If you’ve never been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, but you suffer from chronic pain, you might want to ask your doctor about fibro. Especially when you consider the overlap and clear connections between chronic pain and fibromyalgia. Or maybe you are fully aware that you have fibromyalgia, but you aren’t sure where the chronic pain comes from in the first place. You also already know that when it comes to fibro, sometimes the answers just lead to more questions…if you can find an answer. Because let’s face it, fibromyalgia is something of an enigma. And understanding enigmatic conditions is tough for those of us dealing with them, and probably even more confusing for healthcare practitioners trying to fix them. So let’s try to muddle through some of the data together and figure out what we can with chronic pain and fibromyalgia.

What is Chronic Pain?

Experts describe chronic pain symptoms like this:

• Pain that doesn’t go away after illness or injury (like it normally would)
• Pain often described as shooting, burning, aching, or electric in nature
• Ongoing discomfort, soreness, tightness, or stiffness

Okay, so if you have fibromyalgia, then this probably sounds like an average day for you, right? Well, there’s more. Did you know that that the chronic pain you experience with fibro leads to a lot of other fibro symptoms as well? For example, they add that it can cause:

• Fatigue – this causes irritability and a lack of motivation
• Insomnia – the pain keeps you up at night, which then often causes more pain because your body is not recuperating from healthy and quality sleep
• Withdrawing – pulling away from activities and people because the pain is so distracting and debilitating, plus you need more rest
• Weakened Immunity – this leads to frequent infections and illness
• Depression – this makes the pain worse 
• Mood Changes – hopelessness, fear, anxiety, irritability, stress….go figure
• Disability – pain is often so debilitating that many cannot work, attend school, and participate in typical daily activities

Chronic pain and fibromyalgia go together like peanut butter and jelly.

What’s the Connection Between chronic pain and fibromyalgia?

Well, we’ve hit some major highlights of associated fibromyalgia symptoms just by addressing the issue of chronic pain. But what exactly does the chronic pain itself look like? The Mayo Clinic explains that it is often experienced in the back, joints, mouth and face, muscles and bones, or neck. Now, it just so happens that some of these are key areas of pain that are required for a fibromyalgia diagnosis, right? But….just because you experience chronic pain does not automatically mean you have fibromyalgia. However, the same cannot be said for the reverse. Indeed, chronic widespread pain is the key symptom of fibro.

Given the fact that chronic pain is required for a fibro diagnosis, it raises the question: does chronic pain cause fibromyalgia? Of course, no one knows for sure. But consider all the symptoms and side effects that arise from chronic pain. Then think of those in comparison to all the general symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. Even if it’s not a cause, chronic pain is clearly connected to fibro in distinct ways. Experts are even willing to go so far as to say that diseases like fibromyalgia are “well-known culprits” of chronic pain. But those of us dealing with it don’t have to be doctors or researchers to figure that one out, do we?

What Can I do About Chronic Pain and Fibromyalgia?

Well, that’s the million dollar question, isn’t it? There are definitely some go-to remedies, cures, supplements, and medications that seem to be addressed in almost all fibro and chronic pain texts. Often these get broken down into categories, so we’ll just quickly run through the highlights here:

• Pain Relievers – Over-the-counter versions include acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and Aspirin. Prescriptions include Lyrica, Gabapentin, and Cymbalta. Don’t rule out medical marijuana either. Many fibro sufferers have experienced tremendous pain relief by using it. And don’t forget antidepressants like Effexor and Savella. These tend to work really well in treating chronic pain and other associated symptoms of fibromyalgia.
• Various Therapies – Yoga, massage therapy, acupuncture, biofeedback, and physical therapy have all proven highly effective for chronic pain relief associated with fibro. It just depends on who you are.
• Mental Health Care – Cognitive behavioral therapy and psychotherapy are very helpful. Also, meditation goes a long way for stripping away unnecessary stress that physically challenges and alters the body, whether you are dealing with fibromyalgia and chronic pain or not.

What about you? Have you come across something not listed here that has been exceptionally helpful? Most of us have to use a combination of treatments and almost everyone goes through a lot of trial and error. What have you found to help your chronic pain and fibromyalgia?