Dear Fibromyalgia

Category: Fibromyalgia Pain

A comprehensive look at Fibromyalgia pain, its symptoms, triggers, and effective strategies to manage and alleviate discomfort.

Why Are My Joints So Stiff? What Can I Do?
You’re Getting Older

As you age, your cartilage — the spongy material that protects the ends of your bones — begins to dry out and stiffen. Your body also makes less synovial fluid, the stuff that acts like oil to keep your joints moving smoothly. The result: Your joints may not move as freely as they used to. It sounds a little crazy, but the best thing you can do is keep on trucking. Synovial fluid requires movement to keep your joints loose.

It’s Morning

When you’re asleep and still for several hours, the fluid that helps your joints move easily can’t do its job. That’s why you wake up with knees or hands that are stiff and swollen. To make it better, try to move around more during the day.

Osteoarthritis (OA)

A joint is a place where two bones meet. The end of each bone is covered in a layer of rubbery stuff called cartilage. This keeps them from rubbing together. But cartilage can wear away over time or after an injury. When it’s gone, the bones hit one another, and sometimes, tiny pieces break off. The result is a stiff, swollen, painful joint.

Treating Osteoarthritis

Your first move might be to do fewer things that bother the joint in question. Over-the-counter drugs can help with pain and swelling. If they don’t, your doctor might inject stronger treatments directly into problem areas. You can wrap joints to protect them and stop overuse, but this could weaken your muscles, so don’t overdo it. Some people need surgery, but it’s rare. Your doctor will discuss treatments with you.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Your immune system is supposed to protect you from outside germs. Sometimes, it attacks the lining of your joints instead (your doctor will call this the synovium). RA is most likely to affect your wrist or finger joints, but it can show up anywhere in your body. It often causes constant pain and stiffness. Sometimes, it stays in the background and only flares up now and then.

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Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis

Doctors treat RA with medications that slow or stop the disease process. You might hear yours call them DMARDs, which stands for disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. The goal is for you to have no signs of inflammation in your body. Your doctor will refer to this as this remission. Along with drugs, you can also take care of yourself — eat well, rest when you need to but keep moving, and take good care of your joints.

Another Type of Arthritis

OA and RA are the most well known, but other types also affect your immune system and result in stiff joints:
- Ankylosing spondylitis: This type mostly affects your spine, but it can make your hips, hands, or feet feel stiff.
- Gout: The first sign of this build-up of uric acid in your body is often a searing pain in your big toe.
- Infectious arthritis: It often starts with an infection somewhere else in your body that travels to one big joint, like your hip. Your doctor might call it septic arthritis.
Psoriatic arthritis: People with psoriasis or family members who have it are most likely to get this type. Signs include swollen fingers and pitted nails.

A Change in the Weather

Did your grandma say she knew when a storm was coming because her joints ached? She was right. Doctors aren’t sure why, but joint pain seems to get worse when the weather changes. It’s most common when the air pressure (the weather forecaster will call it barometric pressure) falls. That typically happens just before a storm.

Fibromyalgia

This chronic condition causes joint and muscle pain, along with sleep, mood, and memory problems. Scientists think your brain takes normal pain signals and makes them worse. They aren’t sure what causes it, but it often follows an illness, surgery, or intense stress. It doesn’t damage your joints the way arthritis does, though.

Treating Fibromyalgia

There’s no cure, but over-the-counter meds should ease your pain. Your doctor might prescribe other medications. A physical therapist can teach you special exercises to help. You might also try a relaxation technique like deep breathing or a gentle exercise like yoga or tai chi. They’ll help you stretch and strengthen your muscles and tendons.

Joint Injury

The two most common types are both forms of inflammation. They usually result from overuse or misuse of a joint over time:

Bursitis involves the bursae, fluid-filled sacs that act as cushions between your bones and other moving parts.

Tendinitis affects the tendons that attach muscles to your bones.

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Treating a Joint Injury

These conditions are easy to treat. You’ll likely make a full recovery. The first thing to do is give that joint rest and take over-the-counter pain medication. Your doctor will probably give you a splint to wear and tell you to put ice on it. She might show you some exercises to do, too. If that doesn’t help, she could inject a stronger drug straight into the bursa or tendon to manage pain and swelling.

Exercise

The more you move your joints, the less likely they are to get stiff. A little afternoon gardening or a walk around the block can help. You’ll strengthen the muscles that support your joints, keep your bones strong, improve your balance, and burn calories. Start slow, so you don’t get hurt. Talk to your doctor first if even gentle exercise makes the stiffness worse.

Heat Therapy

If your joints are extra stiff in the morning, try a hot shower or bath. It’ll get the blood flowing to the area, which loosens things up. You can also buy moist heat pads from the drugstore or make your own. Toss a washcloth into a freezer bag and microwave it for 1 minute. Wrap it in a towel and leave it in the area for 15-20 minutes.

Cold Therapy

Ice down an achy joint. It narrows blood vessels, which slows blood flow to the area and eases swelling. You can use a store-bought cold pack, or try a bag of frozen veggies instead. Put it on the area, but use a towel to protect your skin. Don’t do it for more than 20 minutes at a time. If you really want to chill a problem joint, try an ice bath.

See the Doctor Right Away If …
- You’re in extreme pain.
- You’ve been injured.
- The joint looks deformed.
- You can’t use it.
- It swells suddenly.
Make a Doctor’s Appointment If …
- Your joints are tender or hard to move.
- The skin is red or warm to the touch.
- Joint symptoms last more than 3 days or happen several times a month.
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09/27/2023
Fibromyalgia Project Wins One of Three Purdue Pharma Research Grants for Chronic Pain and Pain Assessment

A research project focused on developing an objective measure of pain-related interference with cognitive performance in people with fibromyalgia is one of three awarded research grants recently by Purdue Pharma.

An independent steering committee oversaw the competition and selection of the three recipients of Purdue’s research grants to study chronic pain and the assessment of pain.

Robert R. Edwards, Ph.D., of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital at the Harvard Medical School in Boston, will lead the project dedicated to pain in fibromyalgia. The project is titled “Development and application of an objective measure of pain-related interference with cognition.”

The goal is to identify a set of cognitive tasks that are affected by variations in pain levels when they are being performed. Once an appropriate set of tasks is developed, they will be used in a randomized, controlled trial to test an intervention designed to improve cognitive performance in this patient population.

Another of the selected projects, led by David A. Seminowicz, Ph.D., at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, is titled “Development of a reliable neurophysiological pain assessment tool: alpha as a predictive biomarker (APB).”

This study aims to determine if EEG alpha wave activity is an accurate and reliable measure of acute pain and neuropathic pain (chronic pain resulting from injury to the nervous system) in healthy volunteers. Alpha waves are a type of brain wave that allow the assessment of electrical impulses in the brain that reflect the brain’s activity.

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The third project, led by Tassilo Baeuerle, president and chief executive officer at CognifiSense, Sunnyvale, California, is titled “Study on the use of virtual reality for pain measurement.”

The goal of this research is to explore the potential for the use of virtual reality technology as a tool in the assessment of chronic pain. Virtual reality is the term used to describe a three-dimensional, computer-generated environment that can be explored interactively by a person.

The study will also evaluate the potential of using movement, among other measures, to assess pain intensity. The association of specific movements with pain will be investigated.

“We are excited to support three investigator–led studies, which we believe will contribute important new information to our body of knowledge about the assessment of chronic pain,” Monica Kwarcinski, PharmD, head of Medical Affairs, Purdue Pharma, said in a press release.

“The assessment of pain levels is important in making a correct diagnosis, determining appropriate therapy, and studying responses to treatment. By addressing these data gaps through research funding, we remain committed to offering innovative solutions to make a meaningful impact on patients’ lives.” Kwarcinski added.

Purdue is a pharmaceutical company founded by physicians, and it is known for its pioneering research on pain.

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09/26/2023
How Shoulder Pain and Fibromyalgia are Related

Shoulder pain is really just pain in the joints and muscles in the shoulder area that may or may not limit what your arm can do.

Much of this pain originates in the tissues and bones in the shoulder, and you might also only feel the pain in the middle of physical activity or when you move your arms. Other times you might feel pain in your shoulder nonstop.

There are multiple questions you probably have if you suffer from shoulder pain, one of which is if there is any relation between fibromyalgia and shoulder pain. But in order to understand this correlation, it’s also critically important to understand what the causes of shoulder pain are what it is exactly.

The Causes of Shoulder Pain

The shoulder consists of three different bones. The upper arm bone, the shoulder blade, and the collar bone. The arm bone sits in a socket in your shoulder blade, and the muscles and tendons ensure that the arm is secure in this socket. When we feel pain in our shoulder(s), it is usually due to inflammation or a tear in the tendons, arthritis, nerve damage, an infection, a fracture, or a broken bone.

Tendons are the cords that hold our muscles to our bones, but just like nearly anything else, they can and do wear down over time. People who are regularly involved in physical activity will see that their tendons will wear down much faster than people who don’t.

As our tendons wear down, it is much more likely for them to be torn or suffer injury. This injury can develop over time or can happen all of a sudden, and if they are bad, the tendon can be completely split.

Something else that can cause shoulder pain is when the shoulder blade puts pressure on the tissues. When the arm lifts or is involved in any physical activity, the tissues rub against the top of the shoulder blade, which can, in turn, contribute to pain in the tendons as well. This type of pain is especially painful and severely limits what movement you can do in your arm.

For example, maybe you enjoy playing baseball and regularly lift and move your arm by pitching the ball above your head. This type of injury here, known as shoulder impingement, will eliminate your ability to perform that type of motion altogether.

One of the most common reasons behind shoulder pain is arthritis, and there are many variations of it as well. The reason why there are very many different types of arthritis is that it can occur in various parts of the body.

The type of arthritis that happens in the shoulder is called osteoarthritis, and common symptoms include pain and stiffness in the shoulder and swelling.

If you are displaying the symptoms of osteoarthritis, you should have it looked at immediately, since the pain will only worsen the longer it goes on without any substantial treatment. Osteoarthritis usually occurs in people who are middle-aged and is due to a variety of different factors including inflammation in the joints, infection, trauma, or sports.

The most common reaction with people who have osteoarthritis is to not move their shoulder in order to lessen the pain, but this will really make things worse since it will result in further stiffening of the shoulder.

The last major cause of shoulder pain that we are going to talk about is a fracture. A fracture is when bones in the body are broken, so common broken bones that can cause shoulder pain are the collarbone, shoulder blade, and upper arm bone.

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Shoulder fractures and broken bones almost always are the result of physical trauma, such as suffering a sports injury, falling down, or being involved in an accident.

A fracture will lead to severe swelling in the affected area and cause intense pain. If you have suffered a fracture, you should secure medical attention from your doctor as soon as you can. Your doctor will give you a list of treatment options and officially diagnose where the fracture has occurred.

Fibromyalgia and Shoulder Pain

Fibromyalgia is one of the great mysteries of the medical world, as we still do not yet know all of the causes of it or even how it happens. It is estimated that between five to ten million Americans alone suffer from fibromyalgia, the overwhelming majority of them women. Fibromyalgia is also believed to run in the family, as people with a family history of fibromyalgia are far more likely to develop it themselves. In addition, middle-aged women are the most likely to develop fibromyalgia, but it has been known to occur in young adults, teenagers, and even young children too.

The primary symptom of fibromyalgia is a combination of muscle pain and fatigue. This pain and fatigue will have to be enough to greatly limit what the sufferer is able to accomplish in a day, as many fibromyalgia patients are reduced to laying down in bed for much of the day. The muscle pain usually occurs in the neck, back, chest, rib cage, thighs, and shoulders, and will worsen over time.

There are eighteen pressure points throughout the body, and it takes a person to feel pain in eleven of these pressure points to be officially diagnosed with fibromyalgia. A couple of these pressure points are located in the shoulders. If you feel pain in your shoulders, there are two options as to how it is related to fibromyalgia:

1. You aren’t feeling pain in any or very many of the other tender points, so you don’t have fibromyalgia and the pain is due to the causes that we have already discussed,

2. You are feeling pain in the other pressure points in addition to your shoulder, so the shoulder pain you feel could be a part of fibromyalgia.

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09/25/2023
Why Fibromyalgia Makes Bras Painful to Wear

Anyone with chronic pain knows that there are certain things that will make the pain flare-up. Those who have fibromyalgia are particularly vulnerable to this, as there are a lot of things they can’t do.

Sleeping becomes increasingly difficult, as it is painful to lay down and sleep. Going out and tending to the garden becomes out of the question, as leaning over is too painful.

The same thing goes for the clothing you wear. Likely, the looser the clothing is, the better. Therefore, bras become out of the question.

It doesn’t matter if they are soft, sports bras or ones with a wire in the front, they will hurt. They press in some of the most painful spots for those with fibromyalgia.

Many people who have fibromyalgia have had a very difficult time finding the right bra for them. They have likely spent a lot of money trying to find the perfect bras for their needs, but have been unable to. It takes a lot of time and effort to find the perfect bra.

There are a few things you should always keep in mind when you are going to look for a new bra. These are all essentials for those who have fibromyalgia and can no longer wear the bras they love.

Things to Keep in Mind

If you are a sufferer of fibromyalgia, you might find it hard to pick out the right bras. Some of them might seem to work, but then don’t. Others you know will never work.

However, it’s always good to have a list of things to remember when you are out shopping for that new bra.

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No Synthetic Material

It’s true that synthetic bras are not only cheaper but extremely easy to find. However, they are not good when you sweat.

They don’t wick away the moisture but instead keep it where it is. For those who already have fibromyalgia, this makes wearing a bra that much more painful.

This brings you to wear primarily cotton or silk bras. They can’t have any synthetic material in them if you can help it, as they need to be able to breathe as much as possible.

If you absolutely can’t get away from synthetic materials due to budget or allergies, then try something that is a microfiber blend.

Microfiber is made to wick away the sweat that accumulates, making you less likely to have more pain than you need.

No Back Closures

For those who have fibromyalgia, you likely already have noticed that having closures in the back makes everything more painful.

Joints are among the main things that are painful with fibromyalgia, so reaching behind you to clasp your bra shut is hard.

Even if you generally clasp it in the front and then move it to the back, it is still likely painful to put the straps upon your shoulders.

Therefore, you should look for front closing bras over everything else. It is much easier to close a bra in the front with all the pain you are being subjected to. The pain you might have is lessened dramatically when done this way.

A great thing that comes with that is the fact the bras with front closures are generally much smoother in the back.

This will help if your main source of pain from bras is on your back. Even if it isn’t, it will still prevent some pain from coming.

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Are Underwires Bad?

This comes down to something that is more a personal preference than anything else. Some people like them.

They give a good amount of support and they hold your breasts where you want them to be. They don’t feel like they are falling out and could go anywhere.

However, others don’t like them, as they can be very uncomfortable. Even the ones that are padded over the wire might be too uncomfortable. They might feel as though they are stabbing some people, even if they aren’t.

For those with fibromyalgia, it comes down to whether these make the pain worse or don’t change anything.

If you can find a front clasping bra that is made of natural material, getting one with or without an underwire depends on what you believe feels the best. Try ones with and ones without to see if one feels more comfortable.

Make Sure It’s the Right Size

It’s surprising that so many women still don’t know their size when it comes to bras. Many just go with whatever they think feels right. However, if you aren’t wearing the right size bra, there might be problems that arise later on.

Anyone who has fibromyalgia can probably say that a bra that is too small will be extremely painful. Therefore, if you have the correct size, it might relieve some of the more intense pain.

To figure out what your size is, there are plenty of sites online that will take the information you give them and convert them into the right size.

These are measurements that either you or someone else can take of your breasts, including how long it is all around your torso and how big your breasts are.

Go to a Professional

If you want to make sure that you have the right size, you should go to a store where someone can size you.

Not only can they size you, but if you tell them the issues you are having trying to find a bra, they can give you bras to try out.

Through this, you will have someone who is actively helping you figure out what ones are the best and what ones to skip over.

If you have a local store that can help you with this, you should definitely go and try it out. You might be surprised at how easy it is to find the bras you need.

Conclusion

It’s crazy to think how much a single disease can affect your life. Fibromyalgia not only is painful but can make a lot of the things you do on a daily basis impossible.

Wearing a bra is something many women do, but if it is painful, they might be forced to not wear one.

Depending on your choice, you might have to find the perfect bra to wear. Hopefully, some of these might help you figure out exactly what bra you should be buying and what one you will buy.

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09/22/2023
Most Effective Ways To Get Fibromyalgia Pain Relief You May Not Know

Action Steps to get Fibromyalgia Pain relief

Here are the best action steps to get started with on your journey to get fibromyalgia pain relief.

1) Use Anti-Oxidant Rich Herbs:  Add turmeric, ginger, oregano, garlic, basil, thyme, and rosemary to as many dishes as possible and drink organic herbal teas on a regular basis. you can get fibromyalgia Pain relief by using anti-oxidant herbs.

2)  Change Your Diet:  Follow an Anti-Inflammatory nutrition plan here and consider the auto-immune diet and/or the low-oxalate diet, both of which you can find here.

2) Test For Food Sensitivities:  You can do a biofeedback test to determine what foods are causing stress in your system and an elimination diet to test how you are responding to eliminating certain foods for periods of time.

3) Reduce Stress:  Find ways to reduce stressful activities and enjoy more peace and calm.

4) Improve Your Sleep: Sleeping a high quality 8-9 hours each night is key to healing and improving brain function. you can get fibromyalgia Pain relief by improving your sleep.

5) Power Up Your Nrf2 Pathway:  This is the key genetic anti-oxidant pathway. Adding in clinical dosages of resveratrol, curcumin, sulforaphane and Green tea (ECGC) can be extraordinarily beneficial. I use Nrf2 Power here to improve this pathway.

6) Include Magnesium & B Vitamin Rich Foods: Magnesium helps to improve blood sugar signaling patterns and protects the blood-brain barrier. The best magnesium and B vitamin-rich foods include dark green leafy veggies, grass-fed dairy, raw cacao, and pumpkin seeds.

7) Focus on Deep Breathing: Improving your posture, seeing a high-quality chiropractor, and optimizing your breathing patterns are highly recommended. Follow these tips here to improve your breathing patterns. you can get fibromyalgia Pain relief with this.

9) Ground Your Body: In our society, we are surrounded by toxic electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs). These EMFs increase stress within our body and alter neurotransmitter function. By going outside daily and walking barefoot on grass, dirt, or sand you absorb natural EMFs from the ground that balance your electrical rhythms.

10)  Supplement With Omega 3’s: Omega 3 fatty acids and in particular the long chain variety EPA and DHA are critical for stabilizing blood sugar, reducing inflammation and pain. Consume grass-fed meat, grass-fed butter, wild-caught fish, and spirulina to get it in your diet.

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09/18/2023
Why Don’t Anti-Inflammatories Work For Fibromyalgia Pain?

Fibromyalgia Pain: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be helpful, especially when used for inflammation that comes from traumatic injuries (sprains, strains, accidents, etc.). Help For Fibromyalgia Sufferer They can also be effective in relieving pain and inflammation associated with chronic pain syndromes including all forms of arthritis and some cases of Fibromyalgia Pain.

However, long-term use of these medications can cause a host of unwanted side effects, and NSAIDs do not actually correct the cause of pain. The use of NSAIDs is no different. You might have heard of how drug company Merck pulled its NSAID Vioxx off the market years ago. They were responding to the results of a long-term (18-month) clinical trial that revealed that some patients developed serious heart problems while taking the drug.

Why Don’t Anti-Inflammatories Work For Fibromyalgia Pain

Potential side effects of drugs like Vioxx-COX-2 Inhibitors: Fibromyalgia Pain Relief Vioxx is what doctors call a “COX-2 inhibitor.”Fibromyalgia Pain These drugs were developed to reduce pain and inflammation without the risk of ulcers and other—potentially deadly—gastrointestinal side effects posed by aspirin and similar medications.

But in solving one serious problem, COX-2 inhibitors might be causing another. Just before Celebrex and Vioxx were approved and launched, a group of researchers led by Garret FitzGerald, MD, chair of the Department of Pharmacology, and director of the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics at Penn, observed that both drugs suppressed prostacyclin in humans.

Anti-Inflammatories Work For Fibromyalgia Pain

Potential side effects of other NSAIDs: Fibromyalgia Pain A person taking NSAIDs is seven times more likely to be hospitalized for gastrointestinal ad¬verse effects. The FDA estimates that 200,000 cases of gastric bleed¬ing occur annually and that this leads to 10,000 to 20,000 deaths each year. NSAIDs more than double a person’s risk of developing high blood pressure, possibly leading to more medication. In one study, 41% of those who had recently started on medication to lower their blood pressure were also taking an NSAID. Feel Good Again! Yes I can Do It All By Phone – 90% Of My Practice Is By Phone

You don’t have to travel to Birmingham Alabama – Fibromyalgia Pain If I accept you as a patient, I order blood work that you have done in your town. I also order special tests kits, saliva, blood, urine, or stool tests. Fibromyalgia Pain You do the tests, the labs send FedEx to pick up your kit.

I get the results of all your tests and then put together a plan to help you sleep each night, feel refreshed each morning, have dramatically less pain, boost your energy, lose weight if needed, correct your IBS and or RLS once and for all, and if can start to eliminate drugs that aren’t helping.

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09/14/2023
Showering with Fibromyalgia: Why Causing more Pain?
When you are first told that the pain and tiredness that you have is due to having fibromyalgia, it can be devastating.

You are going to find that this new diagnosis could mean that you have to change the way in which you live your life.

Everything that you do, even the most mundane of activities, can make a difference in how you feel later.

Even a shower could be something that causes more pain or even makes the symptoms of fibromyalgia flare up more than they already are.

Fibromyalgia is something that affects numerous people. The key to having this illness is learning what you can do to lessen the symptoms while still maintaining the life that you have always dreamed of having.

There are numerous people in the world who are functioning with fibromyalgia easily and they are still doing what they always want to do. How can you be one of these people?

Realize There are Obstacles

One of the first things that the person needs to realize is that there are going to be obstacles that you must learn to deal with.

Whether you attack these obstacles head-on or you learn what you can do and what you need to pace yourself with, you will find that your life is going to be better for learning this control.

There are several obstacles that you may have to come to realize in order to gain more control over your life. Some of these obstacles may include:
- What was your regular workout routine like? It could be you have to change this.
- Did you work in a physically demanding job? If so, it may be time to look for something else.
- You may have to start getting more sleep–in order to give your body the rest that it needs
These are the most common obstacles that people think of when they are told that they do have fibromyalgia.

However, did you know that something as mundane as taking a shower could require that you change your way of doing this?

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A Shower Means Exertion

When you step into the shower, most often you are not thinking about how much exertion this is going to require, but it does.

We often link a shower with relaxation, but if you look at all that you do in the shower, it does take some exertion.

For example, you are standing the entire time, you are going to be doing a fair amount of bending stretching, and reaching while you are lathering and washing your body.

Those who have fibromyalgia often find that these repetitive movements are almost as if they have run a marathon.

While it should not make a person tired, this is just one of the issues that fibromyalgia patients have to deal with.

Showers can Promote Too Much Relaxation

Is too much relaxation something that a person should worry about? If you have fibromyalgia, then yes this is something that you need to worry about.

This is especially true if you are taking a shower in the morning before your day gets going. Why is this?

Those who have fibromyalgia often find that they are tired constantly. This tired feeling is normal when dealing with fibromyalgia, but a shower can make this tired feeling even more pronounced due to the way it makes a person relax.

If you are taking a shower first thing in the morning, you want to be woken up, not relaxed, and falling to sleep all day long.

The Temperature can be an Issue

Who doesn’t like to take a nice, hot, soothing shower to relax those muscles and basically rejuvenate us? Most everyone!

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Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

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Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

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Fibromyalgia Stores

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09/13/2023
Swelling and Fibromyalgia: How Fibromyalgia Swelling Hurts

Osteoarthritis is the most common musculoskeletal condition, followed by fibromyalgia. More often than not, fibromyalgia is misunderstood and misdiagnosed. Characteristics of this disorder/condition include muscle and joint pain/tingling, fatigue, and many other symptoms. Quite often, individuals who have fibromyalgia also experience social isolation and depression. Many also experience both swelling and fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia is very difficult to diagnose. The main reason for this is that the symptoms of fibromyalgia are often in line with the symptoms of other illnesses, which leads to the individual being misdiagnosed. One of the most basic symptoms of fibromyalgia is swelling and inflammation. Due to this fibromyalgia swelling, can sometimes be confused with arthritis. This is due to the fact that both fibromyalgia and arthritis affect the joints.

Fibromyalgia and Arthritis Compared

Though fibromyalgia does exhibit many of the same symptoms of arthritis and the two conditions are often confused, there are some differences.

Individuals who have fibromyalgia typically experience more of a feeling that their joints are swelling rather than the joints actually swelling. Additionally, an individual who has fibromyalgia may actually experience what is known as a “creepy-crawly” sensation on their bodies, which is very uncomfortable for them. Though it’s almost the same as with arthritis, the “swelling” of the joints that is part of fibromyalgia isn’t actually swelling at all, but a feeling of swelling.

Arthritis is actually swelling and damage within the joints. Individuals who are affected by arthritis can also be affected by fibromyalgia. The swelling that is caused by fibromyalgia in this case is typically in the feet and hands.

This can be used to find out if the individual is suffering from fibromyalgia or arthritis. The swelling of the hands and feet in those suffering from fibromyalgia actually resembles edema, while the swelling in those suffering from arthritis is primarily located in the joints.

There is no specific cause of fibromyalgia. However, there are several risk factors that contribute to the occurrence of arthritis in individuals.

Genetic variations could possibly contribute to arthritis, though researchers don’t completely understand the role played by genetics in this disorder. Due to the fact that as individuals age, the cartilage becomes much more brittle and loses its capacity to repair itself.

Joint damage depends on the amount of weight that the joints must support, so body weight can cause an individual to develop arthritis. These factors and others can all contribute to arthritis, but don’t necessarily have anything to do with individuals developing fibromyalgia.

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How to Control Fibromyalgia Swelling

One of the most important things to remember is that the swelling in individuals with fibromyalgia will never be located in the areas that are painful. The amount of swelling and fibromyalgia is actually directly related to the amount of stress that the affected individual is currently undergoing.

If the individual is under very minimum emotional stress, the swelling on their body will be barely noticeable. If the individual is under a lot of emotional stress, then the swelling will be obvious. Therefore, the amount of swelling on the individual’s body indicates their present emotional condition. This exacerbates swelling and fibromyalgia.

If you find that as a fibromyalgia patient, you are experiencing swelling and fibromyalgia, do what you can to calm down and relax. The more stressed out you get, the more you will begin to swell. The calmer you are, the more that swelling is going to go away.

Swelling is one of the most common symptoms that an individual with fibromyalgia will experience. Both swelling and inflammation are one of the first things an individual will notice when there is a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. This is what makes it so difficult to diagnose- the swelling takes on the appearance of arthritis. The swelling can actually occur at any time and almost anywhere in your body. It can last a short time or a long time.

Understanding Swelling and Fibromyalgia

Many times, medical professionals will diagnose arthritis, when actually the swelling and inflammation are actually because of fibromyalgia. However, as mentioned earlier, there is a major difference between the two: arthritis affects the joints, while the swelling and inflammation due to fibromyalgia do not.

Since the swelling in individuals with fibromyalgia is not in the joints, it can actually look more like edema. Most of the time, those who are experiencing this type of swelling also complain that the skin in those swollen areas turns red- but this is not always the case.

Though fibromyalgia swelling can occur almost anywhere on the body, it is most commonly found in the feet and hands. Most of the time, those who report swelling in their feet often report that the swelling extends up toward their lower legs. Some individuals even report that their swelling is only on some of their toes.

Swelling related to fibromyalgia can disappear and appear without even a warning. It can last for a few hours, days, or weeks at a time. Sometimes, individuals will even report that their feet swell so large that they cannot wear their shoes. If you are experiencing this level of swelling, you must know that there are some things that you can do to counteract this.

As mentioned before, many people believe that inflammation and swelling related to fibromyalgia are directly linked to the level of stress in an individual’s life. So, if you have fibromyalgia and you’re suffering from swelling due to your disorder, you will want to do what you can to reduce- or even totally avoid- stress in your personal life. Additionally, getting lots of rest may prove to help reduce or prevent swelling.

Though swelling and fibromyalgia are very common for those suffering from the disorder, it is not the same inflammation and swelling that is present with arthritis. Additionally, though there really isn’t a specific cause or cure that can be pointed to, researchers do hold hope that a few simple changes in lifestyle can help to control it.

By simply making sure to get lots of rest and relaxation, and eliminating as much stress as possible from your life, you can make sure that the swelling and inflammation don’t keep occurring.

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For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

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Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

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09/12/2023
Death by a thousand needles: The debilitating condition that leaves sensitive sufferers in excruciating pain

It is a chronic condition that renders sufferers so sensitive that even the lightest touch triggers waves of excruciating pain. Fibromyalgia is thought to affect up to a million Britons, commonly women over 40, and experts have likened the debilitating sensations to ‘death by a thousand needles’.

Other symptoms include lack of concentration, memory loss, headaches, and muscle stiffness. And for a long time, there were little doctors could do to help quell the agony.

Yet today, with the help of sophisticated scanning techniques, pain specialists have been able to pinpoint the parts of the brain responsible for the condition.

Using a combination of psychotherapy and medicines more commonly used to treat depression and epilepsy, many sufferers are able to find relief.

‘Patients with fibromyalgia typically have what we call tender points,’ says Dr. Ernest Choy, consultant rheumatologist at King’s College Hospital in London.

‘There are 18 sites throughout the body – in the neck, back, arms, and legs – where, with light pressure, they experience pain, when a normal individual wouldn’t.

‘As well as pain, patients usually complain of a degree of fatigue and poor sleep quality. Depression and chronic pain often go hand-in-hand – it’s so hard to cope with such grinding discomfort every single day.’

There is no specific test for fibromyalgia so it is often diagnosed once other conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis, have been ruled out.

The patient will have suffered widespread pain for three months on both sides of the body, above and below the waist, as well as pain in at least 11 of the 18 known tender points when pressed.

Side effects: Depression and chronic pain often go hand-in-hand – it’s so hard to cope with such grinding discomfort every single day

‘Unfortunately, fibromyalgia isn’t well understood by many clinicians because pain is often a very subjective symptom,’ says Dr. Choy.

‘According to a European survey, it takes approximately 18 months to two years to get a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. There are still a lot of clinicians who don’t even know about it.’

The exact cause of the condition isn’t known but, according to Dr. Choy, research has highlighted that it is likely to be due to a problem with how the nervous system handles pain.

‘When a normal individual experiences pain, there is what we call a coping process in the brain that manages it,’ he explains.‘In some patients with fibromyalgia, that process isn’t working properly so their threshold for experiencing pain is much lower.

‘Recent advances in assessing the way the brain works, using functional magnetic resonance imaging [fMRI], have really changed our understanding of the disease.

‘It’s clear that the way the brains of people with fibromyalgia process pain is very different from normal individuals.’

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There are certain risk factors for developing the condition.
‘My symptoms started almost six years ago, with my joints suddenly swelling and feeling very painful’
‘There is evidence to show that people who have physical or psychological stress are more prone to developing fibromyalgia,’ says Dr. Choy.

‘In some individuals, it may be that they sleep very poorly, while in others it may be that they have other illnesses, such as depression.’

There is no cure, but treatments can help ease symptoms. Dr. Choy explains: ‘The aim of treatment is to help patients cope with their condition.

In most patients, we use a combination of non-drug-based treatments, as well as medications.

‘Exercise can be helpful. Although many patients get worsening of their pain when they start, if they build up exercise gradually, they’ll get long-term benefits.

‘Taking warm baths or exercising in warm water will also help alleviate the pain and tiredness. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, a kind of psychotherapy, can help improve patients’ ability to handle pain.

‘Aside from that, some simple painkillers can help, and we often prescribe antidepressants mainly because the chemical substances in the brain that control the processing of pain are also the same as those that cause depression.

‘These are given at much lower doses than are used to treat depression, though. Anti-epilepsy drugs have also been shown to be effective. These work on readjusting the nervous system and reducing sensitivity to light pressure.’

Lifestyle changes are key: Exercise like swimming or t’ai chi can help, but sufferers can experience increased pain when they first become mobile

One sufferer, Nicki Southwell, 53, runs a fibromyalgia support group. Nicki, who lives in Carlisle with her husband Merlin, 51, a teacher, says: ‘My symptoms started almost six years ago, with my joints suddenly swelling and feeling very painful.

‘It got so bad I couldn’t climb the stairs. I was eventually diagnosed early last year, though no one knows what caused it. In the meantime, I had to stop work as a carer.

‘And although I’m usually very organized, suddenly I couldn’t find my diary or manage the housework. I felt totally out of control and I hated that. Along the way, I’ve suffered from depression too, but I don’t know if that’s because of the fibromyalgia.’

More than a year on from her diagnosis, Nicki sleeps normally but wakes with aching, stabbing pains – mainly in her back and legs. Her short-term memory is also still poor so she makes lists.

‘I take painkillers and I use a Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation [TENS] machine for pain relief, which delivers electrical impulses to the body,’ she says. ‘I also did an NHS hydrotherapy course, which involved exercising in warm water and was brilliant.

‘I know lifestyle changes are key, so I’m going to try swimming, t’ai chi – anything. I still have bad days but things are getting better.

‘My message to other sufferers would be to persevere for diagnosis and treatment. Don’t give up hope.’

Dr. Choy says: ‘What works for one patient might not for another. It is important to remember there are treatments already available that can help ease symptoms. I think the future is looking bright for patients with fibromyalgia.

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For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

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Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

09/11/2023
How to Avoid Leg/Foot Cramps in Bed
A leg cramp is a pain that comes from a muscle in the leg. It is due to a muscle spasm which is when a muscle contracts too hard. It usually occurs in one of the calf muscles, below and behind a knee, but painful spasms can occur in the ankles, shins, and quads (the big muscles of the thigh). The small muscles of the feet are sometimes affected, usually starting with curling your toes toward your heel. These steps may help alleviate this painful condition.

Part 1 Cramps and your health status

1. Think about your general condition. Do you have a medical condition, such as fibromyalgia or neuropathy which may make you more prone to cramps? Are you taking any medications? Some can cause cramps, or make them worse.

2. Be sure you are being treated properly for any condition you may have. Nocturnal leg cramps become more frequent as one age, but they can also be precipitated by a host of conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and fibromyalgia. Getting the proper treatment and medications for these can alleviate some of the tendency to have spasms.

3. Tell your doctor about your cramps. Look over any prescriptions you are taking together. Some medications may be causing leg cramps or making them recur more often. Alternative medicines may be available. Also, if you have other symptoms apart from cramps, see your doctor who may examine you or do some checks to rule out a secondary cause for the cramps.

4. Talk to your doctor about muscle relaxants. There are many prescription drugs that are available, which help relax tense muscles and keep them from going into painful spasms. Be aware that some cause dependency, and ask your doctor how to avoid becoming hooked.

Part 2 Stretching and positioning

1. Try stretching exercises. Stretching exercises are commonly advised. Some doctors swear by these exercises to relieve nocturnal cramps, others aren’t sold. Either way, stretching will not hurt you, so if you try them and find they help you, that’s a good thing. Stretch your hamstrings, inner thigh muscles, and quadriceps, but stretch gently and don’t overdo. There are lots of instructions with pictures available on the internet for each exercise.

2. Position your legs properly. This is strongly advised. Positions that prevent the calf muscle from shortening when you are asleep may help. The following are not proven treatments (from research studies), but some experts believe that they help to prevent cramps.
- Positioning your feet is helpful. If you can “trap” your toes against your sheets, it can keep your foot from turning down and allowing your calf muscles to seize.
3. Walk. If you do get a cramp, stand up and walk around. This loosens the muscle in your leg, thus relieving the cramp.

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Part 3 Warmth

1. Stay warm. Cold muscles are much more likely to cramp. Even if it is a warm night, as you sleep, you become more sensitive to cool drafts. A light sheet will help reflect some of your body heat back to you, and warm muscles are much less likely to cramp.
- In winter, use a covered hot water bottle to place near the area of your legs that cramps most often.
- Try a warm shower if mid-cramp. It might help ease the pain.
- Very hot water can get rid of cramps if you stay in it for a while. Your cramps will be less likely come back. Just be sure to use water that is hot but not burning.
Part 4 Diet and supplements

1. Ensure your diet is supported through good nutrition. Prefer foods rich in magnesium, potassium, and sodium.

2. Take potassium, calcium, and/or magnesium supplements after getting your doctor’s advice. These supplements are available at most pharmacies or health food stores. Be careful not to take too much; ask your doctor what the right amount is for you, as well as the right form (for example, magnesium citrate versus magnesium gluconate). The deficiency of any of these minerals can cause leg cramps.

Do not use quinine. Serious safety concerns, including fatalities, associated with quinine are well-documented. Quinine can cause tinnitus, dizziness, disorientation, nausea, visual changes, and auditory deficits. There is also evidence that quinine causes serious cardiac arrhythmias.

Serious adverse reactions associated with quinine use also include severe skin reactions, thrombocytopenia (a decrease in blood platelets that can cause hemorrhage or clotting problems), and other serious hematological events, permanent visual and hearing disturbances, hypoglycemia, kidney failure, and generalized anaphylaxis.

Tips
- If you sense an imminent cramp, try putting your shoes on before you go to sleep. It sounds weird, and you will wake up with sore heels because of the unfamiliar pressure. Still, your shoes will keep your toes from curling under, which is often the way a spasm starts – as the muscles on the bottom of your feet contract, your foot turns down, which in turn causes the muscles on your calf to shorten, resulting in a painful Charley Horse. Wearing your shoes is not cozy and comfy, but it’s better than a leg cramp.
- Rub in cream such as emu oil, Pain Away or Dencorub. Keep active the following morning by exercising the muscles.
- Other medicines and supplements have been suggested as possible treatments for leg cramps. These include: Quellitall, naftidrofuryl, vitamin E, verapamil, diltiazem, methocarbamol, Flexeril, painkillers, aspirin, orphenadrine, magnesium, calcium, and sodium chloride. TENS machines have also been suggested as a possible treatment.Some of these treatments work better than others. Your doctor can help you decide if one is right for you.
- Don’t worry if you have leg cramps. They are painful and can leave you sore for days, but usually they aren’t damaging in any major way. They hurt but it’s not like a heart attack.
- The moment you feel a leg cramp, stretch both arms up while still in the lying position for one minute. You will feel the pain is slipping away slowly as blood is flowing into your legs.
Warnings
- Don’t overexert yourself. Little to no activity will cause you to have cramps if you’re prone to them, but too much activity can trigger them, too. Keep exercise gentle and moderate – not too much, not too little.
https://www.teepublic.com/stores/fibromyalgia-store

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For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store
09/10/2023