We have reached too far in the field of technology as well as in the field of medical use. We have also reached too far in the study of our own bodies. But still, there are a lot of mysteries to be solved in the medical world.
There is no proper cure for Cancer and cancer is spreading all out there for a very long time. And there are a lot more other conditions that haven’t been cured yet. For example, fibromyalgia is still a mystery and almost more than 10 million people are suffering from it. Researchers don’t even believe that it is a stand-alone condition.
Most of them believe that it is a physical form of depression. Even now, medications used for treating fibromyalgia are also used in treating depression.
Fibromyalgia is like a mystery that’s ending hasn’t been written yet. One clue leads you towards another clue and the mystery remains the same. Fibromyalgia is not a condition just like cancer leads you towards death but it is a condition that severely affects your life. It leads you towards a life where it is constricted to lying around the home and not being able to do anything because of the severe pains and other symptoms.
We know that fibromyalgia is a syndrome and the symptoms are different in many patients. Several theories are there that refer to “what actually causes fibromyalgia.”
It seems like the body feels pain due to the low levels of serotonin in one’s body, that’s what we call “fibromyalgia”. Some people connect it with the brain. Others relate it to sleep disorders, depression, and many other conditions. Some people connect it with genetic also.
The last researchers showed that changes made in the genes of a person make this syndrome hereditary. The research is still in process. Maybe we can find the actual cause of fibromyalgia.
The Fibromyalgia category includes fatigue, depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, irritable bowel syndrome, irritable bladder syndrome, muscle pain, muscle twitching, restless leg syndrome, thyroid issues, muscle spasms, headaches, dizziness, and cognitive disorders.
So many conditions overlap with the same symptoms. Researchers took some time to develop an actual test that has the ability to spot fibromyalgia. At first, 18 tender points were tested in the human body and the responsiveness of patients when pressing these points.
But now, a test has developed that searches precisely for the elements in the human blood, which are specific to patients who have FMS. This test is still new which means insurance companies will not cover it.
There is no actual cure for it. You can’t just take a pill and make this disease go away, at least not now. However, there are certain medications that have proved so effective for patients. Following are the drugs approved by FDA in the USA:
It is the very first drug that has been approved by FDA in 2007 (Marketed by Pfizer Inc.,). Originally, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, seizures, and pain related to the shingles rash were mainly intended to be treated with this drug, but now it is approved for fibromyalgia as well. You should keep in mind that there can be some side effects of this drug like dizziness, lack of focus, poor memory, weight gain, dry mouth, or even swelling. Some people might have allergic reactions to this drug.
This drug was approved in 2009 (marketed by Forest Pharmaceuticals Inc.). in the US, this drug is not used to treat depression but this drug seems like an anti-depressant, which means there can be side effects. Some of the symptoms include insomnia, dizziness, Suicidal thoughts, sweating, increased heart rate, and high blood pressure, vomiting, nausea, and constipation.
This drug was approved in 2008 (marketed by Eli Lilly and Co.). Originally, anxiety, depression, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy were treated by it. There can be some side effects of this drug as well that includes dry mouth, decreased appetite, constipation, nausea, and excessive sweating. Suicidal thoughts can also arise in some people due to this drug as some anti-depressants do the same.
These drugs haven’t been properly researched in the case of teenagers and children. That is the reason why doctors retain from prescribing these. You should also keep in mind that some people got a positive response after using these drugs. They point out that results are linked to the low level of serotonin in the body in many cases.
Most people affected by fibromyalgia are trying to find alternative remedies to cure the disorder then the pharmaceutical medications. There are documented several ways that helped people to deal with their conditions of fibromyalgia and proved to have a positive impact on their lives.
There are several supplements and herbs that can be helpful. They can be taken in order to ease the pain of fibromyalgia by increasing serotonin levels, decreasing pain sensitivity, improving immune function, and others.
The other natural remedy used to relax the sore muscles is massage. It is also highly recommended for fibromyalgia patients. It can be done by some professional or at home.
In several cases, it has been shown that having a masseuse not only helped people to release their muscle pain directly but also allowed them time to fully relax and ease stress. However, most people prefer to do daily massage at home. This can also be done using a tennis ball, rolled over the sore muscles to gently wipe the fatigue out.
The application of heat and cold (ice) can also help to ease sore muscles. The usage of cold packs and ice can be helpful for deep and achy muscles in order to soothe their pain. Heat in the form of a warm cloth or a warm bath can also be applied to release muscle tension. The heat from a shower or bath will relax muscles and refresh the body and is considered the best way for heat application.
Magnesium has potential that helps with nearly 300 biochemical body reactions. The deficiency of minerals is found in about 80-95% of people with fibromyalgia. The lack of this mineral is also found in a large number of the general population.
Another remedy that can relieve fibromyalgia is oleander extract. It is an immune modulator. It should always be taken in supplement form because raw oleander is toxic.
Acupuncture is a very old traditional Chinese methodology. In this technique, small needles are applied to the skin to open the energy fields. The acupuncture process helps to open up pathways to energy. This traditional medical and spiritual practice that has also been backed by the NIH has proven to be very helpful.
The energy levels in the body can be attained by using vitamin B12. The deficiency of this vitamin can give pain to people who have fibromyalgia. The usage of B12 supplements can ease the conditions of fibromyalgia and provide chances to improve the quality of life as it can increase energy levels in people suffering chronic pain and can also help to release depression and isolation due to pain and fatigue.
The regular liver cleanse process is a great way to clear out toxins. There is a number of natural ways to complete a liver cleanse. This is very important because the presence of toxins in the body can affect other organs and the liver. The regular process of flushing and cleansing of the liver improves the functionality of the liver and also helps the body to eliminate waste that has been stuck in the body.
5-HTP helps to increase serotonin levels and to reduce the number of tender points on the body due to fibromyalgia. This supplement helps the body to release pain by enhancing serotonin levels and stabilizing mood. This chemical affects the brain and should be taken after a doctor’s consultation.
An important compound in the body that is essential for the body’s proper immunity system is SAMe. It helps to maintain cell membranes and break down neurotransmitters including serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.
Meditation is a powerful technique to clear the mind by calming the body and thoughts. It can be done in a number of ways: sitting, lying down, walking, and others. It has been proven to reduce stress levels and increase the clarity and focus of the mind remarkably.
It is a good way to manage pain and overall provides a positive outlook. It helps to clear the mind from any negativity. The regular practice of meditation can reduce stress levels and bring optimism and balance to the lives of those with fibromyalgia.
These natural cure processes should be considered by the people who want to save themselves from any further harm of the traditional pharmaceutical drugs. However, for serious conditions, proper medication is required.
It is an anti-depressant that helps in regulating serotonin production and reuptake. This medication helps in an uplifting mood, counteracts pain, and restores normal sleep patterns by increasing the concentration of usable serotonin. Both depression and anxiety symptoms are alleviated by this medicine.
Researchers show that trazodone helps in improving cognitive rationality and functioning, enhancing the quality of sleep, and reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Of course, there are some side effects as well.
Clinical studies and researchers have shown that like other anti-depressants that are available in the market, trazodone is also effective. Of course, some side effects have also been mentioned in the studies.
Constipation and glaucoma are treated by this unmatched ability of Trazodone. Trazodone doesn’t make anticholinergic reactions like other medications, that is why it shows effectiveness in treating these conditions.
Sedative effects are also produced by Trazodone, which distinctly reduces agitation, anxiety, and sleeps deprivation symptoms. These sedative effects make fibromyalgia patients in trouble who experience chronic fatigue and lethargy.
Moreover, cardiac arrhythmias are the confirmed side effect. People with and without pre-existing heart conditions have experienced this side effect.
Priapism is another rarely observed but very serious side effect. This side effect makes the male penis not retreat from its erect state for almost 4 hours. As it is a rare condition, but it does indicate some concern among men with fibromyalgia. Treating this condition generally has a high risk for this side effect.
There is a need to take some precautionary measures, as it has some side effects. An individual can take a smaller dosage if he is highly sensitive to trazodone.
As youth combines trazodone with other anti-depressants, the warning signs given by researchers should be noted by doctors and parents i.e. suicidal tendencies among youth. Early interventions and precautionary measures are critical in suicidal thought processes.
For safety purposes, this medicine should be taken in small doses by both suicidal depressed children and adults. There are a lot of anti-depressants that induce an unresponsive mental state due to which suicide thoughts increases. The rare incidence of seizures is another serious side effect.
Trazodone is safer in overdoses as compared to some other anti-depressants. Moreover, usually, people less surrender to this medicine overdose, as its toxicity levels are mild. But in some cases, the toxicity levels are spiked in the bloodstream and lower the blood pressure when it is consumed in excess. There is a worst-case report ever that says, the blockage in the atrioventricular region of the heart was developed in a patient and several organ systems got failed with it.
There is an interaction between trazodone and a liver enzyme called CYP3A4. This enzyme has responsibility for metabolic processes that activate trazodone. The concentration of trazodone increases severely in the bloodstream when there is some enzyme hindrance in some way. The effects of CYP3A4 suppresses by specific foods, herbs, and medication, which might be harmful. Grapefruit taken in large quantity can be one of these foods.
Doctors advise patients not to combine Trazodone with other medications. In some cases, the potency of alcohol, depressants, and barbiturates in the bloodstream increases with trazodone. Due to this, fatigue and scattered thinking induce. The digoxin and phenytoin levels spike in those patients who take trazodone with other medications. More research should be done in the field of trazodone and its impact on aesthetics.
Where there are benefits of trazodone, there are a few risk factors for it as well. So, before taking this medication, patients should thoroughly check both risks and benefits.
If a patient found it to be ill-suited for himself, he should take another anti-depressant as a solution. Fortunately, there are so many ways for recovery and patients can adopt different medications for treatment.
The risk of developing tachycardia, arrhythmia, and severe fatigue increases due to fibromyalgia in a lot of cases. If you have a history of suicidal thoughts or tendencies, you should consult your doctor for alternative medication. There are some additional treatments that include sleep aids, muscle relaxers, anticonvulsants, and steroid injections.
There are a lot of patients who have enhanced or replaced traditional therapies with homeopathic medications. One of the most useful methods is physical therapy, as it helps in aiding mobility and range of motion.
Moreover, energy blockages can be removed by massage and it promotes Qi flow, soothes trigger points. Muscle tension and pain are also reduced by massage. For fibromyalgia treatment, deep tissue massage, trigger point massage, and Shiatsu massage are well known. Shiatsu massage helps in interacting directly with nerve pathways in the central nervous system.
When some overwhelming risks occur in a patient’s health due to trazodone, biofeedback and acupuncture prove effective for treatment. Pain is relieved and chances of recovery are high.
It is also advised to fibromyalgia patients that they need to limit their diet by avoiding sugar, junk food, fats, etc. sugar and caffeine are the most devastating stimulants for fibromyalgia patients. So, there are some other options other than trazodone.
Fibromyalgia is a mystery that consists of a lot of symptoms and it seems like it is impossible to solve this mystery, especially when researchers haven’t found the root cause and cure of this illness.
There are a lot of doctors who do not admit this syndrome existence. It is true that people who are having this syndrome have to live their life with this syndrome. We cannot stop the occurrence of fibromyalgia till now.
Fibromyalgia is a syndrome whose main symptom is widespread pain. Along with this pain, people with fibromyalgia suffer from many other symptoms as well.
Some other symptoms include nausea, lack of focus, memory loss, arthritis and joint pain, depression, vomiting, sensitivity to light, odors, medication and noise, sensitivity to certain kinds of food, stiffness, numbness, tingling sensation, sleep problems, jaw sensitivity, food sensitivities, digestive issues, irritable bladder and reduced tolerance to exercising.
The major question that still doesn’t have an answer is what actually causes fibromyalgia. Although we have reached a very high level in research and technology the truth is still we don’t know about the actual root cause of fibromyalgia.
Some researchers believe that fibromyalgia can be caused by genetics, as many people have this disease in the family and doctors have detected certain polymorph genes in the bodies of fibromyalgia patients. But also, it cannot be the only cause of fibromyalgia because the same gene can be responsible for many other diseases as well. Some diseases can be similar to fibromyalgia.
Some other explanations are also there for fibromyalgia-like stress, low quality sleep, and dysfunction of nerve cells that worsen the pain in the brain. And yet, there is no explanation which is for sure a cause. Until we find the cause and cure it, all we have is to treat every symptom separately and manage the condition while never losing hope.
Fibromyalgia patients have to suffer a lot because sometimes it is difficult for them to even perform routine activities. There are some people who have openly told us the stories of how they are living a dreadful life with this illness.
Even, there are some celebrities like Morgan Freeman, who accepted openly that he is suffering from this condition. Life feels like a long string of devastating days with fibromyalgia. Sometimes people lose hope and get into an endless string from which they cannot come out.
Fibromyalgia is not something that you can treat without any concern from doctors. If you feel like you are having chronic pain for a very long time, or you have some severe symptoms; you should consult a doctor to check whether you have fibromyalgia or not.
Various forms of pain have been treated effectively from laser therapy including fibromyalgia. Although chronic pain is not cured of its studies have shown that pain due to fibromyalgia can be alleviated by this laser therapy.
Eve, this deep tissue laser therapy has been approved as a complementary therapy by FDA in the US of America. This therapy can help in managing various chronic pain conditions.
Laser therapy is effective for those who want some alternative prescription therapies. You will feel a relaxing type of warmness and will feel no pain during this treatment. This treatment lasts for a maximum of 10 minutes and you will feel an immediate difference in your first results.
However, make sure that you are choosing a facility where equipment has more efficiency and where well-trained people are available if you want to go for this therapy.
There are several types of medications approved by the FDA. 3 drugs have been approved by FDA i.e. Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Savella. Since the beginning, Savella is the only drug that is approved for fibromyalgia treatment. The rest of the drugs were used to treat other conditions previously.
Moreover, fibromyalgia symptoms can be lessened by physical therapies and exercising also. It is proved that more endorphins are released in the body and due to this pain is alleviated.
Naltrexone is a medication that is used to help former narcotics, those who stopped using narcotics to remain drug-free. Naltrexone is also used by people addicted to alcohol to stay alcohol-free. Recent studies have shown that it also works with endorphin levels and has the power to release pain, fatigue, and stress in fibromyalgia patients.
There are some other alternative therapies for fibromyalgia patients like meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi, acupuncture, etc. all these therapies help in alleviating pain and making the person relaxed.
Fibromyalgia is known to be a very painful and chronic disease and there are some guidelines for anyone diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Doctors will do a lot of tests and exams that range from some blood tests to every single examination of the symptoms to determine if the person is having fibromyalgia or not. Identifying pressure points is the most effective test of all.
You might think that you have widespread pain throughout the body and indeed you might have. But, there are some specific pressure points on your body that doctors test to check whether you have pain in these points or not. It is believed by a lot of researchers and professionals that the central problem of the pain in fibromyalgia can be determined by these pressure points.
In examining fibromyalgia, doctors put pressure on these points to check the severity of pain there. So doctors find it difficult to diagnose fibromyalgia if you may have pain all over the body. They have to check these pressure points and base their decisions on them. The back neck, shoulders, above the knees, hips, upper chest, elbows, and upper part of buttocks are included in pressure points.
Only lab tests can’t identify that whether there is a pain in these pressure points or not. There has to be a physical exam of these pressure points and this exam will take 10 to 15 minutes. You have to tell the feeling you get by having pressure on these points, whether you are having pain or not.
You should have widespread pain in all four quadrants of your body for more than three months and when the pressure is applied to these points, you should have severe pain in at least these pressure points in order to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
In this method, the level of accuracy is high and there are 90% chances that the doctor will make the correct diagnosis. This test is found to be more accurate than other tests.
Your doctor will never apply too much pressure to make you feel pain either way. Enough of the pressure is applied in order to know how you feel. You can try it yourself by applying pressure.
Treating fibromyalgia has another aspect and that is “trigger points”. There are 90% of the pressure points that also trigger points. So, what is the difference between them? Trigger points are referred to as nodules that you feel in tight muscles. The trigger points make you feel pain as well as send pain throughout your body if you apply pressure on these points.
In a similar way, when you apply pressure to pressure points, it will only cause pain in that area where you have applied pressure and won’t send pain all over the body. There is another difference between these two and that is the motion you can make can be restricted by trigger points but can’t be restricted by pressure points.
As we have mentioned earlier that there are 90% of pressure points that also trigger points. In fact, this is a beneficial thing. It is beneficial in the sense that a lot of therapies and treatments are there in reducing pain in the body, and if only one of your trigger points gets relieved by pain, it will help you in reducing the pain of other trigger and pressure points as well.
You can take hot showers or baths, massage, or you can do anything that relieves tension in muscles that can help you in relieving the pain of your trigger and pressure points.
Keep in mind that you should have pain in at least 11 out of 18 pressure points in order to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia. If you have pain in less than 11 points that it is good news for you that you are not having fibromyalgia. The bad news is that you still don’t know your illness and you are still experiencing pain.
It is believed by many researchers that if you have pain from less than 11 pressure points, you can still have fibromyalgia. This is the reason why a lot of professionals and doctors have tossed out this idea in the diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Yet, there will be a formulation of another diagnosis process that will be more effective as this process was.
Stay in touch with every latest news and research on fibromyalgia if you agree with your doctor that the process of pressure points is not an effective process for diagnosing fibromyalgia. A lot of doctors still believe this process to be effective. So get an opinion from your personal doctor.
Arthritis is considered one of the most common diseases related to bones. The statistic shows that more than 50 million Americans in the US suffer from some form of arthritis. Yet, this disease is somehow, still a mystery.
Like arthritis, fibromyalgia is not so common but around 5 million Americans are suffering from it. But fibromyalgia is so much similar to arthritis that it gets difficult to diagnose fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia and arthritis both are mysterious and can affect one’s life so much that the person feels hard to do daily activities.
Arthritis is a disease in which joints get inflamed and painful. It is believed that 100 forms of arthritis are present and osteoarthritis is considered to be the common one. More quite common forms are rheumatoid arthritis and also gout, psoriatic arthritis, and septic arthritis.
People show joint pain as a symptom of it which becomes so persistent and confined. The developing of stiffness and swelling of joints occur too. Moreover, some other symptoms like poor sleeping, tenderness, muscle aches, malaise, unable to use hands or feet properly, and much more appear too.
Different things cause different forms of arthritis. For instance, the natural wear and tear of joints cause osteoarthritis which is the reason for appearing later on in life. Infection in the joint causes septic arthritis. However, it is difficult to explain rheumatoid arthritis in the real sense of the word.
As rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease so it develops without any actual reason. When there is a virus in the body or an infection that needs to be eliminated, the body’s immune cells are created. However, the body’s immune cells start to attack healthy tissues in case of an autoimmune disease. These immune cells start to attack the joints in various body parts without having any reason, in the case of rheumatoid arthritis.
There is no cure for arthritis but yes it can have treatments. Paracetamol is prescribed in osteoarthritis and ibuprofen in rheumatoid arthritis. Doctors start prescribing other medications as well when these less harmful drugs cannot perform their job anymore.
Moreover, physical therapy is good for patients with arthritis, as it helps to lessen the pain and stiffness. Some other therapies which are believed to perform well are also used in arthritis-like Tai Chi, Yoga, acupuncture, and other eastern practices.
Weigh loss and constant exercise can lead you towards a healthy lifestyle. It can turn one’s life from pain to a normal life. There are a lot of patients who are managing their life successfully with arthritis.
If things are clear for arthritis (except for rheumatoid arthritis), fibromyalgia makes everything complicated. Fibromyalgia is considered to be a syndrome and not a disease, so there are a lot of symptoms of fibromyalgia, some of which become the worst types. Chronic widespread pain is the major symptom that fibromyalgia patients show. You should keep in mind that like arthritis, fibromyalgia is not localized.
Fibromyalgia brings a lot of symptoms other than pain that includes sleeping issues, anxiety, depression, headaches, stiffness, bowels problems, swelling, joint pain (and even arthritis as a co-morbid condition), bladder problems, cognitive issues (fibro fog), and many more symptoms that can be unbearable for pain.
It is so much difficult to put the right diagnosis as there are a lot of symptoms. While it is easy to diagnose arthritis with some tests, fibromyalgia is usually diagnosed by identifying a series of 18 tender points, examining the symptoms, and ruling out the other medical conditions as well. Fibromyalgia can be spotted out by only one kind of test but this test is out of range for many people due to its cost and many insurance companies haven’t covered it yet.
Moreover, it is so much difficult to explain or find fibromyalgia causes. A lot of researchers have put theories about the causes of fibromyalgia but these theories seem like putting forth the risk factors instead of causes that lead towards fibromyalgia.
There are a lot of things that seem to play a role in developing fibromyalgia-like poor sleeping patterns, chemical imbalances, depression, genetics, and lack of proper functioning of pain neurotransmitters. But, there is no one who can tell for sure which one of these actually causes fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia and arthritis have some similarities but their nature is totally different. Both of them run in family and are enigmatic to some extent. Both of them do not have any cure but they do have treatments with medications and therapies etc. however, you should need to know that fibromyalgia treatment frequently goes beyond pain medications and that FDA-approved drugs are prescribed to patients for the treatment which are alike to anti-depressants.
It is important to differentiate between fibromyalgia and arthritis. Both of these conditions could get better from exercises, therapies, home remedies, and alternative practices. Fibromyalgia may need different drugs than arthritis if we talk about medications. Make sure which condition you are having and take adequate treatment for that. It can help you in living a happier and normal life.
Fibromyalgia is a much painful syndrome, and if you try dealing with it, there may be some embarrassing consequences that can arise along with it.
So far, urinary tract and pelvic symptoms are the most frustrating side effects. In this article, we are going to explore what sort of symptoms are? How do we have to deal with it?
A lot of symptoms show up when you suffer from fibromyalgia. The most uncomfortable one is the urinary tract, and we have to take care of it. People with fibromyalgia often deal with incontinence, which is the number one issue that arises.
Incontinence in layman’s terms is when the urine is not held by your body for a long time period. Sometimes, you are unable to hold the urine for an extended time period or you may leak urine before reaching the bathroom.
People with fibromyalgia have another issue and that is the frequency in which they have to urinate. In case of having the disorder, you may notice that you are going to the bathroom a lot more times than you normally go. You may also feel a need to go to the bathroom even if you have urinated a few minutes earlier.
In these cases, people find it embarrassing to leave the house or they avoid going to the events in which they might not get easy access to the restroom. People with fibromyalgia also face another major issue that is dysuria, a burning sensation while urinating.
A lot of pelvic and abdominal symptoms arise with fibromyalgia. Abdominal pain is among the most common abdominal symptoms that you will cope with as part of fibromyalgia.
People with fibromyalgia may feel sharp pains in the stomach or it feels like you may have to double over to lessen the pain. Gas, bloating and various other issues that arise in the pelvic area accompanies this. Of course, there are also some other issues that you may suffer from. If you are not taking a proper diet, you may suffer from constipation.
Dyspareunia is another side effect that occurs in the pelvic area. Dyspareunia is a disorder in which women feel uneasy while having sex (this case doesn’t arise in men, so sorry ladies). Sometimes, women may even feel a lot of pain while having sex.
It feels like sex is no more enjoyable for women and women find it a lot more embarrassing and get into depression. This pain can arise anywhere, either in the vagina, labia, or in the clitoris. The pain can hurt so badly in the vaginal area, due to which you may feel uneasy to have sex.
This pain can even make the relationship strained when women are found to have Dyspareunia and it isn’t going well. It is not known where this issue comes from. Since STD are usually is the reason for this intercourse pain.
The most important question answer to the need is how do we cope with the symptoms we suffer from? First of all, you need to consult your doctor and tell him about every issue that comes in your way, whether it is an embarrassing one or not.
Doctors are there to treat your symptoms whether it is incontinence or Dyspareunia. It is so much difficult to cope with these symptoms, so you have to talk to your doctor.
There has to have some sort of therapy for people who have urinary and pelvic issues. The common one is physical therapy and you have to learn how to retrain the bladder.
Some exercises are there that can help in making the bladder stronger, and that also teaches your body how to react accurately to different stimuli. Your body might take some time to get into the shape again, as it was before incontinence.
Another thing you can do is to make sure to take care of yourself. Try communicating the problems that you are having so that your relationship doesn’t go strained. Try to do exercises on a daily basis even if you find some hurdles in doing it. Take a healthy diet as well. Taking care of yourself is very much important for people with fibromyalgia. Because, only you have to suffer at the end, so take care of yourself.
If you are having fibromyalgia, your life can be so terrifying. You can’t even explain how debilitating the pain is. The symptoms can make your situation even worse. You can stop these issues by consulting your doctor. Get some help from specialists; they will surely give you the treatments and resources you need in order to live a happy and satisfactory life.
It’s something that nobody likes to talk about, but suffering chronic pain very often goes hand in hand with gastrointestinal and/or urinary problems.
For people with CRPS the statistics are stark, with in excess of 90% of sufferers reporting a variety of ongoing gastric issues including constipation, diarrhoea, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), dysphagia and even faecal incontinence.
Urinary problems are also reported frequently by people suffering chronic pain. Urinary voiding dysfunction can cause urgency and even urinary incontinence. Around 25% of people suffering CRPS report urinary problems.
On top of already disabling chronic pain, gastrointestinal and urinary issues can result in a person’s outlook on the world becoming very limited indeed.
Given the frequency with which these problems occur in tandem with chronic pain, it is surprising that there is so little research on a possible relationship between the two. However, it is thought that there may be a number of causes, often interacting with or exacerbating each other.
One factor that is likely playing a role is medication. Constipation is one of the most widely experienced side effects of taking opioid-based medications of which a number, for example Tramadol, Fentanyl, Oramorph and Codeine, are commonly taken by people suffering chronic pain. We have come across a number of cases among clients prescribed opioid-based medication where constant straining has ultimately led to permanent physical damage of rectal nerves and muscles, resulting in faecal incontinence.
However, it’s not just opioids that can be problematic. Many people suffering chronic pain are prescribed antidepressants such as Venlafaxine and Sertraline. In themselves they can cause gastro-type side effects, but in conjunction with an opioid, those side effects can be heightened. This is just one of the problems of living life as a pharmacological cocktail shaker!
It’s well known that psychological changes, including anxiety and depression, can be associated with a change in bowel function, in particular the onset of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), of which faecal urgency is a symptom.
Such factors can also play a role in urinary symptoms such as urgency and an increased need to urinate both at night time (nocturia) and during the day.
The symptoms of CRPS rarely occur in isolation. More commonly sufferers end up with a diversity of symptoms. This is almost certainly because CRPS affects the various systems within the body which are part of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The SNS is part of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) which is responsible for unconsciously regulating bodily functions including bowel and bladder function. There is no proven link, but it is possible that there is a direct relationship via the autonomic system between CRPS and bowel and bladder dysfunction.
In her excellent article, “CRPS and Thyroid Problems”, Libby Parfitt highlights the fact that around one third of people suffering CRPS also have an underactive thyroid, a condition known as hypothyroidism. Currently, the reason for this is not understood.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism can include anxiety and depression and from that perspective we come back to the psychological factors discussed above. However, constipation is in itself a common symptom of hypothyroidism and whilst there is not currently an established link, it is not uncommon for people with hypothyroidism to also report urinary issues.
For people suffering chronic pain conditions who find themselves in litigation, their lawyer must be alert to the possibility of gastro and urinary symptoms. At the very least they should ask their client the right questions.
Depending on the nature of those symptoms, it may be necessary to obtain expert evidence from a colorectal surgeon and/or a urologist. Not only is this crucial to establishing the likely cause of those symptoms (ie the direct or indirect link to the primary pain condition), but specific treatment options must to be considered.
Ultimately, if a claimant is likely to have longstanding problems then the associated financial costs (eg clothing, laundry, absorbent pads, bed mats) need to be factored into the claim.
Musculoskeletal leg pain involves pain that develops in any of the tendons, ligaments, and muscles in the lower extremities. Conditions ranging from tendinitis to arthritis may be the source of your discomfort. Although this type of pain most frequently develops in the lower back, pain in the leg, hip, knee, or ankle is also common. Musculoskeletal leg pain causes vary from patient to patient. They can range from serious physical disorders to more benign stresses from daily life. Here’s the most common causes, as well as ways to prevent musculoskeletal leg pain.
Leg pain is a broad category of pain that can occur anywhere in the upper or lower leg. It can range in intensity from a dull ache to a sharp, stabbing pain. There are multiple causes of leg pain and some can be very serious. Others can be controlled or cured with rest and at-home care, especially proactive treatments that then help prevent leg pain in the future. Acute leg pain will go away after treatment but if pain does not stop after three months, it is considered chronic and may require different treatments to alleviate.
Leg pain usually originates in one of three systems in the human body: the musculoskeletal system, the nervous system, or the circulatory system.
Musculoskeletal leg pain occurs in the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and bones in the leg. Pain originating in the nervous system will usually cause sharp, radiating pain down the sciatic nerve resulting in a condition referred to as sciatica. Circulatory system pain in the leg can feel similar to a condition that affects the musculoskeletal system but is often more typically felt in only one side of the body.
Musculoskeletal leg pain typically doesn’t arise from a disorder or medical condition. About 33% of adults experience pain from overusing their muscles, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
In the case of overuse, acute musculoskeletal leg pain could develop from a particularly intense workout. Even carrying a golf bag has been shown to cause musculoskeletal distress in the ankle, according to a study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine.
Frequently, musculoskeletal leg pain arises from muscle sprains or strains. A sprain occurs when a ligament stretches beyond its capacity or tears. Ligaments are the tissues that connect bones to one another. A strain, meanwhile, involves injury to the muscle or tendon. A tendon is tissue that connects muscle to bone.
While sprains more commonly occur during falls or sports injuries, strains are usually the result from overuse, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). However, strains can also result from overstretching. In the leg, the hamstring muscle is easily susceptible to strains, particularly for athletes. The hamstring is actually made up of three separate muscles that run from the bottom of the pelvis to below the knee. Hamstring tendons connect the muscle to the bone.
Potential hamstring injuries include strains in the muscle itself. Tendonitis—inflammation or irritation—can also develop in the connective tissues. Runners sometimes report high hamstring tendonitis in the portion closest to the pelvis.
Although leg musculoskeletal pain causes are often discussed in terms of overuse, some researchers advocate reframing the issue as underuse. In the British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers argued that muscle use was not the problem. The problem was that the muscles had not been used prior to running, jumping, or participating in some other type of activity normally avoided in a person’s mostly sedentary lifestyle. They wrote:
“Articles are often written assessing “injuries” with the implication that they were the result of movement. This explanation, although sequentially accurate, neglects to focus on the fact that a lack of previous movement is more likely the true source.”
To drive the point home, researchers reviewed several studies and found adults who maintain robust exercises regimens typically experience less musculoskeletal pain—not more.
The researchers concluded that while pushing the body too hard may result in injury, not exercising at all increases the risk of injury when a person finally does exercise. Researchers wrote that:
“A review of the current science implicates that too little activity over time may in fact be the primary cause of a large percentage of musculoskeletal injuries… People are more likely to exercise too little than too much.”
Sedentary people who begin vigorously exercising likely put themselves at risk for musculoskeletal injuries. To avoid injury, consider easing into exercise gradually and stay mindful of the body’s physical limits.
Shin splints are characterized by pain on the shin—the bone in the front part of the lower leg. Common in athletes and dancers, shin splints often develop from overuse or changes in exercise routines. This is an acute condition that can be eased through rest and icing the affected area.
Shin splints can re-occur, but wearing supportive shoes and easing up on the exercise can help stave off this type of musculoskeletal leg pain.
Arthritis is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders affecting nearly 70% of people over age 65 and thousands of younger people in the U.S., according to the Arthritis Foundation.
The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease in which the cartilage in joints breaks down, causing inflammation and pain. Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic, autoimmune disease, which means the body’s immune system fights the body as if it were a foreign virus. Either type of arthritis may result in musculoskeletal leg pain. Common areas this discomfort affects are the hip, knee, ankle, and foot.
Arthritis in the hip can lead to trouble walking and pain in nearby areas, such as the thigh or knee. Pain in the foot or ankle is especially common in people with rheumatoid arthritis, with more than 90% of patients reporting musculoskeletal pain in those areas, according to the AAOS.
Widespread, musculoskeletal pain is fibromyalgia’s defining characteristic. Researchers aren’t sure how or why the condition develops, but it affects about 2% of the total population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Women are at much higher risk of developing the disorder, with the CDC reporting a 7:1 ratio of women to men.
The disorder sometimes develops after a physical trauma, infection, surgery, or significant episode of stress. Other times, the onset seems random and cannot be attributed to any sort of physical or mental trigger. The condition is believed to run in families, and may have a genetic component.
Whatever the cause, fibromyalgia is believed to induce widespread musculoskeletal leg pain by interfering with the way the brain processes pain. Neurotransmitters that signal pain elevate to abnormally high levels. Meanwhile, receptors in the brain become more sensitive to pain signals, overreacting to the brain’s efforts to communicate distress.
Fibromyalgia’s musculoskeletal pain often manifests as a dull ache as opposed to a shooting or stabbing sensation. Fibromyalgia patients also experience pain above the waist. Other symptoms include:
Balanced nutrition is essential to maintain healthy body systems throughout our lives. Particularly, doctors recommend foods that maintain a good balance of potassium for healthy legs. Both high and low levels of potassium can be dangerous.
Also, the correct amount of calcium and magnesium can help prevent leg pain and degenerative conditions that affect the hips and knees, such as osteoarthritis or osteoporosis. However, always talk to your doctor or a nutritionist before changing your diet too drastically.
Many sports injuries such as strains and sprains can be prevented with the correct pre-game or workout stretching routine. Add some easy leg stretching routines before you exercise every day to prevent leg pain.
Stretching can not only help prevent injury but it can also help rehabilitate your legs after you’ve suffered from a sports injury. Standing quadriceps flexes, hips flexor stretches, and calf stretches can help before any exercise routine.
Another key to prevent leg pain is to keep your activity low impact. In fact, the aerobics craze of the 1980s actually led to permanent, lifelong injuries for some of the individuals who embraced the culture.
The good news is that low-impact exercise is easy to do and most of the time doesn’t require any additional accessories, except for the proper footwear. Walking is the easiest way to start a low-impact exercise routine. If you’ve not exercised much before, start slowly with an easy walk around your block and add time and distance as you begin to build more stamina and get more comfortable with the activity.
Most people don’t realize how dehydration can affect our systems. By the time you feel thirsty your body is already experiencing dehydration. Lack of hydration can lead to muscle cramps.
Individuals can forget to stay hydrated while engaging in physical activity. It may be easy to remember your water bottle when you’re hiking, but do you think about it when you’re working in your yard?
While frequent massages may seem self-indulgent they can really help keep your body balanced and restored. A massage greatly helps sore muscles, increases circulation, and makes you feel more relaxed.
A trained massage therapist can work with you to pay certain attention to parts of your legs where you may be experiencing minor discomfort. It can also be a great way to treat yourself once in a while.
This Eastern meditative practice has become very popular in the United States. Yoga can help you maintain mind and body balance. It’s also a great low-impact stretching workout for the muscles in your legs.
Poses such as chair, warrior pose, warrior II pose, and the standing forward bend are all great for leg strength. As a bonus, you can also use yoga poses for your pre-exercise stretching routine.
Does a daily walk around your neighborhood sound boring and repetitive to you? Hiking can be a great way to add more scenic walking to your routine.
Depending on where you live, you can hike in river valleys, mountains, or the woods. You could even join a hiking group to make it a more social activity. Always remember to stay safe on the trail, bring plenty of water, and wear appropriate hiking boots that fit well.
Another low-impact activity that can help prevent leg pain and provide a little more excitement than a regular walk is golf.
By skipping the motorized golf cart you get your walking exercise in as you go from hole to hole and the correct swing technique also stretches the muscles in your legs. Like hiking, golf is also a great group activity.
Your doctor can help you with any questions you have about your body. While we often turn to them only after there is a concern or a problem, doctors really do have a desire to proactively help prevent injuries and illnesses in their patients. If you want to know more about ways to prevent leg pain in your life, your doctor is a great resource.
Stress is a complex, natural response to a perceived dangerous threat. When we feel stress, our bodies release extra adrenaline and cortisol, giving us the temporary ability to move faster, to think more quickly, and to react instinctively. When the threat goes away, our bodies return to a neutral state. This response is healthy and helpful. Chronic stress, on the other hand, can lead to huge changes in the body, including higher levels of pain. Here’s what you should know about the impact of stress.
Cortisol is an important hormone in our bodies; it helps control immune function, is an important part of our body’s inflammatory response, and helps control blood sugar. Cortisol levels are normally highest during the day, with a regular drop at night. When we are under chronic stress, however, that drop does not occur. Our bodies continue to pump out cortisol.
At the end of a long, stressful day, we feel it in our bodies. Our necks ache, maybe our lower back hurts. This could be a direct result of holding our muscles tense for a long period of time and usually goes away once we are able to relax or once the stressful event has ended. But did you know that that stress can impact pain levels for chronic pain sufferers?
Stress makes chronic pain more intense for longer periods of time, continuing long after the stressful event has ended.
Chronic pain is long-term pain that requires management and monitoring. Acute pain is pain (often from an injury or muscle strain) that lasts for three months or more. Chronic pain, on the other hand, lasts for more than three months and is difficult to treat. Stress can exacerbate the symptoms of chronic pain throughout the body.
Some studies have shown that a continued release of cortisol can result in higher vulnerability to chronic pain, even if the pain was acute to begin with. This means that a person who has an acute pain episode, as from an injury, is more susceptible to longer healing times and/or chronic pain from that injury.
All of these symptoms of stress impact the body’s ability to deal with the symptoms of chronic pain. For example, anxious people tend to hold their breath. This limits the amount of oxygen available to the muscles of the body, causing them to contract. If the contraction is anywhere that the pain is centered, the sensation intensifies, causing more anxiety, more pain, and so on.
What happens when stress becomes a way of life? What impact does chronic stress have on the mind? Chronic stress can manifest itself in different ways and can be caused by many different things. A stressful job, worries about finances, chronic illness, death of a loved one, or trouble at home: these are just a few of the factors that can lead to chronic stress.
Those who are suffering from chronic stress may respond differently than normal. They may be agitated and angry, with a quick temper: the “fight” aspect of a reaction to stress. Normally small problems, such as slow traffic or a loud child, may cause them to overreact.
This hair-trigger angry response can cause serious health issues. There is a connection between anger and stress and increased risk of heart attack and stroke, even hours after the angry outburst. After an angry outburst, people may be five times more likely to have a heart attack and three times more likely to have a stroke as long as three hours afterwards. This result held true even if the anger was not expressed, and the more angry episodes, the higher the risk.
Instead of being agitated and angry, some people respond to chronic stress by shutting down, becoming nervous or anxious, or overindulging in food, drink, or drugs. These responses are more of the “flight” aspect of stress. The chronically stressed person pulls away from whatever the stress is and becomes withdrawn. In the face of chronic stress, others might freeze up, unable to make a decision or move in any direction. The person responding in this manner might seem calm, but underneath remains very anxious and agitated.
The effects of long-term stress on the healthy body are well-documented, so it stands to reason that one of the effects of stress on a person suffering from chronic pain is more pain.
Beyond this, chronic stress can cause serious, long-term health issues that can only be dealt with successfully once the underlying cause of the stress is examined and addressed.
The best way to counteract this is to reduce stress levels as much as possible. Eliminating stress or developing effective coping strategies result in positive changes to a person’s health and well-being.
