A new study from the U.K. shows that oscillations, or variations, in specific brain waves seem to correlate with fibromyalgia (FM) pain symptoms and fatigue in a small group of female patients.
Findings from the study, “Altered theta oscillations in resting EEG of fibromyalgia syndrome patients,” can be found in the European Journal of Pain.
Previous studies have shown that fibromyalgia as well as other chronic pain conditions can affect brain activity. However, many of the experimental studies are unable to distinguish whether altered brain activity is a result of acute pain attacks or is more reflective of an ongoing state of sensitization.
Using electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings, the researchers looked at changes in recordings between 19 female fibromyalgia patients and 18 age-matched healthy controls. The average age of the participants was 40.
Oscillations in different wavelengths were assessed. These included the delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma frequency, bands.
To correlate the results with fibromyalgia-associated symptoms, the team also used the Manual Tender Point Scale (MTPS) to quantify pain and tenderness and other measurement tools to assess mood, arousal, and fatigue.
As expected, fibromyalgia patients reported higher levels of pain and decreased mood, and were significantly more tired compared to healthy participants.
Concerning brain activity, the fibromyalgia patients had higher levels of theta activity relative to healthy controls in the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex regions.
Oscillations in both the medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex have been shown to relate to a reduction of pain inhibition.
Importantly, in this small cohort of female fibromyalgia patients, the increased theta brain activity correlated with measures of pain, tenderness, and tiredness on the day of testing. No correlations between these measures and brain activity were seen in healthy controls.
“The findings indicate that alterations to resting-state oscillatory activity may relate to ongoing tonic pain and fatigue in [fibromyalgia], and manifest in brain regions relevant for cognitive-attentional aspects of pain processing and endogenous pain inhibition,” the researchers wrote.
As if muscle pain and tissue tenderness weren’t enough, many fibromyalgia patients must also put up with a variety of digestive problems on a daily basis. The pain and discomfort can get so bad you don’t know where to begin to find relief, and you may simply give up on a comfortable lifestyle.
Luckily, there are several steps you can take to get some relief, beginning with a better understanding of the connections and communication happening within your body.
It’s no coincidence that fibro pain and intestinal pain go hand in hand. Recent studies have used brain scans to match physiological responses in IBS patients and fibromyalgia patients.
Not only do both groups of patients show greater neurological responses to pain, but IBS and fibro patients also seem to experience a heightened awareness of pain. Since they show such similar brain activity in regard to pain stimulus, experts suspect that the two conditions share underlying causes.
Another explanation for the range of GI discomforts affecting fibro patients involves the autonomic nervous system, which regulates the function of the internal organs. This general nervous system is composed of two subsystems: the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, which rarely work simultaneously.
In fibromyalgia, the sympathetic nervous system (responsible for an increase in blood pressure, heart rate, and adrenaline) is almost constantly engaged, leaving the parasympathetic system (responsible for relaxation and digestion) sluggish or inactive.
Many people with fibromyalgia complain that certain foods irritate their stomach or exacerbate their fibro symptoms in other parts of their body. Any food could be a trigger, and while dairy and gluten are common culprits, many people have a unique set of food intolerances that can be difficult to identify without lots of time and careful attention.
The gastrointestinal system is made up of several parts: the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and bowel. When digestion slows down, or an intolerance disrupts the natural process, a chain of events can push pain and discomfort through your entire GI tract.
Fibro patients often complain of frustrating digestive troubles, like:
Acid reflux. When gastric juices are not used in the stomach, they tend to travel back up through the esophagus, resulting in heartburn or a painful sensation in the chest.
Cramping and constipation. When the process of peristalsis (the smooth muscle contraction that moves food through the tubes of the GI tract) slows down, your irritated intestines can begin to cramp and prevent the movement of waste through the bowel.
Diarrhea. When the digestive process slows or halts, undigested food can move from the stomach and into the intestine, where it can irritate the lining of the colon and produce IBS symptoms.
Gas. The longer food stays in your stomach and intestines, the longer your natural GI bacteria has to break down the compounds, and the more methane gas is produced from bacteria metabolism.
IBS is a distinct condition caused by abnormalities in the nerves that supply the digestive tract, and physicians often use the ROME criteria to diagnosis the disorder. If your doctor isn’t convinced that your symptoms fit in with IBS, don’t throw in the towel just yet; there are several ways to address your digestive problems, regardless of whether you have overlapping conditions or fibro-triggered GI pain.
Since what you eat and drink directly affects your digestive system (and indirectly affects every other system) begin to mend your digestive breakdown with your food choices, supplements, and meal habits.
In some cases, one change can make a world of difference, and some find that a total dietary makeover relieves their discomfort for good.
By eliminating any and all suspect foods from your diet for several weeks, then reintroducing them one by one, you can find out if anyone ingredient has been causing your digestive problems. Remember to wait several days between reintroductions in order to easily isolate the culprit.
There’s no universal problem food, but watch out for caffeine, dairy, beans, citrus fruit, and cruciferous veggies, which have all been known to cause stomach cramps, and both constipation and diarrhea in susceptible people.
If your tummy troubles mainly involve gas, bloating, and constipation, you may want to try a soluble fiber supplement. In a recent study of IBS patients conducted by researchers out of New York’s Beth Israel Medical Center, about 9 percent of patients found relief with a boost in soluble fiber.
Many people are suspicious of holistic alternatives, but the same study out of New York returned surprising results on the use of peppermint oil: an astounding 40% of IBS patients found that peppermint extract relieved their discomfort.
Peppermint has been shown to improve the function of the stomach and intestinal muscles, and it has a calm numbing effect on the entire GI tract. Look for high volatile oil peppermint tea or enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules for an appropriate dose of the therapeutic herb.
A big swing in the healthy direction may seem like a good idea, but any sweeping change can shock your system. Avoid the unnecessary discomfort by making little changes over time: the first step is to eliminate processed food and additives (they contain unnatural compounds that are incredibly difficult to digest), and then consider an elimination diet, or increasing whole grains while lowering saturated fat.
Although the root causes of IBS and fibromyalgia are still not entirely understood, the fact that they’re physiologically related suggests that certain treatments could help both conditions.
While no one medication has been shown to relieve symptoms for everyone, some options include:
Nothing can be solved overnight, but rest assured that there is a lot you can do about your digestion as you treat your fibromyalgia. Consider making some dietary changes while you take your prescribed medication, but make sure you don’t start or stop any course of medication before consulting with your doctor.
Exercise is an excellent remedy for digestive problems and fibro symptoms, so be sure to stay moderately active most days, if not every day of the week. Often, a change in your diet and exercise regime can bring the quickest – and most powerful – results.
The symptoms can be frustrating, ranging from numbness to outright pain in the affected areas.
When you go to your doctor for treatment, they’re likely to prescribe pain medications, pat you on the back and tell you to continue with your day-to-day activities.
But not only are pain medications expensive – but they also come with side effects that can be even more severe than your initial sciatica.
An alternative to taking the meds is doing yoga specifically designed to treat sciatica. And while that’s certainly a viable option for those who can afford classes, not everyone can perform the most helpful posts.
Turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin, can be used as a tonic to reduce the inflammation that occurs as a result of sciatica.
One way you can administer sciatica is by consuming it as tea. Dr. Weil’s recipe requires you to bring four cups of water to a boil, add one teaspoon of ground turmeric, simmer it for 10 minutes, strain and then add honey to taste.
If the tea is a bit too strong for your liking (turmeric does have a very distinctive taste), you can also, as per Home Remedies For Life’s instructions, sprinkle a quarter of a teaspoon of it on scrambled eggs or into soup, sauce or salad dressing. You should gradually increase the amount of turmeric you use until you make it to 1 teaspoon.
If you’re looking to skip tasting the turmeric altogether, you can also turn it into a paste that you apply on the area that is hurting.
To do this, boil half a cup of water and stir it into a quarter cup of turmeric. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 7 minutes while you stir constantly.
The mixture will turn into a paste – once it does, take it off the heat and let it cool. If it’s too dry, add a few drops of water and leave it in your refrigerator in a tightly sealed container.
When you’re ready to use it, apply the paste to the sore areas of your skin and leave it on for 15 minutes. Then, have a shower and wash it off.
Turmeric works by lowering levels of inflammation-fueling enzymes. It’s been used as a painkiller for centuries due to its proven effectiveness. It was confirmed by Malaysian scientists in 2010 to get rid of nerve pain, but it was used all over Asia long before then.
How much turmeric is most effective? The suggested dose per adult for the purpose of reducing pain is 300mg taken 3 times a day.
One of the worst things about fibromyalgia, besides the chronic pain and fatigue, has to be the way that people who suffer from fibromyalgia are at risk of so many other conditions like autoimmune diseases and especially, chronic headaches.
It’s estimated that up to forty percent of people with fibromyalgia suffer from migraines or some other form of a persistent headache. But like fibromyalgia, it’s hard to get to the bottom of what’s causing your headaches. And like fibromyalgia, migraines are often misdiagnosed. In fact, some people who suffer from persistent headaches aren’t actually suffering from migraines, but from a related condition called occipital neuralgia. So, what is occipital neuralgia? How is it related to fibromyalgia? And what can you do to treat it?
Occipital neuralgia is a condition that causes chronic pain in the base of the skull. People often describe it as being like an electrical shock or even similar to being stabbed in the muscle. The pain usually radiates from the back of the head down the neck and up the sides of the head or behind the eye.
The root of the condition lies in the occipital nerves. These are nerves that run from the back of the neck and the spine up through the sides of the head to the scalp. But sometimes, injuries or inflammation of the muscles in the spine cause the tissue to start pressing on these nerves. This leads to a condition called neuralgia, where the nerves begin to send pain signals to the brain.
That produces symptoms that are similar to migraines, which makes it difficult to diagnose the condition. Doctors can diagnose the condition by performing a physical exam, pressing their finger into the base of the skull to see if your pain gets worse. In addition, they can also give you something called a nerve block, which shuts off the interaction between the nerves, which can help prove that it’s neuralgia rather than migraines.
But there are many different conditions that can lead to neuropathy, which is why it might affect people with fibromyalgia more frequently than the general population.
Fibromyalgia puts you at risk of a number of different conditions and some of them are also contributing factors to neuralgia. For instance, diabetes is a common complaint of people with fibromyalgia. And the nerve pain from diabetes can contribute significantly to the risk of developing occipital neuralgia.
In addition, we know that having fibromyalgia makes you more likely to develop autoimmune conditions. An autoimmune condition is one where the body’s immune system begins to attack the body’s own tissue. This results in painful inflammation all over the body. And a common autoimmune condition is something called arteritis. Arteritis causes inflammation in the walls of the blood vessels. This inflammation can put pressure on the occipital nerves and can be a root cause of neuralgia.
And fibromyalgia also seems to affect the nerves themselves. Fibromyalgia seems to trigger your nerves to send pain signals to the brain. And it could be that the same nerve connections can contribute to the symptoms of occipital neuralgia.
So, there are a lot of different possible reasons that fibromyalgia could contribute to the condition, but what you probably want to know if you suffer from it is what you can do to treat it.
There are a few things you can do to immediately provide some relief. The best thing to do is to get some rest. Moving your neck can make the pain worse. Instead, lay down and apply a warm compress to the back of the neck. And massaging the muscles of the neck can help, as can basic, over-the-counter pain medication.
Your doctor can also prescribe a number of medications that can help with the symptoms. Your doctor might prescribe muscle relaxants to help ease the overly-tight muscles that are pressing on the nerves. And they can also prescribe steroid shots that help reduce inflammation of the tissue.
In addition, the doctor can give you regular nerve block injections. These nerve blocks tend to wear off after a week or two, so you will probably need a number of treatments to help control the symptoms.
Combined with rest and warm compresses, these medications are usually enough to help resolve the worst symptoms of the condition.
Fibromyalgia is typically characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, inability to get refreshing sleep, waking up tired and stiff, and developing cognitive disturbances including lack of concentration and clumsiness, dizziness, etc.
Fibromyalgia syndrome is a chronic and long-term condition that has no cure. About 10 million people are currently diagnosed with this disorder. Although 9 out of 10 people diagnosed are women, men also get this disorder.
Studies have shown that fibromyalgia is also associated with several other conditions. Typically some patients with fibromyalgia also experience dryness of the cornea or eyes and mouth.
The presence of ocular discomfort or eye dryness and grittiness is one of the more common complaints of fibromyalgia compared to oral or mouth dryness. Studies have shown that there may be alteration in the formation of tears when compared to the general population.
A syndrome condition called Sjogren’s syndrome is typically characterized by dry eyes and the inability to form tears. It has been seen, however, that fibromyalgia patients with dry eyes and dry mouth do not satisfy the criteria for diagnosis of Sjogren’s syndrome. They are commonly diagnosed with Dry eye and mouth syndrome (DEMS).
Tear secretion is markedly decreased in fibromyalgia but not to the extent of other dry eye conditions. Further, the eye becomes more sensitive to high levels of carbon dioxide, heat, and cold compared to normal persons.
Fibromyalgia is closely associated with irritable bowel syndrome and reduced salivary secretions leading to dry mouth. Dry mouth in itself is rarely present. It is more commonly associated with dry eyes in patients with fibromyalgia.
If there’s one thing someone with fibromyalgia knows, it’s pain. After all, anyone living with the kind of chronic, excruciating pain that fibromyalgia causes quickly finds that their life becomes all about it.
But did you know that there are actually several different types of pain?
Doctors spend a lot of their time trying to help people in pain. And they’ve developed a system for classifying it over the years. One of these categories is something called “visceral pain.” Visceral pain can be one of the most painful kinds and is often an indication that something is seriously wrong with the body.
So, let’s talk about visceral pain. What is it? What causes it? And what can you do about it?
The most widely accepted system for classifying pain breaks it into two large categories: nociceptive and neuropathic.
Nociceptive pain is a normal response to injury or disease that arises in the tissue of the body. Meanwhile, neuropathic pain is rooted in the nervous system. And within those categories are subcategories, including visceral pain.
Visceral pain is classified under nociceptive pain because it comes from within the tissue of the body. Specifically, visceral pain affects the inner organs, or viscera. This category usually refers to organs inside the abdomen like the liver, lungs, kidneys, and heart.
Doctors used to believe that these organs were actually unable to feel pain. But we now understand that these organs just feel pain differently than the rest of the body. If you were to say, slice your liver with a knife, you may not actually feel that much pain. But if you were to twist or stretch your liver, you would experience a great deal of pain.
That’s because of the way the nervous system around these organs is structured. These nerves are very sensitive to certain types of pain and insensitive to others. And visceral pain is often very felt very different from other types of pain as well.
The pain is often described as a sort of vague, unpleasant sensation that seems to spread across the abdomen. And it is often hard to identify by the feeling where the pain is actually coming from. In addition, visceral pain can produce symptoms in your mood. Many people who suffer from this type of pain report feelings of malaise or anxiety.
That’s not to suggest that visceral pain isn’t as physically uncomfortable as other types of pain. In fact, when someone develops a medical condition that leads to visceral pain, it can be truly agonizing.
For instance, one source of visceral pain, kidney stones, is considered by many to be the most intense physical pain that someone can experience. People have even described it as being worse than the pain of childbirth. Kidney stones are caused by a build-up of minerals in the kidneys that grow into solid masses inside the organs and have to be passed through the urinary tract, a process that can be miserable to go through.
And generally, any condition that leads to inflammation or distention (being pulled out of place) of the organs can lead to extreme visceral pain. For instance, a heart attack is one of the most common conditions that lead to visceral pain. And conditions like inflammation of the liver (hepatitis) or clots in the veins that prevent blood from flowing to organs are common causes of visceral pain as well.
There are many different, less-common sources of pain in the organs, and a doctor will be able to give you a diagnosis of what is causing your pain. And that diagnosis will determine how your pain is treated.
The first step in treating visceral pain is to help the patient with the pain itself. There are a number of ways to do this, like opioid pain-relievers or a nerve block, where medication is injected directly into a group of nerves to cut off the sensation of pain.
After finding a way to manage the pain, the doctor will try to identify what is causing it. Treatment will then focus on fixing the underlying issue. For a condition like kidney stones, for instance, doctors can use a machine that sends shockwaves into the kidneys, breaking the stones up into smaller pieces that are easier to pass.
Ultimately, what type of treatment you get will depend on what condition you have. Always consult a doctor as soon as possible if you’re experiencing severe pain. They will be able to recommend effective treatment.
Fibromyalgia is a complex соndіtіоn thаt is rеѕроnѕіblе for a lot of dіffеrеnt ѕуmрtоmѕ. Including wіdеѕрrеаd раіn mаnу ѕіtеѕ of thе body, system аrе affected. But yet, раіn іn thе ѕсаlр аnd hеаd is соmmоnlу experienced.
The еxасt саuѕе of fіbrоmуаlgіа іѕ nоt rеаllу well undеrѕtооd but іt mау bе аn autoimmune соndіtіоn thаt аffесtѕ thе thуrоіd glаnd, causing іt tо become under асtіvе. This еxрlаіnѕ some оf thе ѕуmрtоmѕ but оthеrѕ mау bе duе to furthеr еffесtѕ оf thе autoimmune rеѕроnѕе.
Having раіn or tеndеrnеѕѕ in the scalp іѕ different to hаvіng a hеаdасhе. Sсаlр раіn is fеlt аt thе surface оf the ѕkіn covering thе skull and tеndѕ tо bе ѕhаrр, ѕtаbbіng or рrісklу, with a tіnglіng sensation rаthеr thаn thе deep thrоbbіng раіn оf a hеаdасhе. It іѕ rarely аѕѕосіаtеd with оthеr hеаdасhе ѕуmрtоmѕ ѕuсh as nаuѕеа, vоmіtіng, or ѕеnѕіtіvіtу tо light оr ѕоund.
Sсаlр раіn hаѕ several роѕѕіblе саuѕеѕ but is one of those health рrоblеmѕ that ѕоmеtіmеѕ рrоvеѕ іmроѕѕіblе tо dіаgnоѕе, ѕuggеѕtіng іt mау also hаvе a ѕtrеѕѕ соmроnеnt.
Adapting Your Hair Cаrе аnd Dеаlіng with Hаіr Prоblеmѕ in Fіbrоmуаlgіа Fіbrоmуаlgіа саn аffесt еvеrуthіng, including уоur hаіr. Sоmеtіmеѕ the illness іtѕеlf саuѕеѕ сhаngеѕ whіlе other tіmеѕ our ѕуmрtоmѕ аrе rеѕроnѕіblе.
Thіѕ isn’t аn аrеа that’s been researched, whісh іѕ understandable – it’s nоt оnе of our wоrѕt symptoms bу any ѕtrеtсh, аnd іt also doesn’t арреаr tо be one of thе mоrе common оnеѕ. Othеr then that, thоugh, wе hаvе tо rеlу оn thе еxреrіеnсе оf оthеrѕ wіth thіѕ іllnеѕѕ to learn аbоut this раrtісulаr problem.
Hair lоѕѕ is оn thе symptoms lіѕt fоr fіbrоmуаlgіа. Thе gооd news іѕ that іt’ѕ tеmроrаrу: our hаіr falls out, аnd then іt grоwѕ bасk in. Thе bad news іѕ thаt wе has nо рrоvеn treatments fоr рrеvеntіng the fаll-оut.
Mаnу people with fіbrоmуаlgіа rероrt that thеу lose hair durіng tіmеѕ оf high ѕtrеѕѕ оr durіng flаrеѕ. It’ѕ соmmоn tо hеаr about ѕоmеоnе wаѕhіng their hаіr only tо еnd up with their hаndѕ соvеrеd іn іt. Sоmеtіmеѕ оur ѕіgnіfісаnt others might notice an аbnоrmаl аmоunt of hаіr іn the bаthtub or оn a ріllоw.
Whеnеvеr wе have so mаnу signs оr ѕуmрtоmѕ thаt can be dіѕаblіng аnd fоrсе significant changes uроn uѕ, іt mіght ѕееm ѕіllу оr frіvоlоuѕ to tаlk аbоut hair іѕѕuеѕ.
However, thе wау and manner we look mау hаvе some a trеmеndоuѕ impact оn ѕеlf-еѕtееm, which саn оftеn tаkе a bеаtіng anyway whеn уоu lose аbіlіtіеѕ аnd іndереndеnсе to сhrоnіс dіѕеаѕе.
A less соmmоn соmрlаіnt thаn hair lоѕѕ іѕ ѕсаlр раіn. I’vе hеаrd from ѕоmе people that their ѕсаlр often fееlѕ lіkе it’s оn fіrе and thеу can’t еvеn bear tо wаѕh or bruѕh thеіr hair.
Hаіr-ѕресіfіс symptoms can сhаngе thе wау wе approach оur hair, аnd so саn other ѕуmрtоmѕ such as раіn, fаtіguе, аnd excessive ѕwеаtіng.
Thоѕе wіѕру lіttlе re-growing hairs саn dеtrасt from уоur hairstyle. Lоѕѕ саn noticeably thіn thе hаіr, and some people even rероrt bаld patches. Many of uѕ have changed or adapted оur hairstyles аѕ a rеѕult of thеѕе іѕѕuеѕ.
Thе pain of fіbrоmуаlgіа іѕ bоdу-wіdе, ѕо іt shouldn’t be ѕurрrіѕіng that it еxtеndѕ tо thе ѕсаlр. Fіbrоmуаlgіа аnd сhrоnіс fаtіguе syndrome саn affect еvеrу аrеа of уоur lіfе, rіght down tо thе mоѕt оrdіnаrу tаѕkѕ оf daily life. Sоmеtіmеѕ, уоu mіght bе ѕurрrіѕеd bу how dіffісult “оrdіnаrу” thіngѕ have become for уоu.
If scalp pain, оr ѕеnѕаtіоnѕ in thе ѕсаlр ѕuсh аѕ tingling, fееlіngѕ of cold оr hеаt, оr a type of wrіgglіng feeling оссur without another ѕуmрtоmѕ, іt may bе thаt thіѕ is duе tо ѕtrеѕѕ or anxiety.
It іѕ a symptom thаt іѕ reported by a lоt оf реорlе аnd іt сlеаrlу wоrrіеѕ them. Thinking that thе ѕеnѕаtіоnѕ іn thе scalp are duе tо ѕоmеthіng more ѕеrіоuѕ mаkеѕ thе рrоblеm worse.
If the аbоvе соndіtіоnѕ аrе оbvіоuѕlу nоt рrеѕеnt, hоwеvеr, ѕсаlр pain аnd odd feelings in the ѕсаlр are unlikely tо be a ѕіgn that anything is seriously wrоng.
It mау bе a gооd іdеа tо ѕреаk tо уоur doctor about it so that thеу саn set your mіnd аt rеѕt, аnd thеn аѕk аbоut ѕtrеѕѕ management ѕtrаtеgіеѕ оr relaxation thеrаріеѕ.
The bе referred tо the tор of thе head frоm nесk muѕсlеѕ whеrе thеу attach tо thе ѕkull, hе соntіnuеѕ. In addition, аllоdуnіа іѕ аnоthеr kіnd оf раіn that mау bе рrеѕеnt іn fibromyalgia. Allo mеаnѕ оthеr and dуnіа mеаnѕ раіn.
Allodynia rеfеrѕ tо whеn lіght tоuсh оn the ѕkіn is раіnful, It іѕ associated with increased activity оf a nеurоtrаnѕmіttеr called NMDA, and gеnеrаllу rеѕроndѕ tо overall treatment оf thе fіbrоmуаlgіа.
Ankylosing Spondyloarthritis is a condition whereby those places in the body where the ligaments and bones meet, are inflamed, causing sharp and sporadic pains that may not subside for long periods of time.
Ankylosing Spondyloarthritis is characterized by low back pain that may extend to the butt region. Stiffness in the spine is also common and this can be mild in women who have more movements in their spines. Ankylosing Spondyloarthritis may also affect men, but it is not as common as in women.
Their symptoms may look similar, but Ankylosing Spondyloarthritis is different from fibromyalgia in diverse ways. Simply put, fibromyalgia involves pains located in the soft tissues and muscles, especially the ligaments and tendons, and this condition may not show any evidence of inflammation.
There are ongoing researches being conducted to establish the link between fibromyalgia and Ankylosing Spondyloarthritis, but presently, there is no specific genetic marker for fibromyalgia, therefore it is practically impossible to link both conditions genetically.
Inflammatory disorders have been linked with the abuse of medications such as corticosteroids, and antibiotics, and one of the fastest possible ways of detecting these conditions is through the observation of diarrhea and blood in stools.
AnkylosingSpondyloarthritis, for instance, has been linked with the inflammation of the aorta of the heart, and this is a dangerous condition, in which blood flows back from the aorta, instead of flowing forward and distributed to all other parts of the body.
The increase in the conduction system of the heart and may lead to high blood pressure and eventually heart failure.
Ankylosing Spondyloarthritis disorder is more common among women between the ages between 25 and 45, and the fact that it co-exists with other diseases can make it extremely difficult to diagnose.
Just before treatment, the medical practitioner may have to ask a series of questions in order to ascertain the proper treatment to administer.
For instance, some drugs may interact with those prescribed for Ankylosing Spondyloarthritis, and such situations may worsen the condition, instead of ameliorating it.
Dietary changes can help alleviate most of the inflammatory symptoms of Ankylosing Spondyloarthritis. For instance, you can reduce the risks of developing the disease by avoiding foods that can trigger inflammation.
For instance, white flour, sugar, and certain spices can cause Ankylosing Spondyloarthritis to get worse. You may also be advised to stay away from strenuous exercises that can put further strains on your joints and ligaments.
In extreme cases, surgical treatments may be administered to a patient suffering from Ankylosing Spondyloarthritis. In most cases, the medical practitioner will examine you.
Any physical activity that may speed up the healing of inflamed joints, can also be recommended. For instance, the systemic movement of legs in certain positions, for several minutes a day, has been found to be effective in speeding up the healing of inflamed joints.
Surgical procedures are only performed on the affected body area when the pain seems to be recurring and it has reached an advanced stage where it is affecting the normal daily life of the patient.
X-ray findings and blood tests are normally used in confirming Ankylosing Spondyloarthritis once physical examinations have been conducted, while X-rays will reveal abnormalities in the affected joint, tendon, or spine, blood tests are normally conducted to confirm the presence of inflammation in the body.
Fibromyalgia is a disease that has many symptoms and some of them can be confusing for people. So in case, you were thinking that it only affects the energy levels of the body and that the only problem is muscle and tissue pain, you were wrong.
This kind of disease can affect almost any aspect of a person’s life and it is time we educate ourselves on it and give more understanding to people who suffer from it.
Fibromyalgia is different for each patient who suffers from it and it affects every person in some different way. For example, daytime fatigue and exhaustion will be major problems for a person who has an interrupted sleep cycle and has fibromyalgia as well.
And this will usually result in depression and increased muscle pain. But just because this is the most common symptom of this disease does not mean that it is the only one we should look at and consider.
There are numerous others that a person who suffers from fibromyalgia battles with every day. Most of the time there are all intertwined with one another and affect each other.
So with that line of thought if there is a way to help with one symptom it will result in helping with the others as well.
Fibromyalgia often leaves the person feeling fatigued and mentally confused. Many patients claim that it feels as if they have a fog setting over their brains.
From 50 to 70 percent of the patients have chronic headaches and migraines, and they happen at least two times per week.
Imagine living a normal life with that kind of condition. This leaves the patient exhausted on a physical as well as on a mental level.
One of the symptoms that may have been overlooked is difficulty in speaking when you have fibromyalgia.
Having trouble with language and having trouble speaking can be very irritating and frustrating, especially when we live in a modern society where you are in a constant need to communicate your thought clearly and where you are constantly surrounded by other people who expect you to speak with ease and clarity.
Before your doctor diagnoses difficulty in speaking to fibromyalgia, it should be checked that there are no underlying issues with the throat, the ears, or the nose.
The pain signals are constant and too many stimuli from different sources can confuse the brain and lead to speech problems.
People suffering from fibromyalgia find it a common problem to speak clear thoughts or remember certain words sometimes. It may even result in trouble with writing or understanding language.
Researchers are not yet sure why exactly fibromyalgia causes these language problems because dysphasia and aphasia are linked to brain injury or degeneration, such as when suffering from a stroke.
And for now, there is no evidence that fibromyalgia can cause brain tissue damage or degeneration. We may hope that in time some link between the two will be discovered and that a cure will be found, but before that, we must think of ways to make life easier for a person who suffers from fibromyalgia.
People who suffer from the disease claim that in most cases the more tired and exhausted they are the more difficult to speak it gets for them.
They find themselves searching for the right word and it simply doesn’t come to mind. Or the person finds themselves saying a word that has no correlation with the conversion or their train of thought.
This is something that can be very frustrating when it first starts happening and it is good to find a coping mechanism to help. It is important not to stress too much about it as stress leads to less sleep and more fatigue and exhaustion. Try to keep a positive outlook on the whole problem and not blame yourself when it happens. Give yourself a couple of seconds, laugh at it if you can and then move on.
Some days this will not happen and on some days it will but there are ways you can help yourself.
If you find that the more rested you are the rearer the happens then try to find ways to get better and more regular sleep.
Make a plan of going to bed each night at the same time and get up in the morning at the same time and see if this gives you more energy.
Or if you find that it is easier for you to write than to speak for a time then communicate with the people via text or email for a while. Whichever way you find of getting yourself relief is a good way.
Because speech difficulties can be very frustrating. They can be unpredictable and people who don’t know you can get confused and impatient.
So make sure that you explain to people that this is a symptom of a disease that you cannot control and that it does not define who you are as a person. And say this to yourself as well.
We just saw that fibromyalgia has many symptoms and that affects almost every aspect of a person’s life. But it is a disease that can be fought against and the patient’s condition can improve over time.
Considering how all the symptoms are linked together speech trouble and language difficulty can result in more stress, anxiety, and exhaustion if you don’t know how to help yourself. So find little ways every day to make yourself feel better if you can.
Fibromyalgia is the second most common rheumatic disorder behind osteoarthritis and, though still widely misunderstood, is now considered to be a lifelong central nervous system disorder, which is responsible for amplified pain that shoots through the body in those who suffer from it. Daniel Clauw, M.D., professor of anesthesiology, University of Michigan, analyzed the neurological basis for fibromyalgia in a plenary session addressed today at the American Pain Society Annual Scientific Meeting.
“Fibromyalgia can be thought of both as a discreet disease and also as a final common pathway of pain centralization and certification. Most people with this condition have lifelong histories of chronic pain throughout their bodies,” said Clauw. “The condition can be hard to diagnose if one isn’t familiar with classic symptoms because there isn’t a single cause and no outward signs.”
“Because pain pathways throughout the body are amplified in fibromyalgia patients, pain can occur anywhere, so chronic headaches, visceral pain, and sensory hyper-responsiveness are common in people with this painful condition,” said Clauw.
“This does not imply that peripheral nociceptive input does not contribute to pain experienced by fibromyalgia patients, but they do feel more pain than normally would be expected from the degree of peripheral input. Persons with fibromyalgia and other pain states characterized by sensitization will experience pain from what those without the condition would describe as touch,” Clauw added.
Due to the central nervous system origins of fibromyalgia pain, Clauw said treatments with opioids or other narcotic analgesics usually are not effective because they do not reduce the activity of neurotransmitters in the brain. “These drugs have never been shown to be effective in fibromyalgia patients, and there is evidence that opioids might even worsen fibromyalgia and other centralized pain states,” he said.
Clauw advises clinicians to integrate pharmacological treatments, such as gabapentinoids, trycyclics, and serotonin reuptake inhibitors, with nonpharmacological approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy, exercise and stress reduction.
“Sometimes the magnitude of treatment response for simple and inexpensive non-drug therapies exceeds that for pharmaceuticals,” said Clauw. “The greatest benefit is improved function, which should be the main treatment goal for any chronic pain condition. The majority of patients with fibromyalgia can see improvement in their symptoms and lead normal lives with the right medications and extensive use of non-drug therapies.
