greater understanding of patients’ needs. As The Japan Times reports, around 2 million people in Japan may be living with the disease.
Years without a diagnosis
Serikyaku, who works as a certified caregiver, first experienced health problems during her first year of junior high school on Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture. She suddenly developed chest pain during a lesson and was taken to hospital by ambulance. A blood test and electrocardiogram found no abnormalities.
After moving to Tokyo to continue her education, the pain spread throughout her body. The woman visited numerous medical facilities, but they were unable to determine the cause of her symptoms. According to her, one doctor told her not to worry about the pain because it was supposedly only in her imagination. Serikyaku eventually stopped seeking medical care.
Access to specialized care
About a year and a half ago, Serikyaku was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia at a medical facility specializing in the disease. Her husband told her about the facility. She received the diagnosis more than 10 years after her first symptoms appeared.
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Fibromyalgia is diagnosed based on widespread pain and other factors, while doctors must rule out diseases with similar symptoms. The Japanese Society of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain has compiled a list of around 130 medical facilities with specially trained doctors, but they are unevenly distributed across the country.
Support for patients
Patients may face difficulties even after being diagnosed: some find it hard to work, leading to financial problems. A petition demanding necessary support for people with fibromyalgia and other illnesses was submitted during a special parliamentary session this year; Serikyaku also signed it.
People from different regions of Japan contact her through social media, complaining that they cannot find a hospital for diagnosis or that their families do not understand them. Serikyaku hopes that her experience will help other patients receive medical care and support.
