Being the most mobile joint in the body, the shoulder can sure do a lot of things for us, like lifting, reaching, and supporting our good posture.
The problem is that with all of that mobility, and wear over time, we can end up having fibromyalgia shoulder pain that can radiate, burn, extend up and down the arm, and cause resulting weakness.
Have you noticed that when your fibromyalgia shoulder pain is flaring, you might have problems with reaching, writing, typing, texting, using your mouse, or lying down?
I was recently doing a live video series on the facebook page talking all about the shoulder, and how simple things like lying in the bed on our back can also flare shoulder pain when the shoulder goes to rest in a lower position. You wouldn’t think about that one until it happens to you, and boy, can it be painful.
Maybe you reach up to get some plates from the cabinet, and feel a sharp and radiating pain in your upper (humeral) arm? Oh yea, I get that, and why it always reminds me of the vulnerability of this area. Shoulder pain can also be age related, I know for myself, I’ve had more shoulder issues since about age 50.
With fibromyalgia shoulder pain, we have more variables than just shoulder pain by itself. With fibromyalgia, we have the propensity to both tender areas around the lower neck, and trigger points that can occur anywhere around the head, neck, shoulder, and clavicle area.
Things can accumulate over time. A job where you engage in repetitive motion with your upper body, lifting children, extending too far out from the body, and more.
Trigger points can be created from injury or repetitive motions, and I like to say it can look like a connect the dots game. Unlike tender areas, trigger points tend to radiate pain AND they have a propensity to cause inflammation.
If someone you know ever says fibromyalgia is not inflammatory, send them here, I talk about this often.
The Apley Scratch test is simply a test anyone can do to determine the range of motion around the shoulder and upper arm (humeral) As I am showing here below, you simply reach back, as if you’re scratching your back. How far can you reach? Can you reach further on one arm than the other? I have more range with my left arm, which I am using here, the right not as much.
There are many daily activities of living that can put pressure on the shoulders. When doing an activity like vacuuming, be sure you are focused, and pushing into the movement, rather than allowing the movement to “pull” on your arm or shoulder.
When reaching for something, always be aware of the weight of what you are picking up. The worst thing is to have your arm already extended, and then discover something is too heavy.
As you can imagine, I cringe when I see people at the gym using Kettle Bells, because extending weight too far from the body can be dangerous, and we just want to err on the side of caution.
If you are at your computer for extended periods of time, take breaks, and even change the arm that you use with your mouse. I prefer a cordless mouse, as the mouse built into the laptop can be really tough on the shoulders and upper arms.
Be careful of leaning on your arms or shoulder. I was recently leaning down on my kitchen island, supporting my forehead with my hand, and within seconds of resting my arm on the top of the island, I got a sharp radiating pain right up to my shoulder. It was likely the angle and pressure together.
There are many suggestions I have given over the years for shoulder pain, but let’s focus on a few important ones here.
1. Circulation therapy (in this case, hot/cold therapy) is important and can relieve the intensity of the pain. Unlike a lower extremity, it might be a little more challenging to reach this area, but we have to get creative. You can alternate hot and cold water in the shower (not feasible for everyone) of alternate hot and cold packs on the shoulder area.
(NOTE that the often-recommended time for hot/cold therapy is often 20 minutes hot, 20 minutes cold. However, with fibromyalgia, I like to say 10 minutes or even less) Try to get a total of 45 minutes to an hour in, and this will be sufficient for many, 1-2 times per day or when feasible.
2. Be aware of sleeping habits. It is obvious that side sleeping would not be the best, but also when you lie down on your back, the shoulder is allowed to fall back further than when you are standing upright. I find it really helpful to use a small pillow under my shoulder when I need it.
3. Keep the blood flowing by doing any level of daily movement that is right for you.
4. Use the “Shoulders Back” device shown here in the upper back pain article. I use this, and I have gotten many good comments and feedback from other who are using it. It helps posture, shoulder support, and like my experience, people report that it just feels good. You don’t wear it all the time, just enough.
5. Be aware of posture, walk in your confidence. Don’t think it matters? It really does. Falling posture affects the shoulders, entire back, chest, abdomen, and clavicle area.
Whether it is fibromyalgia pain itself causing you shoulder pain, arthritis or bursitis, you might try utilizing natural remedies first. I like Boswelia, CBD oils or cream, and Astaxanthin. With joint pain, there can be inflammation. All of the above suggestions are meant to reduce inflammation as well. Be sure to address any bone density issues, and if you are over 50 like I am, then getting a DEXA bone scan every two years is a great idea.
If you have been living with fibromyalgia, you likely experience chronic muscle painon a regular basis. Although this is just one of many symptoms within fibromyalgia, it can be relentless. This pain can occur due to layers of trigger points within muscle and connective tissue and around the tender “areas” of the fibro body.
Chronic muscle pain in fibromyalgia is pretty much “equal opportunity” meaning that it can affect every part of the body, from the vulnerable area around the shoulders, upper back and arms to the lower body including glutes, lower back and legs.
Another issue with chronic muscle pain is the weakness that can and often does accompany the pain. This is the result of “inactive” trigger points that cause no pain at the moment but do cause weakness in the host muscle. This is what causes your shoulder to freeze or your hips to feel as if they have locked up on you.
The “weakness” is a result of either these dormant trigger points or the eventual non-use resulting from a lack of “activation” within the muscle. It is very difficult to work or activate muscles in the body that have active or inactive trigger points in or around them.
If you go to physical therapy for example and the exercises seem to cause more pain, this could be due to active trigger points. The goal is to be able to distinguish where trigger points may be causing chronic muscle pain and resulting weakness.
It may be necessary to get with a therapist trained in manual trigger point therapy or Myotherapyto help release these areas while working to decrease overall pain levels and bring more body awareness as well. The mind creates “motor programs” all the time, so we want to support the mind and body through proper movements that it will adhere to more automatically.
In the “Fibromyalgia Symptoms” article, we refer to what we call “the groove”. This is what many people with fibromyalgia experience when they find themselves consistently avoiding more activities of daily living and/or greater exertion.
The problem is that when we continually avoid using our major and minor muscle groups, they begin to weaken and atrophy.
Many people with fibromyalgia chronic muscle pain find themselves in a “catch 22” of sorts when every activity or seemingly simple task leads to increased pain around muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments
Although it can vary from person to person, when fibromyalgia chronic muscle pain is present, it can affect not just the muscle, but the surrounding areas of tissue, tendon and joint as well.
People with fibromyalgia, often say that the pain actually “feels like” it is in the bone, not always the muscle. When the areas around the upper body are “flaring” this can be musculo-skeletal pain at its worst.
It can then be hard to distinguish exactly where the pain is coming from, but you can bet that the weakness and pain in the muscle is likely to affect surrounding areas. Burning, stabbing, and radiating in between muscles and joints, tendons and ligaments. The muscles often feel “knotted” and are painful and radiating upon touch.
Sometimes radiating pain from a nerve or muscle can feel like it is in the bone and surrounding joint area.
For instance, the bone in the upper arm (known as the humerus) is often a place where trigger points can radiate from the neck, shoulder and clavicle area.
Do you ever reach up to a kitchen cabinet for plates or a glass, and when you do, notice a shot from nowhere around your “humerus” in the upper arm?
Yes, and it’s not too humorous now is it? No, it’s not funny because it can leave the fibro person wondering what is going on? Why is it that just reaching my arm up could cause such a radiating pain?
Well, that is the combination of trigger points and myofascial pain and when in combination with fibromyalgia, can exhibit itself in any area of the body, but especially the more vulnerable parts related to “tender areas” of the fibro body.
How is it that chronic muscle pain has become so pervasive? Well, did you know that about 45% of our body weight is made of muscle?
And, doctors are not trained in treating muscle pain at its source. So, let’s take you, for example, the person living with fibromyalgia.
If a treating doctor is merely throwing drugs and muscle relaxants at you, it becomes very difficult to address the fascia pain and the trigger points that are either “at rest” or active at any given time.
Because fibromyalgia affects multiple systems, the fibro body is also now dealing with the side effects of medication, or maybe multiple ones, and its effects on the delicate endocrine and immune systems.
And, unlike the familiar muscle pain of working out or pushing a muscle through the applications of strength training, this kind of muscle pain is ongoing and therefore referred to as chronic. It is not always related to any incident, injury or over compensation.
That is what I like to call the difference between a “hurt so good” kind of pain and a “hurts all the time” kind of pain that not only feels unproductive but is detrimental when left to become chronic and debilitating.
A hurt so good pain is what happens when we test our muscles and work to build muscle strength. A detrimental pain is often from overuse, repetition, multiple trigger points, tightness and lack of regeneration in the body (non -restorative sleep).
I believe one of the reasons that people with fibromyalgia often feel as if they are progressively getting worse is due to this very complex issue with chronic muscle pain, myofascial pain and the many symptoms within the various systems including both the nervous and endocrine systems of the body.
It is therefore essential that we learn to mediate our pain in the most effective ways possible.
We may not be able to get rid of all pain and symptoms, but if we want to have more good days than bad now, and independence in our later years, despite living with fibromyalgia and all of its complexity, we have to be more proactive.
It’s bad enough for a healthy person to let muscle atrophy and weaken, but for a fibro person, this can lead to debilitation and a greater propensity to loss of independence.
Whether you are newly diagnosed or living with fibromyalgia for a near lifetime like many of us, it is important to focus on the solutions for a better quality of life.
There can be some barriers to finding a solution that works for many fibro people:
If you are under the care of a doctor that is unfamiliar with fibromyalgia, you are likely on a prescription drug regimine. The drug will help initially, but then lose some of its effectiveness. Many fibro victims think their fibro is getting worse and ask for and get a higher dosage.
This cycle goes on unless your doctor realizes the medication is losing its effectiveness and changes to another one. Then, the whole cycle begins anew.
Many of the drugs prescribed for fibromyalgia have serious side-effects, and it becomes very difficult to separate those from the numerous symptoms of fibromyalgia. This vastly complicates your doctor’s plan to treat you.
Scientists have learned that even the powerful drug morphine, as we all know, initially helps to control serious pain, but you may not know that eventually, it turns on the body and actually contributes to the pain.
I’m not saying that you should not take the prescription medicines for fibro. But, you know that there’s no “silver bullet” out there right now. These medications come with their own set of issues and complications, especially over the long term.
We know there is a better way, but again, it’s never all or nothing with fibro.
Another exasperating issuein fibromyalgia is the variability of not only the symptoms between individuals with fibro, but also their response to solutions.
Scientists conducting studies and clinical trials are thrilled if a third of participants experience a positive outcome. Then, of course the question that arises is, “just how positive was the outcome?”. Today, there’s no quantitative way to measure the degree of positive outcome.
There’s a standard set of questions that are asked of the participants, the answers to which are qualitative at best. However, using the tools they have, Drs. conducting clinical trials using both a real medication and a “fake” medication (placebo) have determined that there is only a 10% absolute improvement in pain using the FDA approved fibromyalgia medications.
Since I don’t tolerate drugs very well, they have not been an option for me. So, I have always focused on non-drug methods to control my fibromyalgia chronic muscle pain.
I have developed quite a “tool set” for chronic muscle pain that has worked for me even though I suffer with severe fibromyalgia and its primary co-conditions.
Basically, it’s a “trial and error” process, but it’s not without guidance.
Some of us in the field are continually updating our published advice. But I will tell you that much of our content here is evergreen, meaning what was relevant 15 years ago, is relevant today.
In the case of suggested supplements, I have checked out various brands for their history of quality and their degree of involvement in ongoing research into fibromyalgia. One very important characteristic I look for is the bio-availability of the ingredients. It varies widely from brand to brand.
In several cases the supplement I recommend is five-times more effective at the same dose level as other well-known brands. This then becomes both an effectiveness and an affordability issue.
I am not saying that I recommend only these brands; however, the ones I recommend are of good quality, and I’ve used the product myself and with clients ongoing. Also, I will be with you as you traverse this website always trying to offer insight as to how you should go about prioritizing with supplementation, because more is not better.
First, before I get to suggestions, I hope you will continue to follow on the my two Facebook pages. I often talk about this and many other topics related to fibromyalgia.
Remember that trigger points, which are common in fibromyalgia (but different than tender areas) often occur in and around muscle tissue. Because this is a rather thorough article, I will put the trigger points article at the bottom of this article.
Trigger points in muscle make it hard for the muscle to function properly, and hard to activate the muscle. This is why you feel like you are losing muscle strength.
Although we use a non-medication approach here for the most part, I am going to give you a study below.
A recent trial study found that the supplement acetyl L-carnitine successfully improved pain and depression about as well as duloxetine (Cymbalta), a prescription drug often used for fibro. The duloxetine, however, also improved psychological symptoms. The dosage of acetyl L-carnitine used was 1500 mg/day. (NOTE: You should always talk to your doctor about any supplement and its dosage before taking it.)
Researchers at Wake Forest Medical College found that light to moderate exercise did not increase the fibromyalgia pain for a group of fibro patients; however, their overall fibro symptoms, including pain, improved.
Just published in April, 2015, Spanish researchers found that higher physical fitness is consistently associated with lower fibromyalgia severity in women with FMS.
Checkout the “Benefits of Exercise” article to learn that a double-blind clinical trial found that 12-weeks of moderate strength training led to a 35 to 49% improvement in the pain of fibromyalgia among a large group of fibro women. And, only 9% of participants in the study had to drop out.
See recommended nutrients at bottom of this article.
Try a low carb diet to reduce glucose levels.
Use mind body techniques such as deep breathing, visualization, and meditation to calm your inner self. (See Mind Body & Coping) Introductory Yoga postures along with training in the yoga breathing techniques can also help, but no intense stretching or long sessions.
Practice stress reduction techniques that we ascribe to in this website.
Walking and light exercise including both strength and low impact aerobics (start slow).
When I say “start slow”, I also mean to “fire” your concept of exercise and start working with me on better adaption to daily activities first.
Think positive. “Fire” your “Negative Nelly” as I said I did on my Mind Body Connection page. No more “why me?”. That also means avoid focusing on “symptoms talk” except with your doctor, and do focus on anything positive, no matter how small. Because of the way we’re “wired”, anything we focus on consistently, grows bigger.
The patented pressure pad in the brace applies targeted pressure to the specific point that provides back pain relief! BeActive is now FDA approved for Class 1 Medical Devices!
Helps relieve lower back pain associated with Sciatica!
Quick and easy to apply. The Beactive wrap should initially be worn for up to 2 hours at a time. If it remains comfortable, the wrap can be worn for longer periods as needed.
Works on either right or left leg! The Beactive wrap fits the calf circumference sizes 12.5 inches to 18 inches measured around the fullest part of the calf. The Beactive wrap is effective when worn on a single leg on the side of the pain.
Malic acid and Magnesium work synergistically to address cellular energy deficits, reduce muscle and tendon pain and in the metabolizing of carbohydrates. For optimal benefit when taking both malic acid and magnesium, they are best taken with the B-complex family of vitamins, particularly B-6 (Refer to my supplement page for the best multi-vitamin and B-Complex with NO additives)
L-Glutamine (amino acid) is also an essential to nourishing muscle while helping to relieve the pain and burning we often feel within muscles. It is an essential in healing leaky gut issues as well. I recommend using the powder over capsules. Between 2-4 grams per day is helpful. Always check with your doctor or naturopath for your individual dosing and needs.
Throughout this website we provide tools for sleep help. Restorative sleep is the key to any other protocol for fibromyalgia symptoms management.
There may be more than 13 reasons why you can’t sleep if you suffer with fibro as I do, but these are some of the more common. We believe in utilizing the least invasive solutions to this universal fibromyalgia issue.
This issue is so important that even though we don’t advocate the regular use of medications with side effects and ongoing dependency for fibromyalgia, we believe it is effective to experiment with natural sleep aids or low dose melatonin (note: always check with your doctor before taking hormones).
I always try to solve my own sleep issues naturally, while also incorporating other suggestions throughout our site, which includes supporting the body in better adherence to the body clock and the natural production of hormones…
In fact, right here is a great sleep help system from Health Journey that can be helpful with getting to sleep and staying asleep, and various types of sleep issues.
1. The number ONE reason you cannot sleep is that Fibromyalgia is complex and involves many systems within the body. The nervous system and endocrine system are responsible for adaptation to our inner body clock and circadian rhythm.
The fibro body can do a 180 in this department and have a more difficult time winding down at night.
Sometimes the fibro person actually feels more awake and alert at bedtime than at any other time of the day. In fact, the lack of non-restorative, REM sleep often leads to morning stiffness and increased pain for many, if not most fibro sufferers. We have to work diligently to not get caught in this vicious cycle.
2. Adrenal stress and cortisol imbalance can be an issue with any chronic illness. Fibromyalgia presents an additional challenge due to the many variables that can cause undue stress on the body.
When the adrenal glands are constantly fighting pain and symptoms, they cannot do their original job of counteracting daily stressors and keeping the “fight or flight” system in balance.
Cortisol is often out of balance, and in fact can rise abnormally in the late afternoon or evening when it should be declining. (A sleep help technique is utilizing adaptogens such as magnolia, eluthero ginseng and ashwagandha to balance and reduce high cortisol levels as well as meditation and other mind/body techniques)
3. Not getting enough exercise can affect sleep, as the body is naturally meant to move and expend a certain amount of energy every day. Please know, I am not merely telling you to “go exercise”
We know that safe and effective exercise is necessary when living with fibro, yet when other conditions or exacerbating factors are present, we may need to get more creative. Find exercises that work for you. Check the Fitness articles here in the site for guidelines on working out with fibro to get some excellent sleep help.
As a practitioner/fitness trainer living with FMS/CFS/MCS almost four decades, I understand the challenges. Our goal is both safe and effective exercise while working to avoid post exercise malaise. Incorporating modified yoga moves before bed can provide sleep help, but avoid extended sessions of stretching. Tai-chi or Qi-gong can help to balance more intensive exercise and also aid in better sleeping patterns.
Along with safe exercise, another consideration is using an infra-red sauna a few times a week. This helps to relax the body and reduce levels of pain. I use one here and I find that utilizing the sauna before bed is one of the most relaxing things we can do, as long as we go slow.
If you do not have access to an infra-red sauna, any sauna will do, or check out the infra read sauna below, one of the most cost effective portable infra-red saunas available. If that is not feasible, check in your area at a gym or fitness center.
4. Nightly “second winds” can become habitual. This will again over stimulate the adrenal glands and continue to cause disruption in the circadian rhythm. Late night television or surfing the internet can easily affect sleeping patterns by disruption in melatonin made naturally by the body. Serotonin and Melatonin are well known to be disrupted in many fibro patients.
However, it is not as simple as taking a melatonin supplement, as not everyone tolerates oral melatonin anyway. It is always better to adapt to the normal workings of the body. Another sleep help tip is to read our Treatment with Serotonin article and follow steps 3 and 4 in the “How Do We Increase Serotonin” section. (bottom of this article)
Staying awake and stimulated too long after sun down is not natural to the body. Nature creates optimal balance through light and darkness. Until 150-years ago, we were a primarily rural, farming society going to bed at dark and arising at daylight. This had gone on for eons and our bodies are still wired for it. Now, with artificial light and TV entertainment, we ignore our “wiring”, our body clock.
5. Over dependence on sleep medications can not only cause side effects from the medication itself but can create an inability to sleep naturally and with higher doses, the medication will be less effective with long term use.
Some sleep meds like Ambien have come under fire for more adverse side effects. When taking a sleep medication always take the Lowest Effective Dose, as we talk about on the Body Clock article. A sleep help tip is to buy a pill cutter.
Using sleep meds while adhering to a firm schedule is the best and most effective way to use sleep medications as they are only intended for short term use anyway. In fact, most doctors will only give short term prescriptions because of the fact that these meds were only created for short term use.
Deep breathing techniques can be helpful before bed. Keep working at it. I often do some deep breathing when I cannot sleep. Pull the covers up, form a tent over your head, and do some nice breathing. If nothing else, your body gets better oxygenated.
6. Eating too many “concentrated” foods/proteins after 3pm can inhibit sleep while the digestive system is busy “working” overtime. On the Nutrition Tips article page, I give suggestions for breakfast, lunch and dinner for this reason.
We are best to eat less concentrated foods such as animal protein and anything that will take longer to digest at dinner. At lunch time, we naturally have more “digestive fire” and bile salts to properly breakdown and assimilate these more concentrated foods.
Being constipated can also contribute to insomnia. As a colon therapist, I often see this correlation. This creates a cycle because when we do not sleep properly, the elimination organs cannot do their jobs. So, lack of sleep can cause constipation and being constipated can in turn cause the body to be unable to sleep when toxicity and fullness in the GI tract cause additional symptoms, pain and fullness.
7. Wireless radiation in the house and in close proximity can keep the fibro body over stimulated. It can be helpful to “hardwire” computers that you spend more time on and limit time on cell phones. Smart meters on homes can also pose a problem as they generate large amounts of electro-magnetic radiation. I have always been ultra-sensitive to radiation and EMF in the environment.
We got rid of our “smart meter” on our home and had the power company replace it with the old analog meter. In fact, if you have tinnitus or even occasional ringing in your ears, this could be a factor to consider, as EMF’s in our environment can contribute to this. Also, keep the bedroom free of as much “electricity” as possible. This means TV, radio, cell phones, computer, etc.
8. A snoring spouse is very disruptive to optimal sleep and regeneration. If your spouse or other family member snores, you may need to work out an optional sleeping arrangement if at all possible. My husband and I have had separate bedrooms for many years. I have fibro and he snores. This is not a good combination. This is not about wants, this is about needs.
We must be assertive about our needs, especially when it comes to sleep and regeneration. What do we say in the Body Clock article? Sleep is NUMBER ONE! So, always work with your spouse and compromise in other areas if needed, but not here. The fibro body is already challenged in this area, we cannot afford additional challenges.
9. Time for a new mattress? It’s an easy thing to put off. Yet, a worn mattress can create more pain and symptoms for the fibro body. However, we must be careful about chemicals in a mattress. We are in too close proximity to be exposed to potential chemicals from a mattress.
Conventional foam and other materials may not be the best choice. Glues and other sealants can also pose a problem. In my case, I had to go with natural organic materials for my mattress because I have reacted to chemicals since a young age.
Be sure to also avoid using chemical detergents on sheets and pillowcases and of course on clothing with which we are in constant close proximity. These are both stimulants and endocrine disruptors. Also, for the bed, consider weighted blankets which have been shown to help calm the body and/or cervical type neck pillows if needed for extra neck support.
10. Staying in the house, working at home: When living with a chronicillness, many people will either stay at home or work from home. The only problem here is that staying at home too much can also affect our ability to sleep. Women already have a greater propensity for sleep problems so when we add fibromyalgia to the equation, we now have a greater challenge.
A sleep help suggestion is to avoid taking naps too often or try to limit the time and duration. Take breaks, and get “outside” the house as much as possible.
Do whatever it takes to avoid this pitfall by at least adhering to a structured schedule when working from or staying at home. Using a written daytimer is essential. Have a formal schedule for each day.
11. What about hormones? Imbalance, estrogen dominance or lack of hormones can affect sleep and relaxation. Peri-menopause can cause issues with estrogen dominance. Maybe we have had a hysterectomy and no longer make our own hormones.
Hormone imbalance can surely exacerbate fibromyalgia symptoms. Bio-identical hormones can aid in balance while addressing other side effects such as hot flashes which directly affect the ability to get a good night’s sleep.
In my case, I found that taking bio-identical progesterone in the evening before bed helped with relaxation and overall hormone balance. Of course, you must work with your doctor in this area. As a sleep help suggestion, I recommend an endocrinologist / hormone specialist who is objective regarding Bio-identical versus artificial hormones; weigh the pros and cons carefully.
12. Sugar acts like a stimulant in the body. Fibro bodies are already more sensitive to stimulants in general. Sugar also produces alcohol in the liver and greatly reduces immune status in the body.
With any auto immune illness, we are further compromised. All forms of sugar need to be reduced to attain greater levels of immune health. Sugar is a great detriment to our immunehealth and well-being.
My sleep help tip: Choose natural sugars and if needed, a carbohydrate snack before bed can be helpful to prevent adrenaline from increasing during sleep. The brain only needs about 30 grams of “natural sugars” in any given day to thrive, yet many people get 3-4 times that amount every day.
13. Can’t turn the brain off? Your body wants to sleep but your brain is “wired”. Do you have symptoms of ADD (attention deficit)? This is very common and very under diagnosed according to Dr. Amen of the Amen Clinic.
With any chronic illness and definitely with fibromyalgia, there is often a disruption in body and brain chemicals. This disruption can result in anxiety and the inability to turn off thoughts and experiences from the day. Maybe you are rehashing a conversation or an argument? Maybe you are simply excited or anxious about something in the future.
Maybe you have absorbed other’s emotions or feelings. For sleep help, we may need to consider natural remedies to calm down the brain and thought processes. Avoid caffeine at all cost, as many with fibro are ultra-sensitive to caffeine.
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) which is produced in the brain from glutamine and glucose can help to promote the relaxation response. Also, L-Theanine is an amino acid that has been proven to promote relaxation naturally.
Also, remember this, as I like to say, “the opposite of wired is tired“. So, do something that will naturally “tire” your brain, like a study or learning something new before bed. A bible study or anything that requires thought and attention.
A clinical trial in Italy looked at the natural supplement’s magnesium, zinc, and melatonin to improve restorative sleep. Participants took 225 mg of magnesium, 11mg of zinc, and 5 mg of melatonin in a fruit sauce each night before retiring. The participants also wore a sensor to measure the quality of their sleep and the amount of daytime activity.
The results showed a forty-five percent improvement in quality of sleep for the test participants compared to a control group. The test subjects also reported finding it easier to fall to sleep, awakening in the morning more alert, improved mood, and generally feeling better throughout the day. The sensor showed significant improvement in sleep time and daytime activity.
It appears that the results of the combined supplements were magnified over their individual contributions and that each enhanced the effects of the others – a symbiotic effect. The dosage amounts for the zinc and magnesium are within the U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines. Beyond natural supplements for sleep help, here on the website, I’ve talked in detail about other sleep help methods to deal with anxiety, second winds, adrenal stress, negative emotions and resetting the body clock; sleep help solutions such as meditation, exercise, and deep breathing are offered in the following links.
I sure do know the pain of muscle spasms. At one time, I even had full body muscle spasms, and it left me in bed, unable to move. Not everyone will experience severe spasms, but when we have fibromyalgia, it is just ONE more symptom we need to address.
And, while you may not be able to prevent fibromyalgia muscle spasms all together, you can learn to recognize them and minimize their occurrence.
It’s important to differentiate between muscle spasms, twitches, and cramps. A cramp occurs when a muscle contracts and doesn’t relax, producing consistent pain that can last for short or long periods of time.
A twitch occurs when a single fiber or small portion of a muscle contracts repeatedly, producing a fluttering sensation that is felt and sometimes seen under the skin. In most cases, twitches are more annoying than painful.
They often produce a significant amount of pain and may impact a large area of the body, including the legs and the back. This is one way of differentiating them from twitches that impact smaller areas of the body.
The pain may extend down to the upper back, and some people experience nausea as the spasms continue. These symptoms of fibromyalgia will often interrupt daily life, leading to complications at work and inconveniences in your home life.
The other common area for fibromyalgia muscle spasms is around the leg muscles from the long sartorius muscle in the upper leg to the calves and even into the ankles and feet. This is one area where I often caution people about stretching first thing in the morning.
You see, the body is less hydrated, less flexible and more prone to early morning spasms. It might also happen that you cannot control the urge to stretch, and you find your muscles going into spasm without you even knowing, that is until the extreme pain occurs!!
As much as we don’t want to be depleted of magnesium and other minerals, taking too much is also not a good idea. A good additive free multi vitamin and occasionally an additional 100-200mg, sometimes spaced out is most beneficial, especially if you have irritable bowel symptoms. Some people need to go very slowly when adding additional magnesium
So what happens when you wake in the middle of the night OR first thing in the morning, and some vulnerable part of your body is trying to “stretch you into a spasm?” That can be the hardest muscle spasm to manage because you are not fully engaged in your body yet.
As I describe below, there are a few things you can do for support, even if the cause is fibro itself.
Here in this article, I detail how to check for a magnesium deficiency and some of the various forms of magnesium you can experiment with.
Taking magnesium is not a one size fits all. You will have to experiment. We recommend and use a very safe multi vitamin to start with, and then micro dose as needed during the day. After lunch is a great place to start. You are better off to take additional magnesium with a meal.
However, as you often hear me say, it is a good idea to avoid depleting magnesium in the first place. Medications, diuretics, and certain forms of dieting can deplete magnesium.
So we know that fibromyalgia can present with many different symptoms. Yet, we also know that there are some variables that we need to address when it comes to prevention of muscle spasms in any area of the body.
Lifestyle, stress control, movement tailored to fibromyalgia, and properly assimilating our minerals.
It’s not just about mineral intake but absorption as well. Not everyone tolerates various forms of oral magnesium, so it is best to experiment and use topical forms of magnesium OR a combination to find what works best for you.
The muscles can also start contracting due to inadequate blood flow. This is one reason that we recommend all of us with fibromyalgia get some form of safe and effective exercise in regularly. I get it, I am here to support you in this.
This is a great way to keep your blood circulating efficiently, but it can also help with fatigue, depression, and many other symptoms of fibromyalgia.
You may not be able to prevent muscle spasms all together, but building muscle tone, stretching gently, and keeping your body in good condition through cardio exercise will at least ensure that your muscles have a better fighting chance to avoid spasms and even trigger point pain.
Pain medication isn’t the first course of treatment recommended for muscle spasms. Immediate treatments often include relaxing in a warm bath to soothe the muscles (add magnesium salts, regular salt and even a small amount of ginger powder to the bath) Yes, regular salt will help to balance the minerals needed for the adrenal glands.
If you get massage therapy, be sure to tell your massage practitioner that you’re experiencing muscle spasms so that they don’t apply too much pressure and make the situation worse.
You may want to see a physical therapist to learn stretching techniques that are effective at relieving spasms quickly or follow me on the fitness page noted above.
You may learn how to massage the spasm yourself, eliminating the need to rush off to a professional. Fibromyalgia muscle spasms can be equal opportunity, meaning they can occur anywhere on the body. If you have nerve pain, you may notice they occur more often when nerve pain is heightened.
What is good for your adrenals can also be good for your muscles: A few drops of Concentrace liquid minerals in your water bottle during the day can also be very helpful to be sure you are getting adequate, easy to absorb minerals in their purest form.
If your muscle spasms produce extreme pain, last for long periods of time, or occur continually, you may need to consider any of the above options. If dehydration or lack of mineral absorption becomes an issue, be sure that you are not experiencing a side effect from a medication you might be taking.
We also find that trigger points which can occur just about anywhere on the body, can also be related to muscle spasms. What happens when a trigger point plays havoc in your muscle? Well, it makes the muscle unable to properly activate, causing more pain and stiffness, potentially leading to muscle spasms. Stretching with fibromyalgia is just a little different. I like to go very slowly and hold BEFORE getting to the point of complete stretch. Be extra careful when stretching the hamstrings or any part of the back legs or calves.
Candida is a systemic fungal infection that can be associated with various chronic illnesses. If both candida and fibromyalgia are present, it can be an exacerbating factor within fibro. Although candida, also known as Candidiasis, itself does not cause fibromyalgia, it needs to be addressed if any signs or symptoms of this fungal infection are present. Candida is more prevalent with viral activity or symptoms of chronic fatigue/immune deficiency.
Candida weakens the immune system and puts an extra burden on all organs, especially the liver and digestive tract. Candida is actually more prevalent than ever, yet again, many people can have candida without having fibromyalgia.
However, when candida and fibromyalgia are both present, due to the complexity of fibromyalgia, we cannot afford the extra burden on our vulnerable nervous and immune systems.
After just one course of antibiotics, we can be susceptible to the candida infection. Most people have been exposed to antibiotics since a young age, for an ear infection, strep throat or maybe a recurring sinus infection.
This is where the cycle can begin even if we don’t acquire symptoms until a later time. Unfortunately, antibiotic medicines have been over prescribed and have become less effective with new strains of bacteria, infection and viral activity.
Other sources that can contribute to developing Candida include pesticides such as glyphosate, and herbicides, even additives in processed foods. Ingesting processed foods on a regular basis will only continue to feed the “bad guys” in the gut and that is what we want to avoid.
As a colon therapist, I see various conditions that are connected to candida. This infection can live in various parts of the body and invade tissues and organs and the entire digestive tract.
Although there are various treatments and supplements to treat candida, the most effective recourse is going to be long term adherence to a sugar free/yeast free/high probiotic diet.
It doesn’t have to be complicated, and that is key. The biggest issue is often getting support when changing dietary habits. Creating a cleaner palate and stronger immune status takes time.
Food allergies or sensitivities can exacerbate symptoms in fibromyalgia as well.
It should also be noted that fungal infections are seen more often in those with CFS/ME. In fact, it is believed that one of the more common “roots” in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is candidiasis.
Do you find that treating candida is challenging, and symptoms return easily? That is common. Adherence to a sugar free and low grain diet is the first step. A paleo type diet which eliminates many forms of starch is a good place to start for many people unless vegan, yet we must go a step further and introduce a good amount of cultured and high probiotic foods into our weekly menu.
NOTE: Our additional diet pages here in the site address vegan options.
Initially, all forms of sugar need to eliminate. Depending on the severity of symptoms, fruit servings need to be limited to no more than two per day, using only low glycemic fruits such as granny smith apples and unsweetened cranberries (both of these fruits are excellent in blender drinks by the way).
Cultured foods and probiotics are going to be essential and can be easily incorporated into any diet. Taking oral probiotics can be a great start; also, learning to prepare probiotic foods at home will help to create a more plentiful arena for good bacteria to flourish within the intestines. This “good bacteria” is what keeps our immune system stronger and more resilient. Look for cultured vegetables like Wildbrine Arame and Ginger Sauerkraut.
Working as a colon therapist, I have tried many different brands of probiotics over the years. I recommend Udo’s Flora brand of probiotics because it is a good quality, multi strain, highly effective probiotic at the best cost we have found as well. This probiotic also contains a good amount of the strains that I prefer to have included such as plantarum, bifidum, and casei.
I have used the Advanced Adult version (pictured above) with good success for over 15 years now because it has a good potency of each strain.
GSE NUTRIBIOTIC is a great natural form of antibiotic. This can be easily taken in water, very cost effective and will last a long time. If you don’t care to take a liquid, you can take the capsules. I just like to get it into my cells quickly, so I take the liquid.
If you struggle with infections of any kind or even fungal infections, GSE can be very beneficial.
We can also use some herbs and natural remedies for treating candida and fibromyalgia. I like using Pau d Arco. This is an anti-fungal herb that can be used to make tea. This can be found in bulk tea and/or herbal depts.
A quality unprocessed Aloe Vera and Black Walnut in tincture form are also helpful in feeding healthy gut bacteria. Feed the good guys… starve the bad guys …in order to create a stronger terrain. Additional remedies noted at bottom of this article.
On the Resources page, we have a link to The Body Ecology Diet (BED), this book is a great foundation when adopting an anti-candida lifestyle. I was first introduced to this diet over 20 years ago, and it is still one of the best in treating candida. Don’t worry, we can still have starch in our diet with BED, even red potatoes and organic blue corn can be included to help create variety.
The BED eliminates most grains, grain flours, sugars and soy but includes options for soaked ancient grains such as quinoa and amaranth (if tolerated) Conventional grains and grain flours are hard on the endocrine system and when reduced or eliminated will free the extra burden on all endocrine glands including thyroid and adrenals.
Do you have issues with liver or gallbladder disease? With or without a gallbladder, candida can infiltrate all of the digestive organs and bile ducts. Because the starch molecule is not soluble in water, these fore-mentioned grains and starches are not well digested and can create havoc in the entire GI tract.
As Dr. Hulda Clark expresses in her books on cancer, “Cleaning the liver bile ducts is one of the most powerful procedures we can do to improve health”. Liver and gallbladder disease has become more of an epidemic these days, and it all stems from a fast paced world with ever present fast processed foods and drinks.
You can find Liver and Bile Tonics on the Recipes page.
Reducing heated fats and oils will also lift some of the burden from the liver and bile ducts. When fats are not well tolerated, it is often due to a weak gallbladder not producing sufficient bile salts. Nuts should always be raw and soaked in pure water. Using a dehydrator at home, we can make our own sweet potato chips, dried green apples, etc. without the use of heated fats as found in many packaged foods. My favorite dehydrator is available on the Kitchen Tools page.
With fibromyalgia side effects, there are many perpetuating, complex factors. What we call the “straw theory” is easy to explain, and easier for those on the outside to understand. I have found in working with others who also have fibromyalgia and related conditions, that it is not always about the basic activities of daily living that we engage in.
It is more about the stressors, toxins, environmental changes and anything else negative that can drive the fibro body into an extended flare.
These factors affect the fibro body much differently than they do a non-fibro body.
The Straw Theory is an effective way to convey to those on the outside how fibromyalgia is different and to avoid comparison of a non-fibro stating that they have aches and pains every day and that they are able go to work and function normally. Those kinds of statements only undermine the reality of living with fibromyalgia side effects, the related conditions, and all of its complexity.
Fibromyalgia side effects are numerous, diverse, and unnoticed by non-fibro friends and family.Both internal and external, from ongoing chronic pain and stress to heightened senses, and toxins in the environment such as laundry detergent, dryer sheets, gasoline on someone’s hands from filling the car, cologne, and formaldehyde on a new piece of furniture.
These mostly go unnoticed by those around you; yet, as you are exposed to one after another of these fibro side effects, the result is cumulative until your “camels” back breaks.
The resulting “flare” can be devastating. Just as bad, the offending family member cannot relate whatsoever to you being poisoned by his cologne. That can be “rock and a hard place” situation for you.
The stress that we fibro bodies feel from heightened senses and stimulants around us also creates one “straw” after another and eventually we break down from these multiple exposures. This is not the kind of stress that anyone would thrive on. This is a damaging and debilitating kind of stress that creates an overload on the already vulnerable fibro body.
When fibromyalgia side effects lead to a ‘headache’, you have a headache in the realm of the fibro body which again is different in the sense of severity and active trigger points that might be perpetuating the headache.This is the kind of headache that doesn’t so easily respond to a pain medication, again due to the nature of fibromyalgia and its many variables.
Fibromyalgia side effects could stem from various factors within the fibro body, from active trigger points, to stress or from external factors such as environmental toxins. The headache could be more localized in the sinus, eyes and facial area or it could stem from common trigger points in the scapula and neck area that radiate to the entire head causing a migraine type headache.
The Straw Theory simply means that too many contributing factors will build up and ultimately “break” our camel’s back and often put us into a fibro flare that will increase both symptoms and pain.
The adjacent graphic shows a variety of “straws” that can perpetuate fibro side effects. These are the kinds of things that can lead to a flare within a short period of time or exposure.
For me personally, one of my biggest “straws” is going to an enclosed shopping mall. I know I say this often, but this can be a very toxic place. There are many toxins from new materials, synthetic fragrances, cleaning chemicals and more.
You might think that it is the physical walking, stopping and standing that is getting to you at the mall. But it could be a combination of these, along with the various toxins wafting through the stores and mall.
And then before you know it, you are not having the fun experience you expected. Or maybe you have experienced these enough times, and like me, you just know that you might need to limit your time there, but not forego it all together.
Remember that walking around a mall is much different from structured exercise. The stopping and standing can be harder on the body than continuous focused movement.
When a person with fibromyalgia does not get restorative sleep, this affects their body to a greater degree than a non-fibro person. Again, we are going to be more vulnerable to everything, including lack of restorative sleep.
We cannot just use stimulants to get going. In fact, because every organ suffers from lack of restorative sleep, this puts a great deal of stress on the brain and liver especially. Therefore, loading up with caffeine, will not work for the fibro person. It can lead to more anxiety, and adrenal gland and thyroid issues.
That is why we always suggest using fibromyalgia specific adaptogens in the morning. Our cortisol is higher in the morning anyway, and that just happens to be when many people with fibro feel their worst.
Adaptogens such as Ashwagandha, Holy Basil, Eluethero or DHEA, only in the form of Keto-7, can help to lower stress levels and subsequent negative effect on the body. Of course, nothing can take the place of restorative sleep. I have found these particular ones to be most safe and effective for reducing stress in fibromyalgia.
When you have an exposure to environmental toxins, this affects the fibro body in a way that can cause an extended “flare” and increase of both pain and symptoms for hours, days and sometimes longer. I know this to be true personally as my symptoms first started at the age of 9 with severe reactions to environmental toxins.
At the time, our home was being remodeled, and I reacted to everything from new flooring, paint, furniture and anything that contained chemicals such as formaldehyde. The first symptoms for me presented in the form of severe migraine headaches and often vomiting due to the extreme pain.
I have MCS so I react to almost any exposure immediately. The one good thing about that is that I can and do take immediate steps to get away from that exposure if possible. Also, I believe that any toxin that is bad for a MCS person is also bad for a fibro person. But, non-mcs fibro people may not react outwardly or quickly.
Consequently, the exposure can be extended or a series of exposures to different substances may happen and those exposures are cumulative. And those exposures become side effects or “straws”. Fibro people can only take so many “straws” until it breaks their camel’s back and leads to flares. Worse yet, if they do not realize why and therefore continue to be exposed day after day, very severe fibro flares can result.
I also remember the smell of something at school that I couldn’t place but none the less, it would cause the start of a massive migraine. Years later as an adult, I realized that “smell” was pesticides that were used in schools for pest control.Hey, I get it, they needed to prevent roaches and other critters from running around the lunch room and scaring the kids (not to mention being a health hazard) but that exposure to pesticides didn’t help me and at least one time, sent me home from school with not only a severe migraine but vomiting and partial loss of my vision. I was just a child. I enjoyed school. These symptoms most definitely were not exaggerated by me in any way…they were and still are very real!
And, why did it seem that nobody else was “reacting” to these toxins as I was? Well, that is the nature of the vulnerable fibro body. It really isn’t rocket science, we are actually the ones yelling “danger …danged. Will Robinson!!” And, “they” will also react sooner or later. Keeping a safe haven is good for everybody …
Yeah, I sure do get it ….and that is why we focus on this “variable” throughout the website here. Avoiding toxins and establishing a safe haven at home is a critical step to living smarter. You really need to take this seriously. This goes for any other illness such as cancer and heart disease.Yes, even heart disease has now been linked to toxins in our environment. This means everything we put on our bodies and everything we use in our homes.
As I often say, it’s also important that our family members be on board. We cannot control all toxins in the “outside” world, but we can at least take more control over our own environments in which we spend much of our time. Work environments are more of a challenge, and I have experienced that many times. Do the best you can to be assertive about your needs if you work in an environment that could be contributing to symptoms. Let us all work to be more proactive and less reactive. Let us not allow too many “straws” to break our camel’s back. Please remember that “the more we limit ourselves, the more we will be limited” So it is less about avoiding the daily activities and joys in life and more about avoiding the negativity and toxic exposures to environments, relationships, habits and 24/7 illness talk.
It really shouldn’t surprise us that fibromyalgia upper back pain is one of the most relentless of symptoms that fibro people experience.
Although fibromyalgia affects the entire body, there are some areas of the fibro body that are more vulnerable to perpetuating factors.
Chronic upper back pain is one of the major symptoms of fibromyalgia. Maybe you are like me, and also have a shoulder issue, you know how the upper trapezius muscles can pull on the shoulder. After about age 50, many of us know the pain of not just fibro, but interplaying areas.
Upper back pain often radiates to the neck, shoulders, and can even wrap around the entire head affecting our ability to think and interact with the world around us.
What starts in the mid back or trapezius area can soon spread to the face and sinus area, leaving a fibro person wondering what in the world just happened.
On the “Mind Body Science” page, I referred to what scientists called “nodes” or “hot spots” that lie along the main neural pathways.
These are places where various types of nerve fibers, nerve cells, soft tissue, bone, and neurochemical pathways all come together in very close association. Mutation or damage to nerve cells associated with these areas can result in chronic fibromyalgia pain.
Fibromyalgia affects the entire body and multiple systems within the body. There are also many tender points and even more trigger points within the fibro body that create a greater vulnerability to perpetuating factors.
Certain areas of the body are just more susceptible to everything from stress to activities of daily living.
One of these areas is the upper back region located around the neck, shoulders and scapula. The upper back scapula area is often a point of referral where both tender points and trigger points come into play…or maybe we should say… “come out to play” resulting in fibromyalgia upper back pain.
Not that it feels like ‘play time’ to the fibro person, but it definitely does “play havoc” with our musculo-skeletal system and our nervous system as well.
When this area is tight, knotted and burning, the entire nervous system is affected. (Just like with chronic migraine.) This area of the body is naturally more prone to stress, over exertion, daily activities and lack of sleep and proper regeneration.
When trigger points are active within the fibro body, this can affect many activities of daily living. Reaching up to a high shelf or reaching down to the clothes dryer, dishwasher or to the floor can exacerbate the pain in the scapula, neck and shoulder areas.
TRP’s in the scapula and trapezius area can radiate and extend up to the neck, back of the skull and wrap around the entire head and even into the face and sinus area.
If you are in a position where someone is asking for your assistance to pick up something heavy, stop and consider if this is a good idea for you. As I often say, it is not just the weight, but the “angle” at which you are lifting that can put extra strain on the upper body.
Back and chest pain often go together. It’s not unusual for the upper back pain to wrap around to the upper chest area which increases stress level due to concern about the heart. Any heart related conditions should always be assessed separately.
It can be helpful to assess your neck alignment by x-ray, and if needed, use a cervical device to help restore the natural curve. Many people spend so much time on devices or computers these days and this is disrupting that natural curve and causing straight neck or even what we call “cell phone neck”
By the way, if you have issues with reaching up to a high shelf, or down to the floor, be sure to see the “grab it” tool at bottom of this page, as this can be very helpful when living with fibromyalgia and myofascial pain.
So what starts as fibromyalgia upper back pain and burning can radiate and extend to the entire head causing a greater propensity to debilitation. You may remember me talking in videos on the Facebook page about clothing.
Yes, even the clothes we wear can affect pain and symptoms in the upper body; examples are collars on shirts or jackets, heavy coats, and scarves that wrap around the neck.
Yes, even scarves can create greater pain in the neck area unless they are wrapped loosely around the neck. What might feel like “light” clothing to a non-fibro, can feel heavy and painful to a fibro body. Some clothing can actually affect good posture as well. Be aware of anything that “pulls” on the neck and upper back.
As mentioned above, even a slight pulling on the upper neck from a bathing suit strap or tie (around the neck) can activate trigger points in fibromyalgia. You may have latent trigger points that are not hurting you in that moment UNTIL you have something even so slightly “pulling” on your neck.
This can be even more troublesome for those of us with fibro because it can seem like the slightest piece of clothing or straps can activate pain that can increase symptoms in that general area and may linger for days. Headaches and trapezius upper back pain are two good examples.
Remember, it doesn’t take much to activate trigger points, but it takes longer to alleviate them. That is where everything we ascribe to here in the website is essential to avoiding extended flares and increased pain, because even your “stress” about being in a certain situation can activate trigger points.
Putting on and taking off shirts, sweaters, bras and anything especially form fitting can be difficult, especially when trigger points are active and/or tender points are particularly tender. Most people with fibro find that what they wear both on the upper AND lower body does make a difference in pain levels.
Tight or even just “form fitting” jeans/pants around the tender points in the lower body are another example of clothing that can affect the fibro body. It may be necessary to go up one size just to “accommodate” the more sensitive areas.
Be sure that you only wash all of your clothes and your family clothes and linens in non-toxic fragrance-free detergents. These synthetic fragrances can easily contribute to symptoms. I will link our chemical sensitivity article at the bottom of this article.
In the Natural Remedies article. Body work section, we talk about a couple of therapies for fibromyalgia that can be very helpful. Both Myotherapy and Bowen therapy. Helping to release these trigger points is essential if you continue to have burned, radiating pain in the upper back.
Below is the ‘Shoulders Back’, a form of light upper body compression we like to use when either stress or pain levels are high. It is actually very soothing, like a soft hug, only better!! A therapeutic soft hug. I use this to also calm the tightness that can occur with stress around the pectoralis muscles, which is very common in fibromyalgia.
Compression for the upper body can bring relief and support and also aid in better posture.
We like this wrap for the shoulders and scapula called “Shoulders Back”.
This device can actually calm those trigger points, unlike clothing, and only needs to be worn about 30 minutes at a time.
We did not acquire fibromyalgia due to poor posture, however, because we have fibro, we must be very aware of our posture while standing, and especially while sitting for extended periods of time. Many of the devices we use today can wreak havoc on our upper body. Personal computers, cell phones, tablets, etc. For those with CFS/ME and fibromyalgia, there is sometimes a difficulty in maintaining an upright position.
As we often talk about here, the way that a fibro person relaxes may be different than how a non-fibro body relaxes. Therefore, you are not being “lazy” because YOUR way of relaxing may involve lying down instead of sitting. A non-fibro may be perfectly relaxed sitting on a couch, whereas a fibro body cannot always maintain that position without undue strain which exacerbates the fibromyalgia upper back pain.
Below is a tool that I find helpful on those “bad” back pain days.
Above, is the Grab It Grabber that I find quite useful, particularly picking up items from the floor; others might use it for items on the top shelf of your cabinets or pantry.
Read additional relevant material by clicking on the following:
So, you might have heard that bacteria build up in the mouth is detrimental to the entire body, right? And you might wonder what exactly works to combat this harmful bacterium? Because we work hard to avoid “endocrine disruptors” of various kinds, we also don’t want them in our mouthwash and/or anything that touches our face or mouth.
Many of us with fibromyalgia have compromised immune systems and we cannot afford to be any further compromised by either bacteria OR by chemicals or alcohols used to mitigate the bacteria. Oil pulling is an easy and effective method of naturally destroying the bacteria in our entire mouth (between our teeth, around our gums, on our tongue and in the back of our throat area).
Preventionof all disease is about removing as many of the potential causative factors as possible. If you or anyone in your family suffers from heart disease, oil pulling is an effective and non-invasive remedy to controlling the harmful bacterium, known to be one perpetuating factor in this condition.
Other oil pulling techniques usually advise that either coconut oil or other recommended oils be swished in the mouth for a period of about 20 minutes. My technique shortens this time, and can be done while getting ready for the day in the morning before breakfast, or at night while getting ready for bed.
This way we can avoid boredom. I started doing it this way because most people will not “swish” for the recommended 20 minutes and will quickly abandon this excellent method of oral hygiene.
I have a technique that I use for oil pulling that works well and makes it easier by using Swanson EFAs organic coconut oil capsules that can be stored easily in the bathroom rather than storing a jar of coconut oil and is also more cost effective. I also combine with a very small amount of3% hydrogen peroxidethat is appropriate for using as a mouth rinse and commonly found in any drug store.
Simply put one or two (I use two) capsules of organic coconut oil in the mouth, with a few drops of hydrogen peroxide. Chew on the soft capsules until they break open, continuing to chew and swish both of these in the mouth for at least 10-minutes. The outer capsule will dissolve into the liquid in your mouth after chewing.
The “chewing” helps to really get the oils in between the gums and teeth better than just swishing. The mixture will “foam” slightly in the mouth. This procedure will also help to ‘draw out’ mucous from the back of the tongue and throat area. After the ten minutes, simply spit out the foamy mixture and brush or rinse teeth as usual. (Note: Using plain coconut oil sans capsules is also fine)
Try this coconut oil toothpaste (same one shown at the top of this article) Dr. Gingers coconut oil toothpaste is great tasting and helps to SAFELY brighten your smile.
Try the oil pulling method I detail above by starting with just a few minutes and work up as you can.
Note: Never swallow the “swishing” mixture as it is loaded with bacteria. (Also remember that the above technique is a ‘swishing’ and not a ‘gargling‘, although it can bring mucous out of the throat area)
I should add that other oils are also useful for “pulling”. A couple of them are sesame oil and neem oil. However, I developed the more readily available “coconut oil capsules/peroxide” method to reduce the normally recommended time for “pulling” from 15-20 minutes to my recommended 10-minutes in hopes that you will be more consistent in applying it.
Those teeth whitening strips you may see on the market are often made of toxic ingredients that we do not want to be absorbed inside of our mouths and bodies. A safer alternative is to rub a few drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide and a small amount of baking soda into teeth, do not brush, just rub with finger or cloth into teeth for 1-2 minutes, then rinse.
Always change out your toothbrush after being sick. In fact, if you catch a cold or flu, change out your toothbrush every 2 days then once again after recovering to avoid transmitting germs back into mouth and body. Alternatively, you can soak the toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide.
You hear it all the time. Fibromyalgia is “thought to be the result of overactive nerves” We also know that fibro affects other major systems of the body, often causing symptoms from one system to interplay with symptoms from another system. This pain can literally get on every nerve of the body while causing other symptoms to be “reactive” so to speak.
Let’s look at the role of Substance P and how this affects pain in the fibro body. There are two sides to the fibromyalgia nerve pain “coin”. One side is pain threshold; the other is pain tolerance. To understand the fibromyalgia pain threshold, you must understand the role of Substance P in the fibro body.
You may have heard of this in your research and wondered what in the world is this thing called substance P? And how does it relate to your fibromyalgia?
Substance P is a peptide that is released through stimulation within the nervous system. It is involved in the regulation of the pain threshold. It has been found that people with fibromyalgia often have increased levels of Substance P and this can increase or heighten sensitivity to pain and another stimulus. Nerves become more sensitive which in turn can exacerbate many symptoms within the fibro body.
Because Substance P is involved in the nerve pain threshold, people with fibromyalgia tend to feel pain or stimuli more quickly and more intensely than non-fibro people. More research continues regarding the direct correlation between Substance P and fibromyalgia.
Allodynia is one symptom within fibromyalgia where the pain is intensified due to the overactivity of the nervous system. For example, you may feel greater pain or “sensations” when getting an injection at the doctor’s office due to the more sensitive nerve endings near the surface of the skin. A light massage may feel good one day but you may not tolerate the lightest touch the next day.
Paresthesia is another condition related to fibromyalgia and nerve pain.
Many people with fibromyalgia complain about increased nerve pain in the hands and feet. I hear this often. Pain that burns and radiates around the top or bottom of the feet or around the toes. Maybe you have numbness around the bottom of some of your toes.
And what about your hands. Why are they so sensitive to touch and temperature? Well see, there are even more nerve endings here because this is where we “feel” everything we touch. Imagine if those nerves weren’t sensitive to temperature, for instance, you would burn yourself from touching a stove or hot plate.
So, the body has its own built-in “fire alarm” so to speak. The only problem is when nerves overreact or become overly sensitive and are screaming danger on a constant basis.
It is important to understand that the pain threshold is not the same as pain tolerance. Many people with fibromyalgia and related conditions have lived with chronic pain for years and have learned to ‘adapt’ to the pain which in turn can actually increase pain tolerance.
The ‘threshold’ simply means the point at which pain or symptoms occur… which happens to be more quickly and more intensely for people with fibromyalgia. Nerve pain itself can be insidious.
And, it’s not only the pain but “sensations” on the skin such as feeling something is crawling on your skin or brushing against you. Different than allodynia but similar in that it can affect the nerve endings close to the skin.
In fibromyalgia, the nerves tend to be over-active. This can occur anywhere in the body and also affect the extremities. Some symptoms will correlate to the autonomic nervous system and myofascial pain or trigger points. If the fascia is constricted or many trigger points are present, this can press on or entrap the nerves.
That is why I also recommend hands-on Myotherapy (working the trigger points) done by a trained therapist.
The release of active trigger point areas can in turn help to relieve constriction and nerve pain. Be sure that your therapist understands fibromyalgia and the need to proceed slowly. Also, visit our video section in the living smarter with fibro page for other tools we use for addressing myofascial pain.
Remember, we are not looking for ways to “cover” the pain. We believe in and utilize therapies that often work in two ways. To relieve pain while getting to the cause of the pain. Never as a false cure or cover-up because that is not how fibromyalgia works.
I believe the distinction between “threshold” and “tolerance” is also important for friends, family members, and employers to understand. The point at which a person with fibro actually “breaks down” may be much further down that road of pain and symptoms than anyone can imagine.
They have likely been putting up with a lot of pain and symptoms before that breaking point. Therefore, when a challenging situation presents itself and a fibro person has reached their limit of “tolerance”, it becomes essential to be heard and understood. Because as we often say … “you just don’t get it unless you got it”
And if you do have it, try the least invasive remedies first, while we help you in getting to those root causes over time. The Penetrex cream below is one of the more natural creams without some of the additives in other nerve creams that we don’t care for.
Now, here’s the thing about nerve pain tolerance and fibromyalgia. We have to be careful about not decreasing our pain tolerance through overuse of medications that will only continue to add more side effects and also decreasepain tolerance.
We are never “all or nothing” here. So, let’s say that for some people this might mean simply working with your doctor to be very sure you are taking ONLY the lowest effective dose. Then implement other things to support partial or total elimination of any medications that are causing greater harm.
Regarding medications, you might say … “well, that’s ok…I don’t want to be in pain.” Of course not, but it has been well verified that these medications are not the answer for properly managing fibromyalgia. And in fact, they do more harm through damage to vital organs and dangerous side effects.
Continuing to create a greater dependence only compounds the initial problem. And, if you are taking meds for fibro or other conditions, work with your doctor regularly to be sure that you are only taking the ‘lowest effective dose’.
I’m surely not advocating that anyone suffer more than they have to. But the whole premise of our website and protocols is based on the very programs that I have used and continue to use with myself and others.
I believe I was “forced” in a sense to utilize other methods of dealing with fibromyalgia and that is really what the entire website is all about. I have experienced some of the most excruciating pain since a young age, and I have truly had to learn how to be better and smarter at managing that pain.
Symptoms within fibromyalgia, pain, chronic migraine are so unpredictable and medications just don’t work that way. They also don’t address the root causes. Working with people who have chronic illness and fibromyalgia, I can tell you that people have many perpetuating factors around them that they are not even aware of.
Bottom line is that although a fibro body’s pain threshold may be low, oftentimes people with fibromyalgia have a very high pain tolerance. Living with daily pain and symptoms of fibro and any related conditions takes everything we have. This is not simply a matter of taking a pill and getting on with our lives.
Being proactive despite living with complex fibromyalgia is one of the most rewarding things I have ever experienced. See, it is because we take nothing for granted. And, by the way, this does not mean that our previous lifestyle was to blame. It does mean that now we must use every component of a healthy lifestyle to our advantage.
It’s always better to be proactive than to just “adapt” to the illness. Being proactive…staying empowered, is where we can begin to balance out the threshold vs. the tolerance factors. There is great reward in that, a foundation on which we can build upon.
If you are having nerve pain in any form including the extremities, consider the suggestions we have found helpful to mediate pain. You know this already, but “sitting” through nerve pain can be very uncomfortable. Being proactive through light movement and experimenting with compression wear is the best idea to prevent this kind of pain from worsening.
Also try natural remedies such as lobelia tincture, which is great for nerves. I started using a low dose of Lobelia tincture many years ago, and find it is helpful with nerve pain and anxiety-related symptoms. When using a tincture, we use only a few drops every day, so this will last a while. Lobelia can help with muscle tension, nerve pain and will help the body to relax before bedtime. Please note that the taste is very strong and putting in warm water is helpful.
Fibromyalgia kneepain can be a result of many things and not all are directly attributed to fibromyalgia, but with tender and trigger points compounding this area, it is very common to have fibro-related knee pain.
Two of the eighteen fibromyalgia tender points are located around the knee area, on both sides. Various activities can exacerbate fibromyalgia knee pain. Tight muscles, tendons, and ligaments within close proximity can also increase pain in this vulnerable area.
Although a fibromyalgia diagnosis includes much more than eighteen tender points, there are still some areas like the knees that tend to affect more of the surrounding areas; this is likely due to the weight-bearing nature and any associated joint issues.
Also, the SS (symptom severity) evaluation test can be helpful in a decision to treat these more vulnerable areas of the fibro body.
As well, the trigger points that we often refer to can also cause radiating pain around the knee, up and down the leg, and into the hip flexors and lower back.
Fibromyalgia knee pain can cause increased symptoms when standing, especially for prolonged periods of time, and more in the latter part of the day for those with any kind of standing job.
Also, even excessive sitting at a desk and/or lack of regular range of motion within this area can cause painful symptoms.
This may be attributed to a strain or tightness within the quadrant around the sartorius muscle and perpetual tightness in the hamstrings which also ‘pull’ on the knee and can contribute to TRP’s or trigger points around the knee, radiating upward into the groin and hip flexors and also down into the shins and ankles.
Do you experience pain in your knees upon standing from a sitting position? Do your knees often feel like they are buckling under you while standing in one place or while walking? This could be due to active or latent trigger points around the leg muscles.
Do you find it especially hard or nearly impossible to engage in certain activities of daily living like cleaning a bathtub or a floor where kneeling or bending is required?
These are all common within the fibro body, especially due to the weight-bearing nature of these tender and trigger point areas.
Like other joints, this area of the fibro body is also sensitive to weather and temperature changes and may cause a feeling of extreme weakness and increased pain around the joint and soft tissue surrounding the knee.
How do we mitigate fibromyalgia knee pain to increase range of motion and agility within the fibro body?
With fibromyalgia knee pain, we are best to keep the blood flowing around these tender areas and work on staying conditioned with non-invasive remedies and strength applications where possible. Compression is a great way to naturally increase circulation.
Compression wear is a non-invasive remedy for knee pain that gently hugs and supports the joint, trigger points, and soft tissue around the knee. Some compression garments include infra-red technology for even great benefit.
Knee compression garments like the one shown (the healing tree) can be worn any time of day. However, not all compression garments are appropriate for those with fibromyalgia due to the differing degrees of ‘tightness’.
Experiment to find what rate of compression works best. This one shown exerts a smaller degree of compression but also includes the infra-red technology which in itself will increase circulation and oxygen flow around tender and trigger points of the body.
Using light ankle weights and performing leg lifts to increase leg strength are also essential. It does not have to be a great deal of weight, just enough to start activating muscle and increasing strength slowly.
The adjacent picture also shows a simple way to lightly ‘compress’ the area around the knees by using a small exercise ball and just squeezing in between the knees. Compress just enough against the ‘tender‘ tendons and soft tissue.
Simply squeeze the ball… hold… and release. Use 8-10 repetitions for 1-2 sets.
Remember that healthy muscle protects bone and healthy bone/joints protect muscle.
Alternating ice and heat is always a good idea. Try 5-10 minutes alternating hot and cold. However, after exercise or strenuous activity, I find that ice or cold to decrease any soreness is best if tolerated. If you don’t tolerate the extreme cold of an ice pack, wrap the pack in a towel and work up to tolerance.
For those who are a little more adventurous, how about a hot/cold shower? This is simply alternating hot and cold water for about 20-30 seconds at a time. Focusing on a particular body part like the knees or lower back will increase circulation without undue stress to the entire fibro body.
I use the same wraps for my knees that I use for around my head during intense migraines. However, with a headache, the cold part only goes around the back of the head, for knees, it wraps around the entire knee. Check out the migraine article if you like for the cold wrap. Very easy to use on the knees as there is no need to hold it on them.
Be careful with blood pressure or other issues that may not respond well to the extreme temperature variance.
It is also important to note that chronic lower back pain and tight hamstring muscles (back of legs) can also exacerbate knee pain. If your lower back is ‘out’ or you are overcompensating in any way, often the knees can take on the added strain.
SI joint pain (in the dimples of the lower back) is also connected to knee pain, so regular care for the spine and lower back can improve pain in the lower extremities and knees as well.
Knee pain can also be exacerbated by tight fascia.
Bowen therapy and/or Myotherapy can be helpful for fibromyalgia. This can be effective for related symptoms that affect both muscle and fibro tender areas. Check for a qualified Bowen therapist in your area. Also, refer to related links below.
Another effective and less invasive procedure than something like cortisone for knee pain and arthritis involves cartilage injections. I have personally used these injections for my knees over the last three years. Check-in your area for a holistic joint doctor. Our bodies naturally lose cartilage as we age, so it is something we need anyway. Often pain for by insurance.
Prolozone therapy is another option for the knees. This therapy utilizes oxygen and may be injected with a natural anti-inflammatory into the surrounding areas of the knee joint. Not always paid by insurance.
I have personally utilized stem cell injections as well for arthritis in both knees and neck but did not get the results I was hoping for. Stem cell Therapy and regenerative medicine are still fairly new, so we continue to follow these and what kind of results people are getting.
More studies also show the dangers of cortisone shots, and I have personally not used them, but be very cautious if you do, as they have been shown to cause side effects and not really get to the root of the problem. If using cortisone, be sure to work closely with your doctor and only utilize it on occasion.
