Dear Fibromyalgia

Tag: fibromyalgia warriors

Celebrate the resilience of Fibromyalgia warriors, sharing stories of strength, tips for managing symptoms, and resources for support and empowerment.

Fibromyalgia and foot pain

” When things get really bad, just raise your glass and stamp your feet and do a little jig”, Leonard Cohen

As I have been limping along these past few months following hip surgery I began to have foot pain, a condition I had never had before. I was speculating about the cause. Too little walking of late? Plantar fasciitis? Shifting from soft sponge shoes (GoWalk) to sneakers that are heavier? Shuffling after the surgery? The possibilities are endless. No one can tell me what the issues are that inhibit my walking and cause almost shock-like pain in arches and the top of my foot.

Once more I was in a quandary and begin thinking it was just a fibromyalgia symptom. Why not? I find myself blaming all my woes on this devilish syndrome…not a disease but a dis-ease of the central nervous system. It affects all my muscles, joints, and body parts so the feet are not immune. This is a dangerous state of mind. One can have other conditions that cannot be blamed on fibromyalgia. But, the puzzle persisted. Should I try other shoes?

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I have been having reflexology which is very soothing and comforting. Foot massages are lovely and I do them myself. Nonetheless, pain in the arches and tops of feet persists. I cannot find any research on fibromyalgia and foot pain. Then alas! I was referred to the Chronic Pain Clinic where I met with a wonderful registered nurse and a phenomenal physician who explained to me (once more!) about degenerative disc disease and lumbar spine pain.

I learned (once more!) about pain from these discs which can radiate down the legs and feet. Aha! Aging is not for cowards. One thing leads to another and it is a matter of extrapolating, yet joining together the dots of the body’s complex, yet wonderful central nervous system and its relationship to the brain and even the feet. I suffer from low back pain and of course, those bulging discs radiate pain down the legs and feet, made worse by the hyper-aroused central nervous system.

The staff at the Clinic tell me that the majority of their clients have fibromyalgia. When I gave the physician my short version of fibromyalgia he said it was “well stated”.

As written eloquently in the most recent blog

Do we need more of an understanding of the physiology of pain (and other symptoms) of this fibromyalgia syndrome (central sensitization)? For those of us suffering from chronically overstimulated nerves ( in lay language) all we want is to find ways to live a better quality of life.

So, once more the treatment: meditation, walking, light yoga/chi gong/tai chi, avoiding stimulating foods like sugar, alcohol, caffeine, talk therapy addressing past traumas which are responsible for these conditions, and avoiding stressful situations or those which are too stimulating. In short, a change in lifestyle while recognizing that our central nervous systems are not going to ‘recover’ completely.

So, what about my sore feet now that it is established that my spine, which does have some abnormalities (ah, but we all have this degenerative disc disease as we age!) is sending messages to my brain that walking hurts my feet? Well, there is some degree of help through paravertebral blocks which may temporarily help with leg and foot pain, but I was advised that fibromyalgia clients do not do as well as others with disc disease, for all the reasons cited above.

Nonetheless, I am happy there is the possibility I will be walking for longer periods of time without foot and back pain! I will walk for short periods of time like 15 minutes, several times a day, and sometimes supplement this with my trekking sticks. “Hope springs eternal in the human breast” (Alexander Pope).

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06/27/2022
Fibromyalgia: the mosaic of treatments

“To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom”, Bertrand Russell

I believe that those of us with central sensitization, that is, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, or to call it by another name -“post-traumatic stress disorder”, all suffer from chronic anxiety/ fear. These terms are, in my view, interchangeable. They can keep us imprisoned without recourse and in a state of hopelessness. In fact, the US Department of Health and Human Services has developed a new name that can even be part of our repertoire, that is, “Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disorder”.

In short, more diagnostic criteria are available for health professionals who are interested in tagging us. It is true that we have little energy along with our other challenges, but are we just a collection of symptoms?

For almost a decade now I have been writing about how those of us with these conditions, have options regarding a better quality of life. Yet, in spite of my preaching, I find myself, like others, often recounting yet another symptom of central sensitization almost ignoring the gestalt. Note for example the hundreds of comments or ‘hits’

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I have on the two most popular blogs 1) itching and 2) tingling and numbness of arms. One would never have imagined that these two symptoms would be so problematic! Yet, those of us who suffer from specific symptoms focus on them often to the exclusion of what can be done to improve our daily lives.

The intent here is to gather together the ways in which we can begin to take control of our lives in lieu of medicalizing our very existence. After all, I have often written that central sensitization is not a disease but a dis-ease.

This is a summary of the mosaic of treatments:

1) Talk therapy: We have become highly sensitive persons either because we were born with that characteristic or developed it early in life. We have had a past trauma that has resulted in repressed emotions that need to be attended to by a professional therapist.

2) Mild to moderate exercise, in particular walking.

3) Mindful Meditation.

4) Bodywork involving touches, such as massage, reflexology, chiropractic, Jin Shin, physiotherapy, or osteopathy.

5) Movement therapy such as chi gong, yoga, and tai chi.

6) Avoiding over-stimulating and stressful situations as much as possible.

7) Taking on a new, repetitive, creative undertaking that will help us change our brain: drawing, painting, quilting to name a few.

8) Avoid caffeine and other foods that are too stimulating.

9) Do not over-medicate. If possible medical marijuana through oils or other edibles is a good alternative, especially in regard to sleep.

It must be our intent to change our brain. Unless we embrace the concept of neuroplasticity ( that is, the capacity of our brains to change) and understand that it is up to us to become the masters/ mistresses of our own fate we will live forever in fear and hopelessness, dwelling on symptoms.

On a personal note: I must practice what I preach. It isn’t easy.

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06/26/2022
Fibromyalgia and Skin Problems: Clothing that Causes Itching

“I base most of my fashion sense on what doesn’t itch”, Gilda Radner

There isn’t anything more comforting to me than cloth that is soft and soothing. Mostly, it is cotton that gives me a feeling of being in a cocoon. Since the most popular blog on this busy website is about itching it has brought to mind the ways in which we can reduce the itching and scratching (the “Itchy & Scratchy Show” from The Simpsons is brought to mind) of fabric that does not bring comfort.

In an effort to “change my brain” regarding pain, I followed the advice of experts many years ago and took on a project which was creative and new to me. In addition, it is somewhat repetitive, also part of the triad of characteristics that make up this endeavor. Quilting was my choice of a new project/hobby. Never a sewer it was indeed a steep learning curve but it brought me into the realm of fabrics.

I found myself in shops that were new to me as I walked among the bolts of material that were either comforting or irritating to the touch. It was then that I finally understood why I have never been a fashion queen. I am only at ease in soft, cotton fabrics, otherwise, my body is ‘itchy and scratchy. Rashes, tingling, and burning will develop if the clothing I wear is not soothing to the touch.

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When my oldest son was a toddler he would take a piece of new clothing and rub it against his face and if he did not like the feel of it he would say it was ‘picky’ and would not wear it. It seems as though this is hereditary but maybe not! Raised in the 1970s he and his two brothers were a product of that terrible acrylic, flashy and scratchy clothes for boys. Nylon, rayon, and other non-natural fabrics were the bane of their existence.

Raised in the 1950s myself I remember the unpleasant sensations of the crinoline skirts, tight waistbands, itchy dresses, and uncomfortable high-heeled shoes. I would itch after wearing a crinoline and anything tight, in particular nylon stockings and later panty-hose. High-heeled shoes were another pain-evoking dilemma for me.

Currently, I am embarking on making a quilt for a friend from African fabric which has been in her home for many years from her working days in Africa. The dyed (done by hand) material is soft and enticing. I could imagine the lovely draping and amazing feel of the soft fabric on my skin.

I am certain that all the itching and subsequent skin problems that we ‘fibromyalgia persons’, (mainly women) experience are no doubt exacerbated by irritating fabric against the skin, make-up that is poisonous, and shoes that affect our feet in later life. Is it little wonder that more women than men experience itching and scratching until the skin erupts? Added to this is the pressure women are under to dress fashionably which usually means uncomfortably.

The fashion industry is the second greatest polluter of the environment after oil. Not only is it responsible for pollution of the earth but it also pollutes our sensitive bodies. Do try a day without makeup and nail polish (poisonous substances have been found in nail polish that can affect the endocrine system and potentially the reproductive system, The research in this area is ongoing).

Spend a week in soft, loose,non-irritating clothing, avoid chemicals in the form of hair dyes and makeup, give up the heeled shoes, and note for yourself if it helps with the itching and rashes. Above all, it is our central nervous system that will enjoy the vacation from what is considered fashionable ( note: uncomfortable). It is primarily men who determine women’s fashion although as it is often said: women dress for other women, not for men!

This could be more complex in the area of transgender and fluid orientations nonetheless, for all humans comfort is paramount. We can all redefine what is fashionable and how we present ourselves to the world if we demand clothing that is healthy for our bodies and not made from toxic fabric.

Taking care of our skin, the largest organ of the body will reduce the amount of itching and rashes we experience as persons with fibromyalgia – the dis-ease of the central nervous system.

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06/25/2022
The many faces of fibromyalgia

“What’s in a name?”, Shakespeare

The nomenclature of Fibromyalgia can be known as: “Central Sensitization”, “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder”, “Cycles of Over-Exertion-Relapse”, and “Chronic Fatigue Disorder”, and now a new term: “Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disorder”- all with the same characteristics. What’s to be done so that we can explain ourselves to others while so many labels of these invisible syndromes abound?

In fact, do all these terms mean the same thing? Are they bio–psycho–social in nature yet present with symptoms that are almost identical? The more I read, live with, and experience these conditions the more certain I am that they are linked under the umbrella of “medically unexplained symptoms”, referred to as MUS. It appears to me that there is less understanding of the linkages than ever before as new labels appear. How can we separate the ‘bio’ from the ‘psycho’ ‘social’? Are they all neurological conditions?

Fibromyalgia (FMS) and Chronic Fatigue (CFS) are no doubt, identical twins. It is rare to have one without the other. Pain, malaise, sleep disorders, brain ‘fog’, digestive disorders, anxiety, fatigue, dizziness, and pain affected by exertion, among a host of other symptoms affect the person to such an extent that the central nervous system becomes overly sensitized/ hyper-aroused. Extreme reactions to a vast array of environmental situations or over-exertion plague the person with FMS and CFS and are known triggers that bring on a flare-up.

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But wait! People with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) experience these same symptoms: physical pain, sleeping difficulties, dizziness, fatigue, digestive disorders, triggers that are known as flashbacks, hyper-arousal of the central nervous system, anxiety, and depression make up the countless list of challenges that face the person with PTSD. Is this condition a cousin, a sibling, or a triplet of FMS and CFS?

So what’s with this label of Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disorder (SEID)? Who is this new relative? Ah, but this is the identical twin to CFS! It’s a ‘Cycle of Over- Exertion-Relapse‘ (COER) syndrome that is common among those with FMS, PTSD, and CFS. Are they all siblings or quints?

Now to the next ‘syndrome’ ( a list of symptoms that do not in and of themselves make up an actual disease). This appears to be the biggie these days- Central Sensitization (CSS). Is this the mother who has spawned these neurological offspring? Her personality is highlighted by a history of anxiety, depression, pain, fatigue, psychological trauma, heightened pain affected by movement, and over sensitivity of the central nervous system.

Is this the term that makes these conditions more acceptable to those in the health professions? It sounds more ‘scientific’ and medical. It fits a ‘bio’ interpretation and covers the ‘psycho’ and ‘social’ aspects of the other siblings. Is the psycho the result of a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) that can make many uncomfortable, and therefore to be avoided? The ‘social’ is something we have to live with every day and not a welcome one for the health professionals with whom we have contact.

As can be seen, I have more questions than answers. But, there is little doubt that whichever label we identify with we are HSPs with a hyper-aroused central nervous system, and there are millions of people facing the same kinds of daily challenges.

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06/24/2022
Hypnosis for Fibromyalgia

“With hypnosis, we can help people modulate perceptions in ways that are therapeutically helpful”, David Spiegel

For those of us with chronic pain and/or a myriad of other distressing physical and psychological conditions the practice of ‘changing our brains’ through relaxation and exercise regimes can be overwhelming. Mindfulness meditation is one way that we can work with our minds to improve our daily lives, but it takes time and discipline.

What if there is a quicker way for therapists to teach us how to bring about relief from those challenging symptoms of fibromyalgia such as pain, and chronic fatigue? The medical community is finding that hypnosis can be effective in that regard, although to this point there is little if any evidence-based research on the effects of hypnosis for those of us with fibromyalgia. Nonetheless, it sounds promising.

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Note the work of Drs. Herbert and David Spiegel: Adriana Barton in the Globe and Mail, June 12, 2017 (Section L) writes of the “growing scientific support for hypnosis”. She quotes Dr. David Spiegel’s description as a “very powerful means of changing the way we use our minds to control perception and our bodies”.

Hypnosis is being used in Belgium, Canada, and the US, among a host of other countries for a variety of conditions. Barton discusses the work of ” Dr. Leora Kutner, a pediatric psychologist who specializes in clinical hypnosis, a technique for leveraging the brain’s healing abilities during a trance state”.

Given the ways in which those of us with fibromyalgia, PTSD, and other chronic pain disorders rehash our anxiety-ridden experiences that are stored in our memories, it is hopeful that we could turn to an approach that might release us somewhat from the past. Most of us are hurting deep down in our psyches and if we can discover ways to relinquish some of these painful memories we could at least try to ‘change our brain’ through hypnosis.

The past is always with us. Sometimes we carry it easily but other times it drags around behind us. While those of us with fibromyalgia crave stability and certainty it is of course unrealistic. Change is inevitable, yet even small change can occur very rapidly and bring with it triggers that instigate a flare-up. It could be even as simple as a weather change or the excitement of a family gathering that can act as a trigger.

The question is how we manage these events in our daily lives. If hypnosis can help us with the challenges we face on a day-to-day basis as uncomfortable or stressful memories flood our minds, what better non-invasive way to try a new approach? It doesn’t appear to be hocus pocus. The jury is out with regard to whether or not it will be found to be effective for fibromyalgia.

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References:

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Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

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Fibromyalgia Stores

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06/23/2022
Is the cause of fibromyalgia both a nature/nurture conundrum?

” There are many other (besides testosterone) behavior-eliciting hormones fundamental for human well-being, including estrogen and progesterone in females”, Carl Sagan

The question arises about why fibromyalgia is more prevalent in highly sensitive women and men. The debate about nature/nurture has not yielded specific answers and for a while, I have thought of it as a moot point. As a nurse/sociologist I have leaned toward the impact of the social environment in early childhood.

But, as some science in human sexuality suggests there is a relationship between levels of testosterone in utero and the extent to which specific traits are manifested after birth. I am now even more confused. However, I continue to believe that both what happens to the development of the fetus and afterward in the environment are both relevant, although to what degree each plays a more significant role may never be known.

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Does fibromyalgia occur as a result of an anxious mother who could not easily handle stress/anxiety because she was not herself exposed to enough testosterone, thereby depleting the fetus of ‘enough’ testosterone? If this fetus had more exposure to testosterone would she then be more qualified for the more mechanically oriented occupations like science and math, as has been suggested?

A Google controversy has brought forth arguments from both sides regarding sexism versus science. The neuroscientist Debra Soh, writing in the Globe and Mail, August 9, 2017, A11, states: “Contrary to what detractors would have you believe, women are on average, higher on neuroticism and agreeableness, and lower in stress tolerance”.

My initial reaction, given the state of the world in 2017 was that women and highly sensitive men are indeed more anxious and less able to effectively handle the chaos and instability that men (mostly) with high levels of testosterone have created. One need only to watch the news to notice the continued presence of men raising havoc in the world.

What have testosterone levels done to those of us with low levels of the hormone? Are we, in general, neurotic, anxious, and passively agreeable as Soh suggests? Has that resulted in syndromes of medically unexplained syndromes (MUS) such as fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and PTSD to name a few?

Did we develop these syndromes because we have less testosterone or is it because we cannot tolerate the ways in which women, visible minorities, the LGBTQ, the poor, and other disadvantaged groups are being treated? It may be these conditions are the result of both a nature/nurture issue, but seriously, is it because we have less testosterone as a result of our mothers not being exposed to enough of it? There are more questions than answers.

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References:

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06/22/2022
“Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps”: struggling with fibromyalgia

” Early in life, I was visited by the bluebird of anxiety”, Woody Allen

Anxiety is the root cause of fibromyalgia, particularly at an early age, or even in the womb. So, how is one to overcome the early stages of this deep-seated emotional characteristic that those of us with fibromyalgia struggle with on a day-to-day basis?

Even more significant: how do we explain to others that the challenges of life-long anxiety cannot be overcome by those who lack empathy or compassion who suggest we just get on with life and stop complaining? It would seem as though I begin each new blog with a series of questions that aren’t easily answered.

It is fear that triggers the amygdala to release neurotransmitters. In turn, the hypothalamus dumps adrenaline which causes elevated heart rate, flushing, shallow breathing, and other physiological symptoms. Fear and anxiety are two sides of the same coin.

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I can trace my early anxieties/ fear to anxious parenting, Catholic nuns who terrified me with thoughts of hell, a crisis of moving from a large city to a small town as an adolescent, and a 17-year-old who like others of the day, was used as a source of free labor in a diploma based nursing school, nursing in general, an early bad marriage, three C sections, a divorce, completing a Ph.D. as a single parent, being stalked, remarriage with a blended family of five teenagers, caring for elderly parents, and finally, a heart attack, followed by a hip replacement.

Now, of course, aging has reared its challenging head. Each new crisis, no matter the seriousness, triggers the amygdala. One might look at this list and believe it is not as horrific as the life of those who suffer greater atrocities. Nonetheless, there are two kinds of people- those who thrive in acute stress situations and those who don’t. I am of the latter kind of person, born as a highly sensitive person.

Beginning life as a high-energy person I am no longer that same woman. While age is certainly a factor I have not survived those life events as one who has much resilience to spare. Now, while I am fortunate with my wonderful, caregiving spouse, financially secure, and proud of the adult children and grandchildren, I still suffer from chronic fatigue and pain.

More than that I have general free-floating anxieties which are often unexplained. I am quick to fearfulness, and the glass is often half empty. I meditate, although not as consistently as I should and could. I ride my exercise bike regularly. I have regular massages and great friends.

However, I am very self-conscious about even mentioning any ailments to many, and specifically to a certain friend who suffers from what I call “boot-strap-ism”. She believes one should just get on with life and that aging is not a state of gloom and doom, mentioning old star performers as an example of embracing old age.

Perhaps I too should do the same, uncurl those bootstraps. After all, the alternative to old age is not all that desirable! I do try, but then a flare-up occurs, often for no reason that I can identify and I simply cannot pull myself away from anxiety. In all consciousness, I cannot feel sorry for myself. I am a privileged woman. I have not suffered the ravages of war, racism, extreme poverty, or homophobia.

As young women, we are trained for fear, but many of us become strong, fearless, resilient women as we age. Others struggle with a hyper-aroused central nervous system that produces a highly vigilant woman (or man) who is overly empathetic and lives with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and PTSD. We can’t judge another’s fears and anxieties. We can never know the struggles someone else goes through. We might think we do but never can. So, self-compassion is paramount, rather than self-criticism.

Now a new season is emerging. Storms, hurricanes, earthquakes, unsettling political climates, and threats of nuclear wars have most of us in a tizzy and a state of permanent anxiety. Shall those of us in a more calm country with so far none of the ravages of hurricanes and other current climate disasters (excepting for the fires on the west coast of Canada) relish in the beauty of the autumn leaves? I don’t know if the cup is half empty or half full. My bootstraps are tangled and it isn’t easy to lift myself up too high.

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References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

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Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

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06/21/2022
Letting go: How to live with Fibromyalgia

” To let go is to release the images and emotions, the grudges and fears, the clingings and disappointments of the past that bind our spirit”, Jack Kornfield

In the newspaper today there is an editorial written by Jane Brody titled “More specialists explore treating pain without drugs” (The Globe and Mail, L5, September 15, 2017). She cites the conditions that drug-free options for pain can help with, such as fibromyalgia, news of which was published last year by Richard L. Nahin in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Some of the tools that the research has shown to be effective (for such conditions as backache) are massage therapy, chiropractic manipulation, superficial heat, mindfulness meditation, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and yoga. They are among the many strategies I have tried at one point in my long journey, accompanied every day with fibromyalgia.

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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is intended to help people restructure their thoughts and let go. It has shown to be effective in changing the brain, although it cannot be said at this point to be highly evidence-based.

Of late I have used a small book that is intended for the same purposes. It is based upon the principle of “Logosynthesis”, a strategy to help those of us with chronic anxiety, which often leads to fibromyalgia. It is somewhat of a self-help book but based upon the premise that the brain is elastic and can change (neuroplasticity) by using a few key phrases.

While all of these approaches, such as ‘walking mindfulness’, yoga, Chi Gong, and Tai Chi, among a host of others may seem airy-fairy to some, they are not, in fact, simply feel-good strategies. Mild exercise of any sort immediately changes the neuropathways of the brain and replaces by movement thoughts that create angst, pain, and fatigue.

While logo synthesis is one mechanism that a person can employ, there are countless others that require discipline to let go of the trauma that was long ago created which resulted in a hyper-aroused central nervous system. Choosing one or more that fit your lifestyle helps to become the mistress of our own fate. Massive amounts of drugs that seem to proliferate on the shelves of those suffering from fibromyalgia are not the answer.

The strategies that do not cost anything are mindfulness, walking, Chi Gong, Tai Chi, CBT, and logosynthesis. Others which are comforting to those who do ‘body work’, such as chiropractic therapy, massage, and physiotherapy can be expensive and are not intended to directly change the brain, although they do have the benefit of relaxation. We must do what we can to heal ourselves from past trauma thoughts which resulted in anxiety and stress. We have to train ourselves to LET GO.

The news today is that Lady Gaga is hospitalized and has canceled performances because of fibromyalgia. We can all commiserate with her during this intense flare-up. More troubling is the fact that the kind of high-stress profession she is involved with does not allow much time for attention to the discipline required to calm the CNS, the culprit in fibromyalgia.

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For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

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Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

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06/20/2022
Fibromyalgia: Healing yourself

” What I want for my fans and for the world, for anyone who feels pain, is to lean into that pain and embrace it as much as they can and begin the healing process”, Lady Gaga

There has rarely been such public awareness of fibromyalgia as there is now that Lady Gaga has become public about her own suffering. While there are thousands of those of us who suffer from the debilitating pain and fatigue of this syndrome, many still believe it is malingering.

Unfortunately, it takes a public figure to allow the disbeliever to at least entertain the possibility that this condition, not a disease, but a dis-ease, is real. I am not a fan of pop stars and have not even seen Lady Gaga perform. In fact, I know little about her, but why does it take a widely known singer to convince the public that those of us with highly sensitive, over-stimulated central nervous systems live in a world encompassed by pain and a multitude of other ‘symptoms’?

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We live in a world of the constant bombardment of our senses. All of us have experienced past trauma of some sort. Many can easily move on while others continue to take more chaos into our very being. Watching TV news, reading a newspaper, or internet news only heightens the sense of danger we feel for ourselves and others. It is rampant about death and tragedy and those of us with FMS and CFS have systems that can no longer absorb more trauma.

We can be called whiners, complainers, and acting victims but the reality is our pain is real. It is the result of prolonged anxiety such that the mind closes down and the body takes over. Generally, it stems from childhood trauma which could be abusive or unloving, but not necessarily so. It could also be the result of being extremely hypersensitive and traumas, not necessarily from childhood, have exacerbated our central nervous systems to a point of no return. The emotional trauma leads to real physical trauma.

What is to be done? Our minds need stillness, calm and quiet to heal our bodies. Living in the moment with compassion for our injured selves allows us to begin the healing process. I am struck today, September 22, 2017, by the cover picture and story in the Globe and Mail about the UN International Day of Peace. Ottawa citizens took part in mindfulness meditation for peace on Parliament Hill, led by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn with nearly 1,000 people participating.

Instead of reading about a blustering threat of killing an entire nation, earthquakes, flooding, hurricanes, hate crimes, fascism, Nazi groups, and race and gender injustices that add further psychic pain to our already over-burdened brain, I could see some semblance of hope. There IS some! But, for our own demons peace has to come from within. Medications, talk therapy, and support groups can help but we have to become experts in our own minds. We have to heal ourselves.

There is no cure for an already overburdened central nervous system, but we can learn to treat that anxious mind by being at peace living in the moment, finding comfort in perhaps odd ways that are unique to us, and living with joy that may be fleeting, but is there to call on when we need it. I have a piece of fabric that makes me smile when I look at it.

I imagine it is me looking in a mirror, trying to see into my brain all the garbled thoughts that make me anxious. I can “lean into it” as Lady Gaga suggests and sigh at that mind that hangs on to past trauma. What a fiasco… you gotta’ laugh…

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References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

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Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

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Fibromyalgia Stores

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06/19/2022
Fibromyalgia: pink palms, smooth feet

” The biology of pain is never straightforward, even when it appears to be”, Lorimer Moseley

I thought I knew it all: fibromyalgia is a constant hyper-arousal of the central nervous system and all the symptoms that evolve from that disorder. But recently I met with an internist who held my hand’s palms upward and told me she would have known I had fibromyalgia just by looking at my palms which are pink! I have pink palms, which is a sign of fibromyalgia and its impact on ‘my nerves. She also commented on my pink cheeks. I was stunned. This was new to me, that this is often a sign of fibromyalgia.

So back to google again to find out more about this phenomenon. My hands ache and will hurt more as the weather becomes colder, of that I have no doubt. They ached during the heat of the summer. I have to remember to keep moving and get up when my desire is to curl up on the sofa. I rub my hands constantly with cannabis cream.

I also have a carpal tunnel in both arms and hands that keeps me awake at night. Worse is that I know surgery for a carpel will reactivate my central nervous system and I will have massive flare-ups post-surgery. I don’t know why I never noticed that my palms and the back of my fingers were very pink! I did notice that my feet were unusually soft and smooth and hurt as much as my hands.

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My hands and feet ache especially when there is a weather change. The skin of the hands and feet are noticeably red in many with fibromyalgia according to the researcher Dr. Frank Rice in his study published in Pain Medicine in August 2013. The source of my blog is taken from the internet- Bottomline Inc. Very basically the research team’s theory is based upon the physiology of how some blood flows directly from arteries into veins via arteriole-venule (AV) shunts.

These valves are open and close to control the passage of blood and respond to cues from the nervous system in order to regulate body temperature. “The parts of the body where AV shunts are most plentiful are the cheeks, nose, soles of the feet and palms of the hands”. It is thought that if the shunts are unable to function well because of excessive nerve fibers the mismanaged blood flow could be the source of widespread muscle pain. In the study they found that the” AV shunts were four times larger and had roughly two to eight times as many nerve fibers as those in women without fibromyalgia”, using various technologies as measurement tools.

Dr. Rice writes: ” The AV shunts are sites where sensory nerve fibers are intermingled with nerve fibers of the sympathetic nervous system, which is activated by stress.” Aha! This feeds into my view that those of us with fibromyalgia who suffered from childhood trauma were and are highly sensitive children/adults, resulting finally in the central nervous system developing a state of constant hyper-arousal, easily activated by stress/ anxiety, even something as seemingly innocuous as weather changes. So, let me be clear. I don’t think these nerve endings – or too many nerve fibers are the CAUSE, rather they are the RESULT.

It seems to make perfect sense to me. My cheeks have always been very red and the soles of my feet so pink and tender that people who gave me pedicures, or massage therapists exclaimed they had never seen such smooth feet before. In fact, though, they are tender and I cannot wear sandals as my tender feet burn painfully upon contact with the soles of shoes.

I have watched when others have their feet “sandpapered” as they have pedicures, and winced as I could not imagine how that would affect me! There has never been a time when I didn’t have smooth feet or pink cheeks! Imagine! I learned just recently that these were signs of fibromyalgia. I can’t believe I never noticed how pink and smooth my palms are before this.

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06/18/2022