Have you come to hate talking on the telephone since you’ve had fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome? It’s a common thing with people frequently saying they have an especially hard time focusing on phone conversations.
So why is this? It hasn’t been studied, but several factors could contribute to this problem:
When you’re on the phone, you don’t get any of the non-verbal cues that come with face-to-face conversation. Communication experts agree that most of communication is non-verbal, and when you remove all those verbal cues, your brain has to work harder to comprehend what’s being said. Foggy brains may not be able to muster that level of focus.
We’re often in environments that are full of distraction. You hear a lot about “multitasking,” which doesn’t really mean that the brain is doing multiple things at once. Even in healthy people, according to experts, the brain is actually switching from one task to another. FMS and ME/CFS brains often have a hard time with multitasking.
The language problems common in fibromyalgia and ME/CFS—which includes word recall—can complicate conversation and make it stressful. If you’re afraid of forgetting common words or losing your train of thought, it may make your symptoms worse.
Holding the phone can be really painful for the hand, arm, shoulder, neck or even ear. Some phones get really hot, which can bother those who have thermal allodynia (pain from temperatures that wouldn’t normally cause pain). Fortunately, speakerphones and headsets can alleviate a lot of these problems.
It may be easier to write than talk when language impairment is acting up. Then, you can take more time with it, sort through your jumbled thoughts, and then proofread it. On top of that, when you receive written messages, you can keep them and refer back if necessary. You may remember things better when you read them, too.
When you do have to use the phone, try to eliminate all the distractions you can. Go into a quiet room and shut the door, maybe even turn out the light. If you need to relay specific information, make notes ahead of time and keep them with you. To help you remember information, take notes. That prevents frustrations like making a doctor’s appointment or plans with a friend and then forgetting the details the moment you hang up.
If you have problems communicating via telephone, it can help to let the people who speak with frequently know about it. Let them know that when you ask him to repeat something, it’s not because you were ignoring them. You may also want to encourage them to send you texts or emails instead of calling, especially if they know you haven’t been feeling well. It might be worth exploring Skype, especially for long-distance calls or conversations you expect to be lengthy.
Studies have shown that it’s a bad idea for anyone to talk on a cell phone while driving, even if it’s hands-free. While it’s not something that has been studied specifically, it seems safe to assume that those of us with communication-based cognitive dysfunction would be especially dangerous when it comes to talking while driving.
These symptoms suggest FM patients may suffer from perturbations in their autonomicnervous system, leading to disturbances in processes controlled by the circadian rhythm, such as sleep and heart rate.
Notably, blood pressure is one of these processes. At night, blood pressure is known to decrease by more than 10% of its daytime values, a process known as a “dipping pattern.” Patients, where this dipping is absent, are carriers of a “nondipping pattern” and an aberrant circadian rhythm and are therefore thought to suffer from a malfunctioning autonomic nervous system, such as in FM patients.
A research team from Gazi University Medical School in Ankara, Turkey investigated whether newly diagnosed FM patients presented a non dipping BP pattern. The authors screened 130 women who were screened for exclusion parameters including high bloodpressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, infections, or acute inflammatory conditions. By the end of the screening process, 67 FM women patients were admitted to participate in the study, together with 38 healthy controls.
Participants were monitored for a 24-hour ambulatory BP period and defined as “dippers” and “non-dippers” according to their blood pressure decline — patients demonstrating a 10% decrease in nocturnal BP values were classified as “dippers,” while those with a reduction of less than 10% were classified as “non-dippers.”
The participants with FM were observed to be 3.68 times more at risk of becoming a systolic non dipper, and 2.69 times more to be a diastolic nondipper. Despite adjusting for other factors that could influence non dipping blood pressure, such as smoking, FM was still concluded to be a strong predictor of this phenomenon.
Based on this study’s findings, the team recommends that FM patients’ blood pressures be monitored and observed for non dipping patterns, and for physicians to include cardiovascular precautions in their interventions in FM patients.
Despite the instant negative reaction to the thought of the Herpes virus and the association with sexually transmitted disease, there are a number of different Herpes viruses, including those responsible for Chicken Pox, Shingles, and Epstein Barr (mono).
Even the ones with the most negative stereotypes are much more common than people believe; around 90% of people have been exposed to HSV-1 (oral herpes, or cold sores), and the numbers for genital herpes are pretty close to the same. Once exposed to any of these viruses they can lie dormant in your body, reactivating at any time, usually as a response to stress. So, is there a connection between Fibromyalgia and Herpes?
Given the overlap in symptoms between Fibromyalgia and Epstein Barr, it’s not surprising that researchers would consider a possible connection; I know that I certainly did. I had mono when I was a junior in High school. I don’t remember much about it other than that I felt tired a lot. What I do remember was later (over the next couple of decades) that I would have what I referred to as “recurring mono” despite multiple doctors telling me that you can’t get mono more than once (something that has since been severely questioned by many doctors and researchers).
My throat would get sore, my lymph nodes would get swollen, I would feel achy (like the flu), and worn out. This was usually after I’d been running on full steam for several weeks, and I saw it as just my body crashing after I’d pushed it too hard. Back in 2006 when I was fighting strep infections every couple of weeks I actually managed to get a doctor to test me for Epstein Barr and low and behold I tested positive for an active infection (so much for not being able to get it more than once). Blood work has come a long way in two decades.
Fibromyalgia, to me, feels a lot like those episodes of mono, sometimes even including the swollen glands and low-grade fever that were common with the recurring mono. So, it’s understandable why I might question whether or not there may really be a connection between the two.
Research regarding the overlap of Fibromyalgia and Epstein Barr goes all the way back to (at least) 1987. Buchwald, Goldenberg, Sullivan, and Komaroff examined 50 patients with Fibromyalgia and tested them for Epstein Barr. The levels of the virus in their systems were not significantly different than those of the healthy and unhealthy controls.
The methods used to diagnose Fibromyalgia, at this time, were much less stringent than the 1990 guidelines called for, and probably more similar to the currently accepted guidelines. Two control groups were used for this study, one group containing healthy controls, the other patients who had been diagnosed with at least one chronic illness.
A large number of the patients (27%) reported frequent sore throats, as well as many of the other symptoms common to mono, but not common to Fibro. Testing showed no significant differences in the levels of EBV antibodies between the Fibro group and the health or unhealthy controls.
VCA-IgG indicating that the person has had the virus at some time existed in almost all participants (regardless of group). It’s important to note that many people can have Mono and never show any symptoms. VCA-IgM without EBNA antibodies indicates a recent infection; none of the Fibro patients tested positive for VCA-IgM.
EBNA antibodies indicate a past infection; this was found in most participants regardless of group. Given the results, it’s almost impossible to say that Herpes isn’t related to Fibro, or that it is. Since they tested against healthy (and unhealthy controls) and all showed evidence of past infections, it’s possible that their healthy controls were not as healthy as they thought, that the unhealthy control group may have had overlapping issues that were not diagnosed, and a number of other things, including limitations in the blood tests at that time.
Side Note – one really interesting thing in this study that jumped out at me was that even back in 1987 Rheumatologists were reporting that they believed Fibromyalgia patients may make up the largest percentage of their patients. This is back before the original diagnostic criteria were set, and long before most doctors really even believed Fibromyalgia existed. Evidently, the three doctors involved in this study did believe in Fibromyalgia. Perhaps, Fibro patients sought them out for that reason.
In 2012, Hedberg reported that latent Epstein Barr virus has been connected to many different auto-immune disorders including MS, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, RA, Sjogren’s, Chrons, and a number of others that are often seen as overlapping disorders with Fibromyalgia. He also reported on a genetic mutation found in the blood that allows Epstein Barr to increase and maintain itself, possibly leading to autoimmune issues.
A great deal more research has been done regarding Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS); both Epstein Barr and Herpes Virus 6 have been connected to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; as many as 70% of those diagnosed with Fibromyalgia are also diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and there is much debate as to whether Fibro and CFS may be two separate entities or two ends of the same spectrum.
Of course, all of that brings us to the recent findings of Dr. Duffy and Pridgen at the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!). They have been researching the possibilities of treating Fibromyalgia, chronic pain, and IBS using a combination of anti-virals usually used to treat HSV-1 (cold sores). They stumbled upon this potential treatment almost accidentally and are now on their way to stage-3 trials. This could be the thing that ties the Herpes virus to Fibromyalgia (and related conditions) and may provide significant relief for many of us.
Cannabis topicals are providing significant relief to Fibromyalgia patients across the continent.
Cannabis topicals can be used to treat Fibromyalgia pain, like tender points and muscle stiffness, but how?
Fibromyalgia affects approximately five million Americans, yet treatment is notoriously difficult. Many believe their condition isn’t taken seriously by physicians, and symptoms are wide-ranging, including chronic pain with tender points, a widespread stiffness of the muscles, headaches, sleep disturbances, fatigue, depression, and more. According to a 2014 survey conducted by the National Pain Report, cannabis is a “very effective treatment” for two-thirds of Fibromyalgia patients. In fact, those same respondents said cannabis was more effective at treating their symptoms than prescription drugs.
Ingesting and inhaling cannabis can definitely help with symptoms, but for extra pain relief on tender spots, stiff muscles, and migraines, many Fibromyalgia sufferers are opting for cannabis topicals that can be massaged directly onto painful areas. That’s because the body’s endocannabinoid system has receptors all over the skin. Cannabinoids, like THC and CBD, can be absorbed directly to decrease inflammation, pain, and stiffness. Thinking of trying a cannabis topical for pain? We’ve rounded up the 10 best cannabis topicals to help relieve Fibromyalgia pain, check them out below!
Apothecanna Extra Strength Creme is one of the best cannabis topicals on the market for pain. The cannabis lotion is great for aches and stiffness and is also infused with essential oils known for their pain-relieving properties, like arnica, peppermint, and juniper. It provides a relaxing cooling effect that can be used during a full body massage or rubbed directly into tender spots for fast-acting relief.
Om Body is made by Om Edibles, an award-winning line of cannabis-infused products. Om Body’s Lion Balm is made with beeswax and shea and cocoa butter. Plus, it’s packed with spicy essential oils, Thai Liniments, and THC. You can rub it directly onto problem areas for pain and inflammation relief that feels a bit like Tiger Balm – if Tiger Balm was infused with weed, that is.
Papa & Barkley makes an array of “Releaf” cannabis topicals, including balm, massage oil, bath salts, and transdermal patches. Through research, Papa & Barkley have found the “right ratio” of THC to CBD for topical pain relief: 3:1 THC: CBD, which all of their “Releaf” products have. All Papa & Barkley goods are made with top-shelf quality cannabis and other ingredients, like coconut oil and dead sea salt, to decrease pain and stiffness naturally.
CAD’s CBD pain cream won Best CBD topical at the 2017 Emerald Cup for a reason. Made with certified organic ingredients, this CBD pain relief rub is great for fibromyalgia pain as well as arthritis, psoriasis, and severe back pain. CAD’s cannabis topical for pain is completely handmade and the cannabis extract is sourced from pesticide-free, sun-grown California buds.
Whoopi & Maya is a line of topicals and edibles designed by actor, Whoopi Goldberg, and Founder of Om Edibles, Maya Elisabeth. Their products were originally designed to relieve menstrual cramps and discomforts, but can be used for all sorts of cramping, stiffness, and pain. They make a legendary bath salt, “Soak”, infused with THC as well as lavender, essential oils, and aloe vera, which is great to relieve discomfort before bed. They also make an exceptional pain-relieving cannabis balm called “Rub” infused with THC, CBD, white willow bark, ginger, and St. John’s Wort; all herbs are known for their medical properties.
All Sagely products are made from hemp-derived CBD, so there’s no THC and they can be shipped to all 50 states. Their “Relief & Recovery” cannabis topical was created by Ph.D. chemists and is infused with peppermint and menthol for their cooling and anti-inflammatory properties, safflower seed, and argan oil to hydrate the skin, and of course, CBD, to relieve aches, pains, and inflammation.
Be Trū products are also made with CBD derived from the hemp plant, and so, contain no THC. The BODY pain relief cream is packed with essential oils known to relieve pain, like lavender, rosemary, and menthol, plus, of course, plenty of CBD. Be Trū’s CBD pain relief rub has a cooling effect and is great for fibromyalgia pains, like muscle aches, joint pain, and stiffness.
Prana makes an assortment of THC and CBD–infused cannabis topicals, including massage and body oil, roll-ons, and transdermal patches. Their CBD roll-on won second place in the CBD topicals category at the 2017 Emerald Cup and is be perfect for tender points and migraines. Prana prides itself on infusing whole-plant cannabis into essential oils, like sweet almonds, lavender, eucalyptus, roman chamomile, and juniper berry for transdermal pain relief that’s 100 percent natural.
Mary’s Nutritionals is the hemp-based, CBD-only line of Mary’s Medicinals, a medical marijuana company. Mary’s Nutritionals makes a variety of topical CBD products that are great for pain, including “Muscle Freeze,” a cooling cannabis cream that relieves muscle pain, soreness, and inflammation. For longer-lasting relief, they also make transdermal patches, the “Elite Patch,” which gradually releases 10 mg of CBD hemp extract over the course of eight to 12 hours. Also, check out their Gel pen for isolated relief on tender points like ankles and temples.
Manna Molecular specializes in transdermal patches that can be worn all day for extended pain relief and muscle stiffness. They were founded by MIT pharmaceutical chemists to create products with surgical precision and accurate dosing. Their transdermal patches are unique because they’re made with patented 3D printers, the “MannaBot One,” and can be completely customized for dose and cannabinoid profile. Meaning, you can choose the medicine that’s right for your unique pain.
Cannabis-infused sports creams claim to offer muscle relief. We spoke to experts to see if they’re worth a shot.
Chances are you’re no stranger tomuscle aches. Well, what if we told you that cannabis creams might help provide relief?
Yes, there’s a new type of topical ointment on the market, and it’s infused with cannabidiol (CBD) from marijuana. Manufacturers claim it can help alleviate acute pain and muscle soreness. CBD is similar to THC, except it’s non-psychoactive, meaning some researchers view it as the golden child of medicinal use.
Science has confirmed that cannabis is an effective pain reliever, reinforced in a massive new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. But there’s a big difference between ingesting cannabis or its individual chemicals orally and absorbing it through your skin. Here, the lowdown on this new crop (no pun intended) of pain relievers.
The ointment is made from infusing high-quality cannabis flowers in some kind of quality oil—coconut or olive typically—which extracts the active compounds, either CBD, THC, or both depending on the type of hemp used. This oil is then blended with other therapeutic herbs, like arnica or lemongrass essential oils, which are well-known pain relievers.
If you read the ingredient list, often everything in the jar is straight from mother earth. As long as that’s indeed the case with the cream you have your eye on, the formula is immensely safe, chemically, says Gregory Gerdeman, Ph.D., neurophysiologist who researches cannabinoid biology and pharmacology at Eckerd College in Saint Petersburg, FL. And since they’re formulated to be topical—absorbing into the top layer of skin—and not transdermal—which would pass through the skin and into your bloodstream—there’s no risk of getting high.
“When it comes to cannabis-based topicals for muscle soreness or other pain relief, there’s absolutely no reason why it should be a big deal to try,” he says.
They may be safe, but there’s one massive problem: There’s practically no scientific data to support the idea that a CBD-infused topical cream is any more effective than other topical pain relievers, like Tiger Balm, BenGay, or Icy Hot. Michelle Sexton, a San Diego-based naturopathic doctor and medical research director of the Center for the Study of Cannabis and Social Policy says that her patients do seem to have a great interest in CBD ointments, and roughly 40 percent of them have indeed tried one. However, these people are in her office now because the topicals didn’t work for them. “As a medical professional, my opinion is there’s little evidence to back up the claims being made—it’s all marketing for now,” she says.
There is an argument to be made for the simple fact that science hasn’t caught up to the trend (and laws) of 2017 yet. And there are doubtlessly researchers testing the efficacy of CBD–infused creams for pain relief as we speak.
The theoretical logic is there, Gerdeman says. What exactly is that thinking? Well, there are a few different ways CBD could help regulate pain—by increasing your natural endocannabinoids, decreasing your inflammatory response, and desensitizing your pain receptors (although it’s still unclear whether this stands when absorbed topically compared to orally).
Let’s start simple: Endocannabinoids are natural signals in your body that help maintain homeostasis by detecting and regulating hunger, pain, mood, and memory. CBD helps elevate your natural levels of pain-relieving endocannabinoids by blocking metabolism as they’re moving around your body.
The second method of pain relief centers around the damage you do when you work out. When you strength train, you create micro-tears in your muscles, which is why you feel sore as you heal. Once your immune cells detect damage, they release inflammatory mediators in order to repair the tissue. CBD, though has the ability to limit the release of some proinflammatory signals, thereby helping with pain without thwarting the healing entirely, Gerdeman explains.
Finally, you have receptors called TrpV1 that detect and regulate your body temperature. When activated, they put out heat, soothing your pain receptors. Using this channel, CBD makes these pain receptors hyperactive for a period of time, causing them to get hot, desensitizing them, and downregulating those pain–sensing nerve endings.
Phew—enough of that biology lesson. The real problem here is that all of this has yet to be proven in scientific studies on humans.
A study analysis in the Journal of Pain Research confirms that topical use of certain cannabinoid topicals can reduce pain in animals with inflammation or neuropathic pain. And science has found topical creams with THC and CBD help relieve pain for conditions like multiple sclerosis. But for the vast majority of chronic pain—and most certainly for acute pain like post-workout—the scientific jury is 100 percent still out. “There’s a little bit of data in support of CBD for pain relief, but to go from animal to human is a giant leap,” Sexton says.
“The pain and stiffness that comes post-workout or from overexertion certainly has a pro-inflammatory component to it, so it’s reasonable to think CBD or other cannabinoids might have benefits, but we have no research to support this yet,” Gerdeman adds.
The other issue? Topical creams will treat anatomical structures within 1 centimeter of the skin—and the muscle where your actual soreness is located is going to be deeper than that, explains Ricardo Colberg, M.D., a physician at Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham, AL.
The fatty tissue can only hold so much oil, so, theoretically, if you apply enough of a CBD–infused topical cream to your skin it might leak down into your skeletal muscle just out of diffusion, Sexton adds. But there’s no study to show this, and that means you’re going to be rubbing on a whole lot of the stuff.
This takes us to the next problem: There is no regulation around how much active CBD or THC is in each cream or how much of the compound is needed to see relief. Read: “If you have three products that say 1 percent CBD infused in coconut oil, one could be great and the other two could be crap—that’s the reality of cannabis medicine right now,” Gerdeman says.
That’s not to say CBD–infused creams definitely won’t reduce your acute pain or muscle soreness. That’s because pretty much all of these creams on the market right now have other scientifically-proven analgesic compounds, like menthol, camphor, and capsaicin which are also found in other, non-CBD topical pain relievers.
“Any cream with a heating or cooling sensation desensitizes the nerves to pain by distracting them with stimuli on top,” Dr. Colberg explains. Plus you’re often massaging the area as you apply, which improves circulation and reduces muscle spasms, he adds.
So do you need CBD? All our experts agree that until we have more peer-reviewed research, all claims are marketing hype and not evidence-based.
But there is an argument to be made for simply believing the CBD adds that special something. “Scientific literature says there’s a 33 percent chance of the placebo effect helping people, so for some, just using a cream they believe can help will provide some relief,” Dr. Colberg adds.
The short of it: Science hasn’t confirmed creams with CBD will have any greater benefit than those without, but there’s little-to-no risk in trying it out (other than wasting your money, of course). And if you believe in the power of CBD–infused creams, that may be enough to score some relief.
If your state has legalized both compounds, look for a cream with 1:1 CBD to THC as well as another cannabinoid BCP (beta-caryophyllene) if possible, which manufacturers have seen better results with, Gerdeman suggests. Try Apothecanna’s Extra Strength Relieving Creme ($20; apothecanna.com) or Whoopi & Maya’s Medical Cannabis Rub (yes, that’s Whoopi Goldberg’s line), which was designed specifically for menstrual aches and pains (whoopiandmaya.com).
If you don’t live in a legalized state, you can typically still get CBD–infused creams. Since there’s no regulation or standardized testing, your best bet is to find trustworthy brands that use creams free of toxins but with additional pain relievers like menthol, capsaicin, lemongrass, or camphor. Try Mary’s Nutritionals Muscle Freeze ($70; marysnutritionals.com) or Elixinol’s CBD Rescue Balm ($40; elixinol.com).
For decades, since fibromyalgia disproportionately affected women, those who suffered from its often debilitating effects were often labeled as “hysterical women.” Many doctors would not even acknowledge that it was a legitimate physical disorder and called women hypochondriacs. It was often referred to as a “psychosomatic disorder.”
Over the decades, the medical community has finally recognized it as a physical disorder but has only speculated as to its underlying cause. The conventional Western medical treatment consisted of 3 pharmaceuticals, none of which helps with the symptoms but produces plenty of side effects. The 3 drugs are Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Savella.
With no relief provided by pharmaceuticals, many desperate fibromyalgia sufferers are turning to medical cannabis as a last resort and have been ecstatic with the results. I know patients who have been so incapacitated by fibromyalgia that they were unable to get out of bed, let alone work. Many have resumed activities that they never expected to do again in their lives, including working and exercising. It has been literally a “lifesaver” for many.
The question is why does cannabis seem to work so well? The answer, according to Dr. Ethan Russo, medical director of PHYTECS, is that those who have fibromyalgia suffer from Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency (CED). When you replenish the depleted endocannabinoid system with the necessary cannabinoids, the symptoms disappear.
Think of it in similar terms of someone with a Vitamin B deficiency feeling much better after taking supplements. For those who have studied the endocannabinoid system (ECS), you will know that its main function is to help the body maintain homeostasis. When the body is in homeostasis, it is free from disease.
The ECS consists of cannabinoid receptors, C1 and C2, which are found in the brain, spinal cord, nerves, stomach, and other organs. It also controls many of our physiological processes such as pain, mood, memory, and appetite. Our bodies naturally produce endocannabinoids, similar to those in cannabis. That keeps our ECS functioning properly. When the endocannabinoids are depleted, we experience disorder and disease.
Those with severe fibromyalgia know, only too well, all the symptoms of this disorder. Pain is typically the worst, coupled with incapacitating fatigue. Irritable bowel syndrome and migraine are also very common symptoms. Russo is convinced that this is an indication of ECS deficiency. He purposed this theory as far back as 2001. Recent research studies support this theory with evidence of cannabis usage decreasing pain, improving sleep, and relieving gastric distress.
CED is based on the theory that there is a link between brain disorders and neurotransmitter deficiencies. Think dopamine shortage with Parkinson’s disease and serotonin and norepinephrine with depression. The best evidence for the CED theory is from an Italian migraine study.
The results showed reduced levels of anandamide, an endocannabinoid, in the cerebrospinal fluid of chronic migraines sufferers versus healthy control subjects. The ECS is known to regulate the transportation of food in the digestive tract as well as the release of digestive juices to break down food and inflammation. CED would account for digestive disorders like IBS which almost always accompany fibromyalgia.
There is much anecdotal evidence but little research evidence to substantiate Dr. Russo’s theory. He would like to conduct randomized controlled trials to prove or disprove the existence of CED. MRI and PET scans may one day be able to detect endocannabinoid levels in patients. That would allow a comparison of endocannabinoid levels in fibromyalgia patients versus healthy control subjects. That possibility may not be far away.
The prevalence of fibromyalgia (FM) may increase with age, according to results obtained in a study with Turkish patients. The study shows that elderly adults with fibromyalgia experience poor quality of life in terms of pain, sleep, social, and emotional functions.
Most studies on fibromyalgia include young or middle-aged patients, mostly women, but little is known about the prevalence and impact of fibromyalgia among the elderly.
Of the 100 patients, 31 were included in the FM group, and 69 composed the non-FM group.
Fibromyalgia patients presented significantly higher scores in pain, sleep, social isolation, and emotional reactions in the quality of life score compared to the non-FM group. No difference was found in terms of gender on the TPC and disease severity measures, but these parameters were reduced with increasing age — the older the patient, the worse the result.
Results also indicated that disease severity and TPC were linked to pain and emotional reactions as tested in the quality of life score. However, no correlation was found between disease severity and TPC and the patients’ physical mobility, sleep, energy, and social isolation.
Together, the results indicated that not only does the prevalence of fibromyalgia increase with aging, but the disease also brings a poor quality of life to these patients.
“Although FM is thought to be a disease seen among young and middle-aged women, its prevalence increases with age,” researchers wrote. “Accompanying osteoarthritis in elderly patients may cause a delay in the diagnosis of FM and as well as its treatment. In case of severe pain which is incompatible with the clinical and radiological findings, diagnosis of FM should be taken into account.”
A recent clinical study looked at the effects of topical magnesium on forty female patients who had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
We’ve covered a lot of topics on this website about fibromyalgia, both the symptoms and possible ways to treat it. But if you’ve spent time researching fibromyalgia, you know it’s not often that you come across good news. That’s why some of the information coming about the use of topical magnesium for treating fibromyalgia is so exciting. It actually seems to have a significant impact on symptoms.
Magnesium is an element that plays an important part in the way your body functions. It helps your body create many of the proteins you need and plays a role in the regulation of DNA. It also helps regulate muscle and nerve functions.
Generally, you can get all the magnesium you need through your diet. Nuts, leafy greens, and grains are all high in magnesium and can provide the 300-400 mg that the average adult needs. The problem is that it can be tough to eat a healthy diet, and many people don’t take their magnesium levels into account when planning their meals.
And if you go a long time without magnesium, it can lead to serious problems. The most common symptoms of magnesium deficiency are fatigue, weakness, and vomiting.
It usually takes a significant amount of time for people to develop the condition, and most people with low levels of magnesium will probably never experience it. But if you have other health problems, like impaired kidney function, your odds are much higher.
The most common way to treat the condition is simply to take magnesium supplements. And there are two options as far as supplements go: oral and topical magnesium. Oral magnesium supplements are taken through the mouth, and topical supplements are applied directly to the skin.
Research has shown mixed results as to which form is better. Some have seen more of a benefit with the topical supplement, possibly because it enters the bloodstream faster. But other studies have noted that the difference isn’t really large enough to say that it’s definitely better than the oral route. And some have suggested that because the purpose of the skin is to keep things out, the argument that it is absorbed better through the skin isn’t well-founded.
Science is still out on the subject. And ultimately, it probably doesn’t matter how you take the magnesium. The good news is that studies done on topical magnesium specifically have shown that it has benefits for people with fibromyalgia.
A recent clinical study looked at the effects of topical magnesium on forty female patients who had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Participants were asked to spray a magnesium supplement at the site of their fibromyalgia pain twice a day for four weeks. At the end of the four weeks, they had the patients fill out a questionnaire about their symptoms.
The results showed that the patients who used the magnesium solution had a significant improvement in their symptoms.
Obviously, we need more studies to fully understand what the benefits of magnesium are for people with fibromyalgia. But these early results are promising. They suggest that a simple, over-the-counter supplement like magnesium can actually have significant benefits for people suffering from fibromyalgia.
We aren’t sure why magnesium helps with fibromyalgia, as the study suggests it does. It could be that magnesium helps regulate nerve function in people with fibromyalgia, which seems to be a condition that affects the nervous system. And while there’s no evidence that fibromyalgia is caused by magnesium deficiency, it could be that keeping healthy magnesium levels leads to real benefits in symptoms.
Of course, like all supplements, there are some things you should be aware of before taking magnesium. While rare, it is possible to take too much magnesium, resulting in abdominal pains and cramping. In very high doses, it can even lead to heart problems. Always be careful about how much you’re taking. This can be a special concern when it comes to topical magnesium.
Unlike oral magnesium, it can be hard to tell exactly how much you’re taking with topical magnesium. Follow directions carefully and always consult with a doctor before taking any supplements. It may also be a good idea to get regular blood tests, so your doctor can monitor your magnesium levels both before and after treatment.
So, let us know. Do you take magnesium? Do you take it orally or topically? Does it seem to help with your fibromyalgia symptoms? Tell us in the comments.
Your body is constantly working. It does a long list of amazing things without you even thinking about it consciously. You breathe efficiently even while you’re sound asleep. When your nose itches, you automatically reach up to scratch the itch. Blood flows through your veins effortlessly.
You process food through your body, discard waste, and mount a defense against viruses and other unhealthy intruders. You burp, pass gas, cough, sneeze, and hiccup effortlessly. Your body even maintains body temperature automatically.
Imagine if your body started to malfunction with some of those automatic processes. This is what happens to an estimated 70 million people around the world when they develop Dysautonomia syndrome.
This may look like a long medical term that is difficult to understand, but it’s simply a group of medical conditions that impact the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS).
The ANS allows your body to complete all of those amazing tasks automatically. It’s the reason you’re alive because it controls your blood pressure, breathing rate, and many other functions that you need to regulate in order to live.
It also controls automatic movements that allow you to remain mobile and fully functional in daily life. When parts of this system start to break down or are damaged, you can face serious medical conditions known as Dysautonomias.
It’s common for fibromyalgia sufferers to experience at least one form of Dysautonomia syndrome. We know that with fibromyalgia, there is a dysfunction in the ANS. For many with fibromyalgia, it appears as a delayed and inflated response to stressful situations. The fibromyalgia sufferer may go through a stressful situation without releasing the stress hormones that are typically produced automatically.
Once the stressful encounter is over and the sufferer is able to relax, the release of those stress hormones is triggered. The sufferer is flooded with stress hormones and experiences the anxiety and energy that others felt during the stressful situation, only the sufferer experiences it to an extreme degree long after the stress has subsided. This delayed reaction may make it appear that there is no cause for the sudden onset of severe alarm and discomfort.
There are other ways that fibromyalgia patients can suffer from Dysautonomia syndrome. Just as fibromyalgia can produce different symptoms in different people, the forms of Dysautonomia can vary from one person to another.
There are many other possible symptoms that could go on this list, depending on the parts of the autonomic system impacted by the Dysautonomia. For instance, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) can lead to dizziness, nausea, and even fainting when you try to stand up. It’s caused by dysfunction in the regulation of the heart rate when you go from sitting to standing position, and it’s a common form of Dysautonomia for fibromyalgia sufferers.
In some cases, problems with the autonomic system can lead to death. This may occur when the condition interferes with those essential automatic processes that you need to live, including your heart rhythm. If you think that you may suffer from any form of Dysautonomia, it’s important to seek medical help immediately.
Those of us with MCS also can have a greater propensity to this kind of syndrome in the CNS because of the effect of environmental toxins on the body and the effect on various systems of the body including the immune, endocrine, and nervous systems.
“I can only hope that I will continue to cope with it all as I do now.”
My son is just over 2 years old. Anyone who has a toddler knows how much energy they exude at seemingly all hours of the day. I go through a constant grieving and acceptance stage with my fibromyalgia diagnosis because I feel like less of a mother for not being able to play with my toddler the way my husband can.
I watch them wrestle and tickle each other while crawling around and feel so overjoyed at the love they share, while also simultaneously feeling as though I am failing him.
I should be able to chase him up and down the hall as he laughs without my back seizing up. I should be able to wrestle with him without fear of being bumped in just the right spot to make me double over in pain.
I think about when he’s a teenager and has to make excuses for me to his friends as to why I’m not at a game of his and it almost breaks my heart.
I think of where I’m at now with my pain and I wonder what my quality of life will be like in five, 10, 15 years and how that will affect my son. I can only hope that I will continue to cope with it all as I do now. Taking it day by day.
I cry when I’m sad and laugh and smile through the pain. It’s all I can ask of myself. To continue being who I have always been and hope that it shines through everything else.
