These symptoms suggest FM patients may suffer from perturbations in their autonomicnervous system, leading to disturbances in processes controlled by the circadian rhythm, such as sleep and heart rate.
Notably, blood pressure is one of these processes. At night, blood pressure is known to decrease by more than 10% of its daytime values, a process known as a “dipping pattern.” Patients, where this dipping is absent, are carriers of a “nondipping pattern” and an aberrant circadian rhythm and are therefore thought to suffer from a malfunctioning autonomic nervous system, such as in FM patients.
A research team from Gazi University Medical School in Ankara, Turkey investigated whether newly diagnosed FM patients presented a non dipping BP pattern. The authors screened 130 women who were screened for exclusion parameters including high bloodpressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, infections, or acute inflammatory conditions. By the end of the screening process, 67 FM women patients were admitted to participate in the study, together with 38 healthy controls.
Participants were monitored for a 24-hour ambulatory BP period and defined as “dippers” and “non-dippers” according to their blood pressure decline — patients demonstrating a 10% decrease in nocturnal BP values were classified as “dippers,” while those with a reduction of less than 10% were classified as “non-dippers.”
The participants with FM were observed to be 3.68 times more at risk of becoming a systolic non dipper, and 2.69 times more to be a diastolic nondipper. Despite adjusting for other factors that could influence non dipping blood pressure, such as smoking, FM was still concluded to be a strong predictor of this phenomenon.
Based on this study’s findings, the team recommends that FM patients’ blood pressures be monitored and observed for non dipping patterns, and for physicians to include cardiovascular precautions in their interventions in FM patients.
Despite the instant negative reaction to the thought of the Herpes virus and the association with sexually transmitted disease, there are a number of different Herpes viruses, including those responsible for Chicken Pox, Shingles, and Epstein Barr (mono).
Even the ones with the most negative stereotypes are much more common than people believe; around 90% of people have been exposed to HSV-1 (oral herpes, or cold sores), and the numbers for genital herpes are pretty close to the same. Once exposed to any of these viruses they can lie dormant in your body, reactivating at any time, usually as a response to stress. So, is there a connection between Fibromyalgia and Herpes?
Given the overlap in symptoms between Fibromyalgia and Epstein Barr, it’s not surprising that researchers would consider a possible connection; I know that I certainly did. I had mono when I was a junior in High school. I don’t remember much about it other than that I felt tired a lot. What I do remember was later (over the next couple of decades) that I would have what I referred to as “recurring mono” despite multiple doctors telling me that you can’t get mono more than once (something that has since been severely questioned by many doctors and researchers).
My throat would get sore, my lymph nodes would get swollen, I would feel achy (like the flu), and worn out. This was usually after I’d been running on full steam for several weeks, and I saw it as just my body crashing after I’d pushed it too hard. Back in 2006 when I was fighting strep infections every couple of weeks I actually managed to get a doctor to test me for Epstein Barr and low and behold I tested positive for an active infection (so much for not being able to get it more than once). Blood work has come a long way in two decades.
Fibromyalgia, to me, feels a lot like those episodes of mono, sometimes even including the swollen glands and low-grade fever that were common with the recurring mono. So, it’s understandable why I might question whether or not there may really be a connection between the two.
Research regarding the overlap of Fibromyalgia and Epstein Barr goes all the way back to (at least) 1987. Buchwald, Goldenberg, Sullivan, and Komaroff examined 50 patients with Fibromyalgia and tested them for Epstein Barr. The levels of the virus in their systems were not significantly different than those of the healthy and unhealthy controls.
The methods used to diagnose Fibromyalgia, at this time, were much less stringent than the 1990 guidelines called for, and probably more similar to the currently accepted guidelines. Two control groups were used for this study, one group containing healthy controls, the other patients who had been diagnosed with at least one chronic illness.
A large number of the patients (27%) reported frequent sore throats, as well as many of the other symptoms common to mono, but not common to Fibro. Testing showed no significant differences in the levels of EBV antibodies between the Fibro group and the health or unhealthy controls.
VCA-IgG indicating that the person has had the virus at some time existed in almost all participants (regardless of group). It’s important to note that many people can have Mono and never show any symptoms. VCA-IgM without EBNA antibodies indicates a recent infection; none of the Fibro patients tested positive for VCA-IgM.
EBNA antibodies indicate a past infection; this was found in most participants regardless of group. Given the results, it’s almost impossible to say that Herpes isn’t related to Fibro, or that it is. Since they tested against healthy (and unhealthy controls) and all showed evidence of past infections, it’s possible that their healthy controls were not as healthy as they thought, that the unhealthy control group may have had overlapping issues that were not diagnosed, and a number of other things, including limitations in the blood tests at that time.
Side Note – one really interesting thing in this study that jumped out at me was that even back in 1987 Rheumatologists were reporting that they believed Fibromyalgia patients may make up the largest percentage of their patients. This is back before the original diagnostic criteria were set, and long before most doctors really even believed Fibromyalgia existed. Evidently, the three doctors involved in this study did believe in Fibromyalgia. Perhaps, Fibro patients sought them out for that reason.
In 2012, Hedberg reported that latent Epstein Barr virus has been connected to many different auto-immune disorders including MS, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, RA, Sjogren’s, Chrons, and a number of others that are often seen as overlapping disorders with Fibromyalgia. He also reported on a genetic mutation found in the blood that allows Epstein Barr to increase and maintain itself, possibly leading to autoimmune issues.
A great deal more research has been done regarding Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS); both Epstein Barr and Herpes Virus 6 have been connected to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; as many as 70% of those diagnosed with Fibromyalgia are also diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and there is much debate as to whether Fibro and CFS may be two separate entities or two ends of the same spectrum.
Of course, all of that brings us to the recent findings of Dr. Duffy and Pridgen at the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!). They have been researching the possibilities of treating Fibromyalgia, chronic pain, and IBS using a combination of anti-virals usually used to treat HSV-1 (cold sores). They stumbled upon this potential treatment almost accidentally and are now on their way to stage-3 trials. This could be the thing that ties the Herpes virus to Fibromyalgia (and related conditions) and may provide significant relief for many of us.
For decades, since fibromyalgia disproportionately affected women, those who suffered from its often debilitating effects were often labeled as “hysterical women.” Many doctors would not even acknowledge that it was a legitimate physical disorder and called women hypochondriacs. It was often referred to as a “psychosomatic disorder.”
Over the decades, the medical community has finally recognized it as a physical disorder but has only speculated as to its underlying cause. The conventional Western medical treatment consisted of 3 pharmaceuticals, none of which helps with the symptoms but produces plenty of side effects. The 3 drugs are Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Savella.
With no relief provided by pharmaceuticals, many desperate fibromyalgia sufferers are turning to medical cannabis as a last resort and have been ecstatic with the results. I know patients who have been so incapacitated by fibromyalgia that they were unable to get out of bed, let alone work. Many have resumed activities that they never expected to do again in their lives, including working and exercising. It has been literally a “lifesaver” for many.
The question is why does cannabis seem to work so well? The answer, according to Dr. Ethan Russo, medical director of PHYTECS, is that those who have fibromyalgia suffer from Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency (CED). When you replenish the depleted endocannabinoid system with the necessary cannabinoids, the symptoms disappear.
Think of it in similar terms of someone with a Vitamin B deficiency feeling much better after taking supplements. For those who have studied the endocannabinoid system (ECS), you will know that its main function is to help the body maintain homeostasis. When the body is in homeostasis, it is free from disease.
The ECS consists of cannabinoid receptors, C1 and C2, which are found in the brain, spinal cord, nerves, stomach, and other organs. It also controls many of our physiological processes such as pain, mood, memory, and appetite. Our bodies naturally produce endocannabinoids, similar to those in cannabis. That keeps our ECS functioning properly. When the endocannabinoids are depleted, we experience disorder and disease.
Those with severe fibromyalgia know, only too well, all the symptoms of this disorder. Pain is typically the worst, coupled with incapacitating fatigue. Irritable bowel syndrome and migraine are also very common symptoms. Russo is convinced that this is an indication of ECS deficiency. He purposed this theory as far back as 2001. Recent research studies support this theory with evidence of cannabis usage decreasing pain, improving sleep, and relieving gastric distress.
CED is based on the theory that there is a link between brain disorders and neurotransmitter deficiencies. Think dopamine shortage with Parkinson’s disease and serotonin and norepinephrine with depression. The best evidence for the CED theory is from an Italian migraine study.
The results showed reduced levels of anandamide, an endocannabinoid, in the cerebrospinal fluid of chronic migraines sufferers versus healthy control subjects. The ECS is known to regulate the transportation of food in the digestive tract as well as the release of digestive juices to break down food and inflammation. CED would account for digestive disorders like IBS which almost always accompany fibromyalgia.
There is much anecdotal evidence but little research evidence to substantiate Dr. Russo’s theory. He would like to conduct randomized controlled trials to prove or disprove the existence of CED. MRI and PET scans may one day be able to detect endocannabinoid levels in patients. That would allow a comparison of endocannabinoid levels in fibromyalgia patients versus healthy control subjects. That possibility may not be far away.
The prevalence of fibromyalgia (FM) may increase with age, according to results obtained in a study with Turkish patients. The study shows that elderly adults with fibromyalgia experience poor quality of life in terms of pain, sleep, social, and emotional functions.
Most studies on fibromyalgia include young or middle-aged patients, mostly women, but little is known about the prevalence and impact of fibromyalgia among the elderly.
Of the 100 patients, 31 were included in the FM group, and 69 composed the non-FM group.
Fibromyalgia patients presented significantly higher scores in pain, sleep, social isolation, and emotional reactions in the quality of life score compared to the non-FM group. No difference was found in terms of gender on the TPC and disease severity measures, but these parameters were reduced with increasing age — the older the patient, the worse the result.
Results also indicated that disease severity and TPC were linked to pain and emotional reactions as tested in the quality of life score. However, no correlation was found between disease severity and TPC and the patients’ physical mobility, sleep, energy, and social isolation.
Together, the results indicated that not only does the prevalence of fibromyalgia increase with aging, but the disease also brings a poor quality of life to these patients.
“Although FM is thought to be a disease seen among young and middle-aged women, its prevalence increases with age,” researchers wrote. “Accompanying osteoarthritis in elderly patients may cause a delay in the diagnosis of FM and as well as its treatment. In case of severe pain which is incompatible with the clinical and radiological findings, diagnosis of FM should be taken into account.”
Your body is constantly working. It does a long list of amazing things without you even thinking about it consciously. You breathe efficiently even while you’re sound asleep. When your nose itches, you automatically reach up to scratch the itch. Blood flows through your veins effortlessly.
You process food through your body, discard waste, and mount a defense against viruses and other unhealthy intruders. You burp, pass gas, cough, sneeze, and hiccup effortlessly. Your body even maintains body temperature automatically.
Imagine if your body started to malfunction with some of those automatic processes. This is what happens to an estimated 70 million people around the world when they develop Dysautonomia syndrome.
This may look like a long medical term that is difficult to understand, but it’s simply a group of medical conditions that impact the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS).
The ANS allows your body to complete all of those amazing tasks automatically. It’s the reason you’re alive because it controls your blood pressure, breathing rate, and many other functions that you need to regulate in order to live.
It also controls automatic movements that allow you to remain mobile and fully functional in daily life. When parts of this system start to break down or are damaged, you can face serious medical conditions known as Dysautonomias.
It’s common for fibromyalgia sufferers to experience at least one form of Dysautonomia syndrome. We know that with fibromyalgia, there is a dysfunction in the ANS. For many with fibromyalgia, it appears as a delayed and inflated response to stressful situations. The fibromyalgia sufferer may go through a stressful situation without releasing the stress hormones that are typically produced automatically.
Once the stressful encounter is over and the sufferer is able to relax, the release of those stress hormones is triggered. The sufferer is flooded with stress hormones and experiences the anxiety and energy that others felt during the stressful situation, only the sufferer experiences it to an extreme degree long after the stress has subsided. This delayed reaction may make it appear that there is no cause for the sudden onset of severe alarm and discomfort.
There are other ways that fibromyalgia patients can suffer from Dysautonomia syndrome. Just as fibromyalgia can produce different symptoms in different people, the forms of Dysautonomia can vary from one person to another.
There are many other possible symptoms that could go on this list, depending on the parts of the autonomic system impacted by the Dysautonomia. For instance, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) can lead to dizziness, nausea, and even fainting when you try to stand up. It’s caused by dysfunction in the regulation of the heart rate when you go from sitting to standing position, and it’s a common form of Dysautonomia for fibromyalgia sufferers.
In some cases, problems with the autonomic system can lead to death. This may occur when the condition interferes with those essential automatic processes that you need to live, including your heart rhythm. If you think that you may suffer from any form of Dysautonomia, it’s important to seek medical help immediately.
Those of us with MCS also can have a greater propensity to this kind of syndrome in the CNS because of the effect of environmental toxins on the body and the effect on various systems of the body including the immune, endocrine, and nervous systems.
You may have seen some conflicting information regarding fibromyalgia and autoimmune diseases. Some people will tell you it is considered to be an autoimmune disease, others will tell you it’s not. However, you must know that physicians do not consider fibromyalgia to be an autoimmune disease.
The cause of this debilitating disease is not known and individuals who have other diseases could be much more likely to be affected by it. Diseases that make an individual more susceptible to fibromyalgia are ankylosing spondylitis, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis. Typically, the symptoms of fibromyalgia are the same as those in some of these autoimmune diseases, which makes diagnosing much more difficult.
At this point in time, fibromyalgia is not considered to be an autoimmune disease. Further research could change this, but that doesn’t seem likely right now. Though some cases of fibromyalgia do involve a dysregulation of the immune system itself, this is much different than the dysregulation caused by an autoimmune disease. Right now, researchers have been unable to totally understand the nature of the dysregulation caused by fibromyalgia.
As mentioned before, autoimmune diseases include ankylosing spondylitis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and others. Nowhere in this list will you find fibromyalgia autoimmune disease. So, though fibromyalgia does exhibit the symptoms of an autoimmune disease/disorder, it is not considered to be one.
There are many symptoms of autoimmune disease– many of which are the same or almost the same in those who have fibromyalgia. Following are some of the symptoms that occur with autoimmune diseases that could also point to fibromyalgia.
Joint and Muscle Pain- this can be a range of pain, from general pain, to burning, to aching, general soreness in the muscles and aches/pains in the joints.
Muscle Weakness- weak feeling in the muscles, as well as loss of hand/arm or leg/thigh strength.
Swollen Glands- especially those in the throat, under the arms, and the tops of the legs around the groin.
Greater Susceptibility to Infections– frequent bladder infections, colds, ear infections, yeast infections, sore throat, and sinus problems are very common among both fibromyalgia patients and those patients with autoimmune disorders. Additionally, you will experience a much slower recovery time if you have an autoimmune disorder.
Changes in Blood Pressure- you may have very high or very low blood pressure, in combination with feelings of vertigo or dizziness, palpitations/fluctuations in heart rate, and/or fainting.
Memory Problems- this often manifests as what is called “brain fog” where you can only vaguely remember things.
Thyroid Problems- typically, the problem is hypothyroidism, though sometimes can be hyperthyroidism, and typically does not show up on a thyroid test. This can manifest itself as excessive hair loss and a lowered body temperature.
– Fatigue– feeling completely drained of energy (can be one of the most debilitating of the symptoms).
– Difficulty Sleeping– this includes both falling and staying asleep. You will not be getting adequate sleep, so you feel quite deprived of sleep upon getting up.
– Brain Fog– problems with focusing/concentrating on things, retaining information recently learned, etc.
– Stiffness Upon Waking in the Mornings- muscles feel sorer in the early mornings and individuals feel stiffer than they usually are. Typically, gently stretching your muscles and taking a warm shower/bath helps to loosen them up.
– Digestive Disorders- abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, nausea, diarrhea, gas, IBS, and more are very common with fibromyalgia. Also, slow digestion and acid reflux are common.
– Migraines/Headaches- these are typically present at least twice per week and are rated as severe pain- usually with a migraine component. The pain is partially due to trigger points located in the head, neck, and shoulders.
Though some of the symptoms are quite similar- and even exactly the same in some cases- the research into fibromyalgia has not found a link to autoimmunity. There have been no inflammatory markers that have been elevated consistently, there have been no antibodies discovered, and researchers have not observed the damage that is typical of autoimmune activity within the body.
However, there has been a significant overlap that has been observed between specific autoimmune conditions and fibromyalgia that shows the possibility that those who have autoimmunity are susceptible to developing fibromyalgia. These are:
The fact that people misunderstand the meaning of ‘autoimmunity’ greatly contributes to the misunderstanding between the two. Additionally, it could be to the similarities between the two.
For example, both fibromyalgia and autoimmune disorders have fatigue, pain, and several other very common symptoms; both fibromyalgia and autoimmune disorders can be quite difficult to diagnose and can take a long time to sort out; a common poor understanding of the two- even those in the medical community don’t always understand fibromyalgia and autoimmune disorders, so they lump them all together because, on the surface, they appear the same.
However, you must understand the difference between the two because though they appear to be the same, the treatments are very different. You don’t want to be treated for one if you have the other- the treatment would not be successful.
Among all the syndromes of our days, there are two that excite a continuous fascination on researchers and doctors around the world: Lupus and Fibromyalgia. Both of these medical conditions have long been researched and on both of their causes, many theories have been built. Still, up to now, there is no absolute and complete answer to the questions both doctors and their patients pose about Fibromyalgia and Lupus.
In both of these cases, determining the actual cause behind it is almost impossible, mainly because they show a lot of random symptoms that can differ a lot from one person to another. On Fibromyalgia, the main theory states that it is caused by the abnormal levels of neuro–chemicals in the human brain, which lead not necessarily to pain itself, but to feeling the pain more stringent.
Other theories claim that environment and genetics are important in determining what actually triggered the Fibromyalgia syndrome, but up to now, no conclusive evidence has been brought.
There are even theories that are based on how the number of vessels in the extremities of the human body can change the way the brain perceives pain. How the other symptoms of the syndrome occur and how they can be so varied and affect multiple parts of one’s body – this still remains a complete mystery.
As for Lupus, things are not clearer either (not even by far, actually). Its causes may be related to a lot of things, including environment and stress (like in the case of Fibromyalgia), but not limited to it. Lupus does seem to “run in the family” and stress does play an important part, but there are other causes behind it as well.
Among these, you can often find infections with CMV (cytomegalovirus), a parvovirus, Hepatitis C virus, and the Epstein-Barr one. Also, exposure to UV light, trichloroethylene (and other chemicals), and certain types of antibiotics (such as the penicillin-based ones) can be causes of the development of Lupus.
The mystery behind the causes of Lupus and of Fibromyalgia is not the only thing that these two medical conditions have in common. Also, some of their symptoms may overlap a lot to the point where misdiagnoses (and thus, poor treatment) occur. Some of the symptoms they have in common include painful joints, swelling of the extremities (in the case of Fibromyalgia only the sensation may occur), fatigue, photosensitivity, and rapid, unexpected shifts in weight can occur.
One thing that is quite particular to Lupus though is the fact that patients can develop butterfly-shaped rashes on various parts of their skin, which is not found in the case of Fibromyalgia. However, a lot of Lupus patients show no such symptom as well.
Furthermore, Lupus can be mortal (and Fibromyalgia cannot directly cause the death of anyone), especially when it gets to affect serious very important parts of the human body. Quite frequently, it can get to affect the kidneys (leading to kidney failure), lungs, the Central Nervous System, the heart, and it can make one’s body more prone to acquire infections or even to develop Cancer.
A thorough analysis of a patient’s state is key when trying to put a diagnosis and having to choose between Lupus or Fibromyalgia. A series of inquiries will be made by the doctor, as well as a series of examinations to establish how many parts of the body are affected and how they are damaged.
In the case of Lupus, medical professionals will start by analyzing the patient’s symptoms and they will run a series of basic blood tests to determine if he/she has anemia or lacks certain elements in the blood. Furthermore, the doctor will also run an ERS (an Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate) which can determine the presence of autoimmune disease in the body. If the red blood cells settle faster than the usual during this examination, then the patient will become a Lupus or an autoimmune disease suspect.
Other tests that may be run by a doctor to determine exactly if it is Lupus or not that he/she is dealing with include testing the kidneys and the liver (to see if certain enzymes are present or not), testing the urine (to see which is the level of proteins and which is the level of red blood cells in it) and testing for Syphilis (to check the presence of anti-phospholipid antibodies).
In the case of a patient who is rather a suspect of Fibromyalgia, the medical professional will start out by testing the pressure points on the patient’s body. According to a set of guidelines, if the doctor is testing 18 such pressure points and the patient finds them painful, then the chances of Fibromyalgia are quite high.
Further on, the doctor will run a blood test that is very good in diagnosing this syndrome. This test is called FM/a and it can determine whether or not certain markers are present in the blood cells (markers which, apparently, are present in all the patients suffering from Fibromyalgia).
Other than that, there are not many tests that can clearly determine the presence of Fibromyalgia, although doctors may choose to investigate the patient for other Fibromyalgia-related diseases as well (Arthritis, Hypothyroidism, renal diseases, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and so on).
Diagnosing correctly Fibromyalgia and Lupus is essential for the improvement of the patient’s health. Although the two medical conditions do show common things, their treatment may vary a lot and it may not be “transferrable”.
For instance, in the case of Lupus, measurements will be taken to avoid serious complications, while in the case of Fibromyalgia other than pain killers and anti-inflammatory drugs will not be administered (and, according to each case, anti-depressants and sleeping pills will be prescribed). In the case of Lupus, the same range of drugs may be used, but the dosages and the exact type may vary, according to each patient’s symptoms, medical history, and severity.
Millions of people get affected by this disease in the USA annually. Although it is not a well-known syndrome and its diagnosis can be very difficult, Fibromyalgia is a very painful and serious problem.
The causes and the symptoms of this disorder are not very clear and most people including medical professionals are not sure about what leads to its development and how are the symptoms related to the causes. Fibromyalgia continues to baffle researchers and till now, there has not been a general agreement on most of the factors that manipulate the development of this disorder.
The extensive pain over a long period without any clear reason is one of the main symptoms. The other thing on which most of the researchers will have the same opinion is the fact that Fibromyalgia is not mental chaos and that it rather falls into the category of neurobiological disorders and/or that of the functional somatic syndromes.
Fibromyalgia is related to definite neurochemical imbalances that may appear in the brain and lead to improper functioning of it when it comes to perceiving pain is the main reason for the agreement of the researchers on this fact.
There is a number of symptoms and examinations that lead to a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia and they vary from patient to patient. The most common symptoms are:
Sometimes patients also start being more sensitive to certain factors like bright lights, odors, certain temperatures, foods, or noises. Swollen legs and hands are also related to being the effect of Fibromyalgia.
The doctor will perform a series of examinations which may include blood examinations, examinations of the kidneys, testing Inflammatory Arthritis in order to diagnose this disease. A patient is asked a number of questions to identify the problem.
If the patients experience pain in 11 out of 18 trigger points and also experience pain in all the four quadrants of the body for at least 3 months, then the chances of Fibromyalgia increase.
As prevention is better than cure so here are the bad habits that can be avoided to eliminate the risk of such disorder from our life.
Nowadays stress is a very common thing without knowing that it will not only affect the state of mind but will also damage the physical The state of stress will develop the disease. It is impossible to live a stress-free life but one can do a number of things to control the stress level and not let it destroy your health and mind. Workouts, meditation and simply disconnecting from all sources of stress and anxiety will help.
Smoking cigarettes seriously affects your life and will lead to a number of diseases and disorders. Fibromyalgia is one of them because smoking affects the immune system and may lead to severe panic disorders.
The one factor that may lead to an extreme level of the disorder is surrendering and not trying to fight your problem. It means that you stop trying to fight against it, which in turn not only affects your physical condition but also leads you to depression. The worse state of mind in any problem act as a poison.
Most people consider eating as a source of comfort and remedy for physical or psychological problems. But the reality is high-saturated fats, sweets, and commonly junk and fast food will only take you to the higher levels of disorder.
Choose the meals that make you feel energetic and healthy. Choose fatty fish, fruits, beef, vegetables, nuts, and the foods that are usually recommended as “healthy” by most nutritionists.
A warm cup of coffee or tea is mostly considered essential for breakfast. Some people love it all day long and consider it a headache and exhaustion reliever but patients with Fibromyalgia experience that caffeine is one of the basic sources leading to bad sleeping patterns.
The truth is that caffeine will only lead to creating a bad cycle in which patients feel more energized on the surface but internally it drains much. Thus avoid too much coffee, tea, chocolates, and alcohol in order to keep yourself away from discomforts and live a long happy life.
Someone dealing with fibromyalgia knows how overwhelming the symptoms are. There are such problems as fatigue, chronic pain, and brain fog that easily set off and turn into a worse flare that can last a day or two, a week, or even a month. This can happen too quickly. Sometimes this flare can happen with even a simple usual thing that no one even bothers like odor in the air.
People having fibromyalgia could have issues like headaches, pain, and the digestive problem with the lighting that seems normal to the healthy individual. Other things like smell can do the same thing that others don’t even bother to note.
With fibromyalgia, it can work in many ways. The person having FMS may find a smell so overwhelming, while the other one might have difficulty smelling it correctly. It’s all about how the brain processes fibromyalgia. Quality of life can be affected by this sensory overload.
You should tell each and every detail to your doctor because luckily there are some medications that may help in such cases. If this sensitivity is much serious, you may have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), which may have a different treatment than fibromyalgia.
The impairment of the sense of smell is common with fibromyalgia and many autoimmune diseases. It can be more than just a feeling and can be harmful to your nose. Someone having FMS can feel ill with scented perfumes, cleaning agents, and detergents. He can have fatigue to nausea and headaches. FMS sufferers can feel worse due to the smell of food even.
It makes them feel not want to eat it or maybe the person starts eliminating that food from his/her diet, whether it is a healthy food item or not. This issue of overloading sensitivity has nothing concerned with allergies. So, you don’t need to take medicines like antihistamines and wait to get okay.
This problem is actually really serious and it can be that much severe that the person who has been affected by it will avoid going out in public. Because you can even feel sick with someone’s aftershave or deodorant.
There are certain things to improve your quality of life if you are dealing with sensitive issues with smell and suffering from fibromyalgia. You can keep everything unscented in your home like unscented soaps; detergents etc. try to look for those shampoos that are unscented. You can have a mask handy with you, so if you need to deal with any kind of odor, you can wear that mask to avoid the smell.
Make sure, the people who visit your home should know that you have a problem so as not to wear cologne in your home. Soon, your friends will get to know about the issue. You shouldn’t feel bad or awkward to remind them because people who care for you will understand you. It’s a matter of your health.
A well-ventilated house is good for you. If the room is odor-free, the fans will work there. Otherwise, you will be spreading smells around. Try to experiment with different herbs that don’t have a strong smell, while cooking. Like if you want to use more basil and less cumin. You may find some smell that will be less bothering for you and you feel ok with them.
Some studies have shown that the sense of smell with fibromyalgia can be improved by physical activity and also pain and fatigue. Walk, yoga, or tai chi can be useful for your problem.
Fibromyalgia is a condition that is still a mystery and doctors as well as individuals suffering from it get confused. No cure for fibromyalgia has still been found. Doctors don’t know the actual cause of fibromyalgia.
The belief of some doctors is that some circumstances cause this condition. Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread severe pain all over the body. Those who are having fibromyalgia suffer physically and emotionally. More than 6 million people are suffering from it and more women are having fibromyalgia than men. Still, there is no cure.
Evaluate the signs and symptoms that arise with fibromyalgia, if you feel like you are having this disease. Keep this thing in mind that these signs have to be present for a longer time period, 6 or more months to consider it as fibromyalgia. A number of signs indicate that fibromyalgia is there in your body. Some of these include:
The doctors need to rule out other diseases before they determine that it is fibromyalgia because a lot of people are suffering from other diseases as well along with fibromyalgia-like some kind of allergies etc.
Different people have different symptoms and the effect of symptoms is different in different people. For a fibromyalgia sufferer, some days can be better than others. A person must have pain for more than 6 months to have fibromyalgia. The doctors should also perform many tests and exams as well.
If you think that you are suffering from fibromyalgia, it is must consult your doctor for the diagnosis as well as get the right treatment. a lot of tests and procedures will be taken to ensure that you have fibromyalgia. The treatment will depend on the type of symptoms you have encountered.
Support groups are also good. They can be found locally, online or there can be a family member to support you. You can get help from them in a lot of ways. If you feel like you are not alone, this idea of feeling is even worth it and there can be a difference in your treatment. Your life can get easier with a few tips and tricks.
Sometimes pain medications are prescribed by the doctor to treat fibromyalgia and sometimes anti-inflammatory medications are also prescribed to reduce swelling and other symptoms as well. This depends upon the severity of pain you are having. Evaluation of your condition is important in giving you the right treatment.
Moreover, exercise is also good for the condition. It should be added to your daily routine. Fibromyalgia can make your life even worse than you have ever imagined and you may also find difficulties when it comes to physical activities. But if you add up exercise, it can actually reduce the severity level. You can consult your doctor about different exercises that might help you and which exercise you should give preference to. By doing this, you might not let fibromyalgia win the battle.
Rest should also be endorsed in your lifestyle. No doubt, there are a lot of things that you want to do but are unable to perform due to your condition. Do the things day by day. Try to avoid doing things together. Do not try to push yourself up to the limits on days you feel worse. Do that thing on days in which you are feeling good.
Changes in your diet can help you in reducing pain. The doctor might recommend you change your diet. You might be deficient in the vitamins and nutrients to stay healthy if you are not taking the right food. Include fruits and vegetables in your diet. You have to make some changes to your diet. Various foods can be cooked for a fibro-approved diet and they should be on the menu.
It is true that no cure has been discovered for fibromyalgia but there are some treatments that can help you in easing the symptoms and pain. If you are a fibromyalgia sufferer, you should consider these things to help to get yourself back to normal life. It is a new condition for the medical world. You can live with fibromyalgia if you know what you should do. don’t allow fibromyalgia to dominate your life.
