Does the Feldenkrais Method Work for Fibromyalgia?
Written By: Wyatt Redd
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Image: Flickr
Anyone with fibromyalgia knows how difficult it can be to find an effective form of treatment. The reality is that the existing medications just don’t work for a lot of people, or they come with a host of negative side-effects. Understandably, that leads a lot of people with the condition to look for alternative therapies. And one of the therapies you might have heard suggested is the Feldenkrais Method.
But what is it? And does it work for fibromyalgia?
What Is The Feldenkrais Method?
The Feldenkrais Method was developed by Moshé Feldenkrais between the 1930’s and the 1950’s. Feldenkrais was a scientist who suffered a chronic injury to his knee. Doctors suggested that he receive surgery to fix the injury, but they warned him the procedure would lead to a permanent limp. Instead of getting the surgery, Feldenkrais decided to see if he could find a way to fix the injury himself.
Feldenkrais was a life-long student of martial arts and this fact led to an interest in the way the body moved. Feldenkrais believed that most injuries and pain in the body could be corrected by changes to your posture and movements. Feldenkrais developed a set of movement adjustments and exercises that he believed healed the pain in his knee. He then dedicated the second half of his life to teaching others to do the same.
Essentially, the method works by having the patient take a series of classes with a recognized practitioner. The practitioner examines the natural movements of the patient and trains them with a set of slow, repetitive exercises to move more naturally. The idea is that everyone picks up unhealthy movement patterns and postures over the course of their life. Feldenkrais believed that these movements put stress on the body and lead to pain. By gradually unlearning these unhealthy movements and restoring your body to a more natural state, he believed you could reduce that pain.
The method is widely practiced today and many people swear by it for a variety of health benefits. But does it really work? And can it help with your fibromyalgia?
Does It Work For Fibromyalgia?
There has been little scientific research into the effectiveness of the Feldenkrais Method. That means it’s tough to say with any certainty if it actually works. But it’s worth noting that the scientific research that has been done isn’t promising.
In 2015, the Australian government conducted a study into several alternative methods of treatment and found that there was no clear evidence that it was effective in treating chronic pain. With that being said, it’s important to remember that the study was not looking specifically at using the method for fibromyalgia. And it’s also important to remember that the results of one study aren’t conclusive.
But is there any reason to think that the Feldenkrais Method might be effective for fibromyalgia? Well, fibromyalgia is classified as a musculoskeletal disease. That means that it primarily affects the muscles and skeletal system. The Feldenkrais Method is designed to address tension and stress in the muscles, so it stands to reason that it might be effective for treating fibromyalgia. People who have tried the Feldenkrais Method have also described it as similar to yoga, which has known benefits for fibromyalgia patients. That may indicate that the method has benefits as well.
You can find examples of personal stories from people who suffer from fibromyalgia that will swear the Feldenkrais Method helped with their pain. But the fact is that we simply don’t have enough hard evidence to say that the method works for fibromyalgia or to say that it doesn’t work. This is common with alternative treatments for fibromyalgia. The condition itself gets very little attention from the scientific community. And few researchers are willing to commit their resources to investigating alternative treatments for it. The Feldenkrais Method may be one of those alternative treatments that are effective and we simply don’t know about it because it hasn’t gotten much attention. There needs to be more serious study of the Method before we can say with certainty if it works or not.
With that being said, the method really carries no risk of physical injury. So if you’re interested in trying it, there’s no reason not to do so. You may even find that it works for you.
Let us know, have you tried the Feldenkrais Method for treating your fibromyalgia? Has it helped? Do you know of any other treatments that are effective? Your answer may help us learn more about effective treatments for the condition. So please, tell us in the comments below.
Non-allergic rhinitis and fibromyalgia are diseases that cause very similar symptoms. That means that sufferers have a hard time telling which one they have. But with a little bit of information, you can decide if your symptoms are the result of rhinitis or fibromyalgia.
What is non-allergic rhinitis?
Non-allergic rhinitis is a disorder that causes your body to produce the symptoms of an allergic reaction without exposure to actual allergens. Most people with allergies are familiar with the symptoms of allergic reactions such as a stuffy nose or watery eyes. But non-allergic rhinitis causes people to develop these symptoms spontaneously.
Symptoms of non-allergic rhinitis are a stuffy or a runny nose, watery eyes, and frequent sneezing. Your body’s immune system is usually responsible for these symptoms. But people with non-allergic rhinitis do not actually have their immune system triggered.
That means that people with non-allergic rhinitis find their symptoms are year-long. The constant symptoms make living with non-allergic rhinitis difficult. And there is no good way to treat it. No one knows what causes non-allergic rhinitis. It is currently something of a medical mystery.
How is it different from fibromyalgia?
Non-allergic rhinitis and fibromyalgia are similar in many ways. They are both conditions that mimic the body’s immune response without any obvious cause. And doctors know little about both conditions.
The biggest difference between non-allergic rhinitis and fibromyalgia is that non-allergic rhinitis causes nasal and sinus problems. On the other hand, fibromyalgia causes aches and pains around your entire body.
Fibromyalgia also causes long-lasting fatigue. So non-allergic rhinitis feels like having constant allergies. But fibromyalgia is more like having a constant cold.
Non-allergic rhinitis and fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia often causes sinus problems. In fact, persistent problems with your sinuses are an early warning sign of fibromyalgia. Non-allergic rhinitis also causes problems with your sinuses.
That makes it hard to tell the difference between non-allergic rhinitis and fibromyalgia. They both cause similar nasal symptoms. But there is a simple way to tell the difference between the conditions.
Fibromyalgia causes pain around your entire body. The pain is especially severe in eighteen points located around your body. Doctors use these eighteen points to diagnose fibromyalgia. On the other hand, non-allergic rhinitis does not cause this kind of general pain.
The easiest way to tell the difference is to ask if your body hurts or you just have nasal problems. If your body hurts, you probably have fibromyalgia. If the problem is exclusively located in your nose but you aren’t exposed to allergies, then you probably have non-allergic rhinitis.
With either condition, the important thing is to speak to a doctor. Doctors will be able to offer a diagnosis and give you options to help manage either condition. And remember that though there is no cure for either condition, it’s still possible to live a full life.
Why Going to the Dentist is Worse for Fibromyalgia Patients
Written By: Marcia Frost
admin
Lyashenko Egor / Shutterstock
Few people enjoy going to the dentist, but for someone with fibromyalgia, it can be an extremely frightening and painful experience. The pain increase caused by a dental visit can be enough to send someone with FMS into an anxiety attack long before the visit day even arrives.
Fears of the emotional and physical distress of a dentist appointment are very real if you have fibromyalgia, but the last thing you want to do is skip going to care for your oral health all together.
Bringing extra anxiety
Going to the dentist is worse for fibromyalgia patient because it is stressful thinking about the pain and flare that a dentist visit can possibly cause, setting you on a downward spiral for weeks.
While fibromyalgia pain is widespread, it is often most prevalent in the head and neck, which sets up the fear of dental problems, and the fear is not unfounded. Those with FMS may be more susceptible to these issues – especially if they continually put off going to see the dentist and need to spend more time getting worked on.
Other fears which fuel anxiety over dentists if you have fibromyalgia is that an infection may come and cause a flare of the syndrome, debilitating your body for long periods; the after visit pain will be unbearable; or, the dentist will be unable to numb you enough, since those with FMS usually require more shots to be numbed.
Sensitivity to touch
The fear of going to the dentist with fibromyalgia is mostly founded in the sensitivity to being touched. Simple touching can cause pain in overly sensitive fibromyalgia nerves. This symptom may cause a lack routine dental hygiene, such as flossing and brushing, to be avoided because of the pain it causes. This would make those with FMS more in need of regular dental visits than most.
To ease the pain before going to the dentist, prepare for this in advance with anti-inflammatories, just check with the dentist about which ones to use. Some medications, such as aspirin, can cause increased bleeding– something you definitely do not want when you are having dental work.
No tolerance to pain
It is a bit of a catch-22 for fibromyalgia patients since going to the dentist can cause pain, but not going regularly can cause more pain since you’ll have to sit in the chair longer and have more work done on your teeth. Also, it is important to make sure the pain in your jaw that you’ve been considering part of fibromyalgia syndrome for the last few months is not really a dental problem.
With FMS, you can sometimes start believing all the pain you have is from the disease and not consider other causes, such as a tooth abscess which is badly infected. Only regular dental visits can identify problems like this.
The numbing shots alone can cause a trip to the dentist to be worse for those with fibromyalgia, especially when you need more than the norm, but you can ask for desensitizing gel to help a bit with the pain. I don’t be afraid to speak up if you aren’t as numb as you should be. A dentist has no what of knowing that unless you tell him. The last thing a dentist wants is to cause unnecessary pain.
Don’t give up the Dentist
It is important if you have fibromyalgia to not give up on going to the dentist for regular visits. Ask your friends about their dentists. Find a dentist who is not only knowledgeable on fibromyalgia and its impact on the widespread pain. You also want to make sure he is sensitive to your specific needs, whether it’s severe anxiety, TMJ, more than average numbing, or low tolerance to pain – all part of fibromyalgia.
As soon as you schedule your dentist appointment, ask about medications you can take in advance to ease your anxiety and pain. You also want to discuss and what you will be given during and after the procedure to handle your unique pain.
Dentists sensitive to the fact that a visit is worse for fibromyalgia patients can use relaxation techniques in their office, such as more comfortable chairs and soothing music. You might also want to consider complete sedation or at least a medication which will alter consciousness so you don’t feel much while you are there. It is possible to make a trip to the dentist easier – even if you have fibromyalgia.
Why Does our Sense of Smell Change with Fibromyalgia?
Written By: Marcia Frost
admin
Sjale/Shutterstock
The symptoms of fibromyalgia can be overwhelming for someone to deal with. Chronic pain, fatigue, and brain fog are just a few of the problems that can easily be set off and worsen into a flare that lasts a day, a week, or even a month. It doesn’t take much for this to happen. Sometimes it can even be caused by something as simple as an odor in the air that’s not bothering anyone else.
The sensitive syndrome
Fibromyalgia patients are often referred to as the overly sensitive and that is a rather accurate label. It’s a fact many with the syndrome deal with in their daily lives. Sensitivity to temperature changes, light, noise, touch, and smell are not uncommon with FMS. Lighting that may seem normal to the healthy individual can cause headaches and pain and digestive issues if you have fibromyalgia. Florescent lights in particular can cause major problems. The same can be said of noises and smells that others don’t even notice.
Hypersensitivity works in many ways with fibromyalgia. While one person with FMS may find an odor or sound overwhelming, another may have difficulty smelling or hearing it correctly. It’s all about how the fibromyalgia brain processes things, which is unlike it does for others. All of this sensory overload can have an effect on quality of life.
Fortunately, there are some medications that may help in some cases, so be sure to mention it all to your doctor. If it is severe enough, you may be diagnosed with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), which can often accompany fibromyalgia and may require a different treatment.
How smells affect someone with fibromyalgia
An olfactory (sense of smell) impairment is not uncommon with many autoimmune diseases and fibromyalgia. It is detrimental to more than the feeling in your nose. Scented perfumes, detergents, and cleaning agents can make someone with FMS feel ill with everything from fatigue to nausea and headaches. Foods smells can also make the fibromyalgia sufferer so sick they don’t want to eat anything, or start eliminating certain foods from their diet, even if they are healthy items.
Issues with smells in fibromyalgia have nothing to do with allergies so you can’t just take an antihistamine and wait for it to go away. This problem with the sense of smell can be so severe that those affected don’t want to go out in public, where someone’s after shave can get you ill, or an air freshener can make you feel like you want to faint.
Avoiding smells with fibromyalgia
If you have fibromyalgia and are dealing sensitivity to smells, there are things you can do to help improve your quality of life. In your home, keep everything unscented, from soaps, to cleaning agents, to detergents. Look for shampoos and hairsprays which are unscented. Keep a mask handy so if you do need to handle something with a strong odor you can avoid it bothering you as much. Also, make sure visitors know in advance they shouldn’t wear cologne in your house. After a while, your friends should be aware of this, but don’t feel bad about reminding them. It’s your health that is at stake.
Make sure your house is well-ventilated. Fans will only help in a room which is odor-free. If not, you’ll just be spreading the smells around. When you are cooking meals, experiment with different herbs that don’t have such intense smells. You might want to use more basil and less cumin, for example. You’ll also find some scents may be more comforting than bothersome to you, such as vanilla or cinnamon, and you’ll want to use them more. Take it one smell at a time.
Some studies have even indicated that physical activity may improve the sense of smell in fibromyalgia, as well as the pain and fatigue. Adding a little more walking, some yoga or tai chi in your life could help the body, mind – and nose.
I have gone to the doctor for indefinable pain a few times. It was pain for which I could neither find adequate words nor an explanation. I couldn’t even narrow down the location of the pain to anything smaller than a very large region of my body. It seemed to have no source or trigger. My physician found no swelling or reason for tenderness. He found no obstruction or growth of any kind. Through tears of pain, I said, “I’m telling you this hurts. Really bad. Are you saying it’s all in my head?” His answer stung at first, but then I realized his point: “Of course it’s in your head. All pain is in the head… but that doesn’t mean it’s not real.” He was referring to our biology wherein all pain is processed in the brain.
Is She/He Making it Up?
“You don’t look sick. There’s nothing wrong with you.” Everyone who has ever suffered from chronic pain like what comes with fibromyalgia has heard these words. Isn’t is strange? The philosophy and government of the West was established on faith. But our own family members and closest friends doubt whether we are actually suffering simply because they don’t see a cast, cane, limp, or tumor. Even the doctors struggled with this one. It has taken years for the mainstream medical community to accept fibromyalgia as an actual problem with real symptoms. This may have something to do with how many women have been struck with fibromyalgia. What women deal with has been chronically dismissed for eons. But the Mayo Clinic reports that more and more men are being diagnosed with fibromyalgia now that the criteria have ceased focusing on the number of tender points a patient has.
Affirmation
So, is fibromyalgia real? Maybe it just took time, maybe we needed more men on board, or maybe new research needed to be brought to light. Whatever the reason, the tide is definitely shifting when it comes to the medical community’s understanding of fibromyalgia. Psychology Today reports: “…the war between doubters and advocates has waned. The consensus is that these illnesses are truly mind-body diseases, in which biological and psychological causes and dysfunctions are inseparably intertwined. The mind seems to play a key role in kick-starting and perpetuating illness—but it’s not that sufferers are simply malingerers. Their bodies are sick, and their reaction to the illness often makes it worse.”
Dr. James F. Jones with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control adds that “anybody who has a chronic illness has alterations in biological and psychological mechanisms. You really can’t separate the brain and the body, because psychology is biology—everything that takes place in the brain is chemical or electrical. You can’t have the one without the other.”
As it turns out, the more research done in the area of fibromyalgia, the more proof emerges that something very tangible is happening. Go figure. The Mayo Clinic, for example, goes on to report that the brain and spinal cord of fibro patients processes pain signals differently than non-fibro patients. This results in stronger reactions to touch and pressure, as well as a much higher sensitivity to pain. Thus, fibromyalgia is both a neurochemical and physiological problem.
Ok, It’s Real. Now What?
If you know someone who is suffering from fibromyalgia, do not dismiss their pain simply because you see no physical proof that there is a problem. You don’t dismiss migraines or heart disease do you? You surely do not dismiss cancer that leaves no outward trace of a problem. Then why would you dismiss fibromyalgia? It carries a list of symptoms that are absurdly debilitating, including chronic pain and fatigue, depression and anxiety, foggy thinking and so much more. You can’t touch a single one of those ailments, but you can definitely see a fibro patient wincing, hear them crying out, or notice their regular absence. They desperately need you to acknowledge the reality of what they live with every single day. Your acknowledgement can contribute to their healing, if not permanently, then often temporarily. Fibromyalgia patients need affirmation, support, and love rather than criticism because they missed another dinner or don’t even look like they are hurting. Fibromyalgia is real. Very real and often misunderstood.
If you have someone in your life who has been particularly affirming and supportive of you while you deal with your fibromyalgia symptoms, please share it with us.
For those living with fibromyalgia managing your pain and symptoms is just a part of life. However with a few dietary changes, many fibro suffers are alleviating some of the worst of their pains by avoiding foods they may not have realized they were allergic too.
While there is no “one size fits alls” dietary plan for fibromyalgia treatment, avoiding certain foods can have a huge effect on your quality of life. First though we need to understand the difference between a food allergy and a food sensitivity.
Food Sensitivity
Everyone is aware of what a food allergy is. It is an immediate reaction to a food allergen such as nuts or shellfish that manifests in the form of either skin reactions or hay fever-like symptoms. Food allergies can be potentially deadly, and even the slightest of exposure can cause an extreme reaction.
Food sensitivities, on the other hand, are much less severe than food allergies. Food sensitivities have a much slower reaction than a full-blown food allergy, and their effects are not generally as extreme. While there can be many different causes behind a food sensitivity such as a protein imbalance, difficulty for your body to digest, or over-exposure to harmful chemicals contained in certain foods, in general a food sensitivity can be defined as any food that throws our complex system off balance.
Most people live with these minor imbalances every day and take little note of them. Feeling bloated, constipated, sore, or fatigued is something they can live with without worrying about changes to their diet. However for those with fibromyalgia, it is these little imbalances that can shift the scales from bearable pain to being trapped in bed all day.
The question can be difficult to answer as much like fibromyalgia affects each person in slightly different ways, so too does each person have their own unique food sensitivities. In order to narrow down which types of foods affects your body, we recommend keeping a food journal. Track what you eat and how you feel afterward, and eventually you’ll be able to create a diet plan tailored to your specific needs.
Having said that there are several common food sensitivities that most people share, and reducing the amount of these in your diet is a good place to start when addressing your food sensitivities.
Caffeine
While it may be tempting to use caffeine-heavy drinks like coffee or soft drinks to fight off the fatigue that comes with fibromyalgia, caffeine can interfere with your body’s need to get a full night sleep, something which anyone with fibro will attest to being important in managing fibromyalgia symptoms. If you can’t quit cold turkey, try limiting yourself to only consuming caffeine in the first half of the day to reduce sleep problems.
Sugar
Much like caffeine, sugar can provide a much-needed energy boost to combat fatigue. Unfortunately, as well all well know, too much sugar leads to obesity. Those with fibromyalgia who are also overweight are known to suffer more severe symptoms. Avoid sugar when possible, and when you have the craving try to find something with natural sugars like a piece of fruit.
Dairy
Many people, with and without fibromyalgia, have trouble processing dairy and find themselves feeling unwell after drinking milk or eating other dairy products. Try removing milk-based products from your diet for a couple of weeks and see if you notice a difference in your symptoms. If you start feeling better, try alternatives such as soy milk and start eating more calcium-rich foods such as salmon or tuna.
Gluten
While the gluten-free health fad isn’t as widespread as it once was, reducing in your intake of wheat, barley, and rye can do wonders for your digestion. Like everything else on this list, we recommend reducing your intake of breads, pastas, and grains and seeing if you notice a difference in your symptoms. If there is an improvement, look for gluten-free alternatives where possible.
Processed Foods
Avoiding processed foods is good advice whether or not you have fibromyalgia, but fibro sufferers in particular may notice a big difference in their symptoms if they can remove processed food from their diet. Preservatives, additives, MSG, and artificial sweeteners all contain chemicals that can exacerbate your fibromyalgia symptoms.
Juvenile Fibromyalgia: When Children are Diagnosed
Written By: Wyatt Redd
admin
Image: Pixabay
Fibromyalgia is a devastating condition, and it’s one that is often underdiagnosed. Many adults with the condition can have a hard time getting their condition recognized by doctors. That’s partly because the medical establishment simply doesn’t know that much about the condition, and partly because the symptoms are often difficult to separate from those of other conditions.
But children can also be affected by juvenile fibromyalgia. And when children have the condition, it can be even harder to get a diagnosis. Often, children have a hard time expressing their symptoms and most have never heard of fibromyalgia. As the parent of a child struggling with juvenile fibromyalgia, it’s important to be aware of what the signs are so you can get your child the treatment they need. So, what are some of the things you should look out for, and what can you do to help?
What Are The Signs Of Juvenile Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia affects around 2 to 6% of children and is more common in girls than boys. But the hardest part of recognizing juvenile fibromyalgia is that your child will often be unable to tell you what they’re feeling, particularly if they are younger. So, as a parent, it’s important to look out for some of the more subtle signs that your child is suffering from the condition.
Fibromyalgia causes chronic fatigue and pain. Usually, this results in a child with the condition seeming tired constantly. They may have trouble sleeping at night and seem exhausted during the day. Usually, kids tend to be groggy early in the morning when it’s time for school. But if your child seems like they are always tired or far more fatigued than normal, there’s a good chance that something is wrong.
The pain of fibromyalgia is also widespread and severe. But younger children may have a hard time explaining that they are in pain. Instead, children with the condition can seem irritable or withdrawn. Or they may move more slowly than normal and even limp. Your child may also suffer from frequent headaches and pain or cramping in the abdomen.
Fibromyalgia can also cause problems with short-term memory. People often refer to this as “fibro fog.” It can manifest itself as difficulties with paying attention in class and a struggle to remember things the child has already learned. If your child is struggling in school, it may be a sign that they have juvenile fibromyalgia.
Finally, children with juvenile fibromyalgia may have problems with their mood like anxiety and depression. If your child is experiencing these symptoms, make sure to take note of them and take them to a doctor.
What Should You Do If You Think Your Child Has Juvenile Fibromyalgia?
One of the best things you can do is have a comprehensive list of symptoms you have noticed in your child. Have an idea of what your child is experiencing and when. That will help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis. And it’s especially helpful with younger children who may not be able to talk about their symptoms themselves.
The doctor will start by considering the child’s symptoms and then trying to rule out other possible conditions like lupus or mood disorders. This will probably involve some blood tests to check for raised antibody levels, which are a sign of autoimmune disease, one of the most common conditions with similar symptoms.
If the doctor can’t find another source of your child’s symptoms, they will perform a physical test for fibromyalgia. The test is the same as it is for adults and involves pressing the thumb into 18 specific points on the body. These “tender points” are associated with fibromyalgia and if the child has pain in at least 11 of them, then that’s a good sign that they are suffering from the condition. If the child has these tender points and has shown long-term pain and fatigue without any other cause, then the doctor will make a diagnosis of fibromyalgia.
If your child is diagnosed, make sure you follow your doctor’s treatment recommendations. If you’re not satisfied that your child’s treatment is working to help their pain, consider finding a doctor who specializes in fibromyalgia. They may have more experience working with juvenile fibromyalgia patients and knowledge of treatment options that your general practitioner doesn’t. You can find many resources to help with finding the right doctor at the National Fibromyalgia Association’s website here.
So, do you have any experience with juvenile fibromyalgia? What do you think others should know? Tell us in the comments.
When it comes to pain management, fibromyalgia is a tough nut to crack. Part of that is the fact that it causes such widespread pain that seems to affect the entire body (though it’s actually located in 18 specific points). And part of it is the fact that not only do we not know what causes fibromyalgia, we don’t even know for sure why fibromyalgia causes pain.
So if you’re trying to manage the pain of fibromyalgia, often the basic things that people use to treat chronic pain diseases aren’t enough, which is where advanced pain management comes in. But what exactly is advanced pain management? And what are some advanced pain management techniques that might work for fibromyalgia?
What is Advanced Pain Management
On a basic level, advanced pain management is just what it sounds like it would be based on the name. It’s an effort to treat chronic pain that doesn’t respond to the traditional techniques doctors use to treat pain. Usually, pain management takes a pretty predictable path. First, your doctor will make a judgment of what is causing your pain by attempting to diagnose your condition.
Next, they will try to treat the underlying condition which causes the pain. That seems obvious, right? If you have a broken arm, the doctor will try to set the bone back and give you a cast, hoping that once your bone heals it will stop hurting.
But in the meantime, your pain isn’t going anywhere so the doctor will prescribe a series of medications to help dull the pain. Usually, this will involve an opioid-based painkiller at some point, because these are generally the most effective drugs for relieving pain.
Most of the time, this works. But when it comes to fibromyalgia, that all goes out the window. We don’t know how to cure the underlying condition in someone with fibromyalgia. So, we can’t aim to eliminate their pain the way we would with people with most other diseases. Instead, pain management for fibromyalgia takes the form of long-term alleviation of pain. We can’t cure the pain, so we just try to find a way to make the suffering as bearable as possible in the long term. That’s where advanced pain management comes in.
Advanced Pain Management Techniques for Fibromyalgia
In most cases, when you’ve exhausted the normal ways of treating pain because you have a chronic pain condition like fibromyalgia, you’ll find yourself being referred to a pain specialist at some point. These are doctors who focus on the treatment and management of long term pain. Usually, they work out of dedicated clinics with a team of other specialists.
Unlike general practitioners, pain management specialists try to create a plan tailored specifically for their patient. They can take into consideration numerous factors like the patient’s age, medical history, and what treatments their condition has been resistant to so far to develop a pain management plan that works for them using their expertise and the help of their team.
And many pain specialists employ a number of different techniques to help with the pain of fibromyalgia. Rather than simply using the types of drugs normally prescribed for fibromyalgia (Lyrica, Cymbalta, Savella), a pain specialist might employ techniques like mindfulness meditation, acupuncture, behavioral therapy, or myofascial massage.
That’s not to say that those traditional pain medications shouldn’t play a role in an advanced pain management plan. Any effective pain management plan should be based on the latest research and the expertise of your doctor. The point is to achieve results. You want to experience as little fibromyalgia pain as possible. So any method that your doctor feels might be effective is probably worth a try. And because pain specialists have seen so many patients dealing with chronic pain, they often have a better idea than most doctors about which therapies might be effective.
So when you consider that fibromyalgia is a serious condition that will probably require a specialized form of pain management, it may be worth seeing a pain management specialist. Always consult with your doctor before making any major medical decisions, but ultimately what you decide to do is up to you. You have to pursue the treatments that are best for you.
You can find a number of resources here that will help you find a pain specialist near you if you’re interested in pursuing your own advanced pain management plan. And let us know, have you turned to advanced pain management to treat your fibromyalgia? What did you do? How did it work for you? Tell us in the comments section.
Rolfing: The Massage Technique may Relieve Fibro Pain
Written By: Wyatt Redd
admin
Image: Flickr
If you have fibromyalgia, you may have benefited from a deep tissue massage. There’s a significant amount of evidence suggesting that massage can reduce the pain of fibromyalgia. But have you ever tried Rolfing?
Rolfing has been suggested as a possible form of treatment for fibromyalgia based on the idea that it offers benefits similar to a massage. But the truth is that there is very little evidence to suggest that Rolfing is an effective treatment for fibromyalgia. Let’s look at what Rolfing is and why people might believe it can help with fibromyalgia. That way, you can decide for yourself if you want to give it a try.
What Is Rolfing?
Rolfing is a technique developed by Ida Rolf, an American medical researcher. Rolf was in many ways an accomplished academic, but she also held some ideas that most would think were quite strange today. Rolf believed that all humans had an energy field surrounding their body that interacted with the energy of the Earth.
Based on this idea, Rolf developed a technique she claimed could help orientate the body to work in harmony with the Earth’s gravitational and energy fields. She called this process “Structural Integration.” This Structural Integration is supposed to help lengthen the connective tissue between the muscles, counter-acting the tendency of the Earth’s gravity to make them contract.
By expanding the muscle tissue, Rolf believed that you could reduce the amount of pain someone felt and make them healthier overall. After Rolf’s death, her techniques were expanded by other practitioners and came to be known as “Rolfing.”
Today, people who practice Rolfing perform a series of deep tissue massages that are designed to release tension in the muscle tissues. But “Rolfers” also believe that a person’s mental state is tied to the body. So, by training the body to be less tense, Rolfers argue that you can decrease the amount of tension and pain you feel even when you aren’t receiving treatments.
But many scientists who have looked into whether or not Rolfing is effective have concluded that most of the claims made by Rolf about how the method works aren’t based in fact. Many have said that the arguments for the Rolf method about how gravity affects the muscle tissues and how the psychological state of the body can be adjusted physically don’t seem to hold up to close scrutiny or even contradict established medical knowledge.
However, what matters when it comes to treatment for fibromyalgia is whether or not it works, not why it works. So does Rolfing work for fibromyalgia?
Does Rolfing Help With Fibromyalgia?
There haven’t been many studies about whether or not Rolfing is an effective treatment for fibromyalgia. And the ones that have been done have had mixed results. At least one study has found that the treatment actually did help people with fibromyalgia reduce their pain and anxiety. But other studies have concluded that Rolfing has no noticeable benefits compared to other forms of therapy.
Many of the medical claims made by Rolfers have been dismissed as “quackery” or “pseudoscience.” But if we ignore these claims and just look at the therapy itself, then Rolfing is basically just a form of deep tissue massage. And we know that massage is an effective form of therapy for fibromyalgia.
If Rolfing is an effective treatment, then it is probably because the treatment is providing the same benefits as any deep tissue massage. So if you’re interested in getting a deep tissue massage for fibromyalgia, there’s really no reason to track down a Rolfing practitioner, especially when there are not many people practicing the technique compared to traditional massage therapists.
Instead, consider looking for people practicing deep tissue massage who have specialized experience treating patients with fibromyalgia. They will likely know more about what works for their other patients with the condition and be able to provide you with therapy that can help relieve your pain. And while many traditional insurance plans won’t cover massage therapy, you are much more likely to get a standard massage covered than a Rolfing treatment, which is not recognized as an effective treatment by most medical authorities.
With that being said, there are many people with fibromyalgia who will swear by Rolfing. It’s always best to weigh the information available and decide for yourself what treatment options you want to pursue.
So, have you tried Rolfing to treat your fibromyalgia? Did it work for you? Is it better than a traditional deep tissue massage? Let us know in the comments.
Dysmenorrhea is a painful condition that affects a lot of women. Essentially, it’s the medical term for a period of sharp pain that accompanies the menstrual period. It’s a common condition, and there are a number of things that can cause it. But when you have fibromyalgia, the pain of dysmenorrhea can be much worse.
Furthermore, severe dysmenorrhea is common enough in women with fibromyalgia that it could even be described as a symptom of fibromyalgia for some people. It’s one of those hundreds of other symptoms that come with fibromyalgia and make it the massive collection of misery that this condition is. So, what exactly is dysmenorrhea? How does it relate to fibromyalgia? And what can you do to treat it?
What is Dysmenorrhea?
Dysmenorrhea is a term that describes sharp pains whenever you have your menstrual period. The pain usually starts around a day or so before menstruation and spreads from the abdomen to the lower back and thighs. It can range from mild discomfort to a feeling like getting stabbed in the pelvis. But in severe cases, the symptoms aren’t limited to pain. Having a major episode of dysmenorrhea can effectively disable you for two to three days.
Symptoms can, in addition to pain, include things that we typically associate with the flu. Fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting are all common in cases of dysmenorrhea. Primary dysmenorrhea is the sort of pain most women are familiar with, commonly called “menstrual cramps.” Most of the time, primary dysmenorrhea isn’t cause for much concern, unless the pain is especially severe, which of course it can be.
But secondary dysmenorrhea is often a sign that something serious is going on. The term describes menstrual cramping caused by another condition. These conditions can include things like uterine fibroids ( benign cysts in the uterus), adenomyosis ( a condition where the uterine wall grows into the muscle surrounding the uterus), or even fibromyalgia.
Dysmenorrhea and Fibromyalgia
Almost every woman will experience menstrual cramps at some point in their life. But women with fibromyalgia often experience particularly severe pain when it comes to cramping. And the most likely explanation behind this fact is that fibromyalgia causes a general sensitization of the nervous system.
People with fibromyalgia seem to experience nearly every form of pain more intensely. And that holds true with menstrual cramping. Women with fibromyalgia seem to have more painful episodes of cramping and may even experience cramping more frequently.
And the symptoms of dysmenorrhea can also make your fibromyalgia symptoms worse. Fibromyalgia causes chronic fatigue, as does severe menstrual cramping, so it’s easy to see how a particularly bad episode of cramping could make the already difficult task of getting out of bed when you have fibro even harder.
And the other symptoms of dysmenorrhea like diarrhea are also occasional symptoms of fibromyalgia, so it’s not hard to imagine how the two conditions can compound each other, each making the other harder to bear.
How can you Treat it?
Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of good ways to treat menstrual cramping. Most forms of treatment offer temporary or ineffective relief. And the only ways to totally cure it are invasive surgery, which is generally not something you want to go through when you have fibro.
The most common form of treatment is basic, over-the-counter painkillers like aspirin and ibuprofen. This class of drugs is called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and they work by blocking certain enzymes your body produces that lead to pain. Of course, if you’ve ever tried taking aspirin for severe cramps you know that they often aren’t totally effective.
The other drug commonly prescribed for cramping is oral contraceptives. These drugs work by disrupting the natural flow of hormones that govern your menstrual cycle. And certain oral contraceptives can stop your menstrual cycle altogether, which helps with the cramping. Besides drugs, other options like placing a heating pad on the stomach can offer at least partial relief.
The only way to totally cure dysmenorrhea is a partial or total hysterectomy, which removes part or all of your uterus. Obviously, this is a radical solution as it carries a wide range of surgical risks and eliminates the possibility of having children. Generally, this option should be avoided if possible. But if you don’t intend on having children and your pain is truly unbearable, it may be something to discuss with your doctor.
But let us know, do your cramps seem worse since you’ve had fibromyalgia? What do you do about it? Tell us in the comments section below.
If you have ever done any research on fibromyalgia, you know how often it’s reported as being diagnosed in women more often than men. In fact, the government reports that 80-90% of fibro patients are women. But that seems to be changing. And not because it is suddenly “spreading” to men. Rather, one reason is because the criteria for diagnosing is expanding. Another reason is that more men seem to be seeking treatment. In Western cultures, men have long been discouraged from showing emotions that indicate some sort of “weakness.” Sadly, expressing pain and seeking treatment is often interpreted as that weakness, leading to the downfall of many men. For women, on the other hand, it is far more acceptable to express emotions and pain and to seek treatment for both. But when it comes to a condition like fibromyalgia, do women suffer more? Is the fibro experience different or the same for men and women? Is fibromyalgia worse for women?
Make no mistake: fibromyalgia does not discriminate when it comes to gender. It is an equal opportunity disease that turns your life upside down with reckless abandon. One of the key identifiers of fibromyalgia is chronic pain. And not just some ache that bothers you from time to time. No, we are talking about what is often intense pain that can shoot all throughout the body. Usually there is no explanation for it. Sure, different healthcare practitioners have their theories and you’ll find fibromyalgia categorized as neurological, psychological, nutritional, and so on. But the thing about fibro is that it amplifies pain. It seems that the condition causes the brain to process pain and other sensory information in an abnormal way. So how can that translate into differences in the experience of fibromyalgia for men and women?
Is fibromyalgia worse for women?
It’s Worse: PERIOD
Every human shares some basic experiences, whether it is done naturally or through medical aid. We all eat and sleep, for example. However, women have the very unique experience of menstruation. We assume that it’s normal to suffer through painful periods. But the reality is that they are probably far worse than they ought to be due to nutritional deficiencies, environmental factors, and the intense stress associated with our culture. Hormones actually cause cramps and muscle contractions similar to labor pains.
This is a good place to pause and think for a moment: cramps and contractions similar to labor pains?Granted, not every woman feels pain to that degree, but many of us experience very difficult periods. Now, recall how fibromyalgia amplifies pain. Put that into the context of what life is like for a fibromyalgia patient who also must deal with menstruation each month. Sometimes this can last for several days. Not to mention that some of us also have added pain and cramping during the ovulation process, which usually lasts a couple of days as well. Even if you’re having a decent month without a fibro flair, you still are living at least a third of the month with abnormally high levels of pain. And if you are experiencing the chronic pain symptoms to come with fibromyalgia alone, even without the hormonal boost that comes from being a female, you’re feeling absolutely miserable. Then compound that with the awful symptoms that accompany a period itself, including nausea, diarrhea, headaches, and much more.
What About Menopause?
“But I thought fibromyalgia mostly effected 40-55 year-old women. So there can’t be that many women experiencing worse pain than those without fibro, right?” For the record, this is a great way to start a fight. I do NOT recommend ever asking this question out loud to a female suffering from fibromyalgia. First of all, according to the National Fibromyalgia Association, female hormones have been shown to have profound effects on the central nervous system and thus, on pain. So, whether women are still experiencing periods or not, they are still going to have more intense and longer durations of pain than men, simply by virtue of their hormonal structure. Second, fibro patients going through menopause or even post-menopause experience worse pain and symptoms than those without fibromyalgia.
So, is fibromyalgia worse for women? As you can see here, a woman’s experience of fibromyalgia, no matter where she is in her hormonal cycle in regards to age, is much more intense. This is not meant in any way to diminish the experience of men suffering from fibromyalgia. Rather, it is meant to encourage compassion and empathy for women dealing with this awful condition. Living with fibro is hard enough by itself. But having to deal with friends, family, and co-workers who dismiss you and your pain as just an average complaint makes it even tougher. If you or someone you love is a woman living with fibromyalgia, please share this with them. Also, share your experience with us too.
What are the Different Types of Arthritis?
Written By: Tiffany Vance-Huffman
John
When you think of arthritis, who comes to mind? Probably the elderly or even baby boomers, right? Well, think again because different arthritis types are effecting more and more young people. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) explains that one in four (54 million) U.S. adults have arthritis. And more than half of those are between 18-64 years of age. That means that nearly a quarter (23%) of adults in this country have arthritis. And nearly 60% of those are of working age. Furthermore, various types of arthritis cost $81 billion in direct medical costs each year. Of course, the arthritis types we are typically most familiar with are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Thinking in those terms, it seems odd that so many people would be effected. But the fact is, arthritis extends much farther than the mainstream types we know well. Did you know, for example, that fibromyalgia, gout, and lupus are all considered types of arthritis?
Fibromyalgia: Arthritis Type or Related Condition?
Sometimes it depends on what kind of medical practitioner you’re talking to, but many of them feel that fibromyalgia falls into the category of arthritis. The CDC and Arthritis Foundation, for example, explain that fibro is a kind of arthritis. While the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, on the other hand, considers fibromyalgia an arthritis-related condition. To complicate matters even further, it’s entirely possible to have fibromyalgia and arthritis, typically rheumatoid. In fact, the CDC adds that if you have rheumatoid arthritis, you are more likely to develop fibromyalgia as well, with estimates as high as 20-30%. It’s important to understand that fibro is not a single disease. Rather, as the Arthritis Foundation poetically states, it’s a “constellation of symptoms.” As with common forms of arthritis, fibro causes debilitating and life-changing pain, and in this case it is characteristically widespread. Whether fibromyalgia is a type of arthritis or not, it is without a doubt a related condition.
Gout: Inflammatory Arthritis
Although the strange name implies something one might find on the inside of a toilet, gout is an obvious kind of arthritis. Unlike fibromyalgia that includes widespread pain or the body-wide inflammation that comes from rheumatoid arthritis, the pain from gout is localized in the joints. In fact, it usually effects the big toe, but can effect other joints as well. Similar to a fibromyalgia flare, a gout flare can mean excruciating pain. Indeed, you may go to bed feeling completely normal but wake up in agony. Some people produce an excess of uric acid that builds up in the blood. Gout is the formation of crystals that build up in the joints from the excess uric acid, causing very painful joint inflammation. It effects only about 4% of the population and is more likely to show up in men than women.
Lupus: Autoimmune Inflammatory Disease
Arthritis in general is caused by either wear and tear on the joints, usually as one ages, or by inflammation. Lupus falls into that category of inflammation. Sadly, it is also an autoimmune disease which means the immune system essentially turns against itself. Lupus is so similar to rheumatoid arthritis that both are sometimes mistaken for the other. With lupus, the inflammation effects more than the joints, however. It can also attack other tissues, organs, and more, including blood, kidneys, skin, and even the brain. Like fibromyalgia, lupus is often characterized by a hodge-podge of symptoms that can make it difficult to diagnose. Indeed, fibromyalgia is considered by many in the healthcare system to be an autoimmune disease. Lupus, fibro, and rheumatoid arthritis can look like each other. Another complication in diagnosis is that a patient can have lupus and fibromyalgia, as well as rheumatoid arthritis, all of which are exceptionally painful conditions.
We have only touched on a tiny handful of arthritis types or related conditions. There are actually “more than 100 different forms of arthritis and related conditions,” says the Arthritis Foundation. And many of those have no known causes or cures. Typically, they can only be managed. But early diagnosis is key to effective treatments. With many kinds of arthritis, the longer you go without treating your symptoms, the more irreparable damage is caused. So it is important to seek diagnosis and treatment as quickly as possible. The Mayo Clinic recommends a variety of therapies, self-care options, medications, and even surgical procedures and medical specialists. Do you have any of the conditions listed here? Were you surprised to discover that these are considered forms of arthritis? At the outset, we learned that various arthritis types are effecting more and more younger people. Are you one of those? Tell us your story and whether you have found effective treatment for managing your symptoms.
After reading the title of the article, the question that probably jumps out is: “Wait, what are whole-body vibration exercises?” Put in the words of opponents of this type of exercise, whole-body vibrations are a lazy way to get fit.
In reality, these whole-body vibration exercises, while falling under the class of ‘passive exercise,’ are a great way to tone up the body and, for those with fibromyalgia, reduce painful symptoms such as muscle tension, anxiety, and sleep problems.
Although fibromyalgia may feel like a life-long battle that one will never win, there are many things that an individual can do to improve the quality of their life, and these wonderful exercises are one of them. Having doubts? Then read more about them and the health benefits they present.
Convenience and Simplicity
Exercise doesn’t come easily for many people. After all, when given the option to choose between watching TV and engaging in weight-lifting or aerobic exercise at the gym, who wouldn’t choose the former? The newly coined term, passive exercise, gives individuals the best of both worlds. The top passive exercises include chi machines, electronic ab simulators, inversion boots, and of course, whole-body vibration exercises.
Also known as “power plate exercise,” whole-body vibration exercises typically involve an individual standing on a flat platform while the surface upon which they lay their feet has the capability of vibrating at the extraordinary rate of 30 vibrations per second. To keep balance, individuals must bend their knees at an angle but other than that, there is nothing more to the exercise.
So how is this considered exercise? The trick is, the body is deceived into a falling sensation which activates a hormonal reflux which results in rapid muscle contraction. This, the muscle contraction, is the key to unlocking fibromyalgia symptom relief. One of the common symptoms of fibromyalgia is muscle pain, whether it is located in the back, arms, legs, or neck. Like the name suggests, these exercises involve the whole-body so they have the capability of reducing pain in all areas of the body.
Suitability for Those with Muscle Pain
The most prevalent symptom found in those who suffer from fibromyalgia is muscle discomfort or pain. For those with medical conditions, the highest deterrent to exercising is pain. Tiredness, soreness, and fatigue can be swallowed, but exercising through pain? Not knowing if the pain you are experiencing is the result of injury or your fibromyalgia can result in a great deal of anxiety or even fear about exercising.
Due to the fact that whole-body vibrations are not as vigorous as biking or running yet still provide the healthy exercise component that all living individuals need, this form of exercise proves to be ideal to those who suffer from fibromyalgia. Exercise is needed to prevent the development of other chronic medical conditions such as high blood pressure, and diabetes which are most often associated with diabetes.
Vibration exercises subdue the pain receptors residing within muscles and strengthen the nerves within one’s body. This leads to physical endurance and strength that can alleviate the pain that comes with many of fibromyalgia’s symptoms. Not to mention, the increased flow of blood circulation keeps all parts of the body fit and turns individuals with fibromyalgia into active individuals. Additionally, whole-body vibration exercise has been found to strengthen the bones and is often prescribed for those at risk for osteoporosis as a preventive measure.
Physical Health, Mental Health, and Emotional Health
Whole-body vibration exercises have the capability of improving physical health and can lead individuals to feel more active, fit, and comfortable. However, whole-body vibrations have additional health benefits which include, but are not limited to, happier mood levels and reductions in stress. One of the common theories behind this is that exercise increases the flow of circulation which will lead to a better mental state while exercising.
Granted, these psychological benefits are not solely due to whole-body vibration exercises. However, studies of individuals who choose to engage in this form of exercise show that mental health improves dramatically. Individuals experience a happier mindset.
Relax the Limbs
Think of it as a full-body massage. The vibrations are oftentimes described to be pleasurable. This may seem counter-intuitive, as the typical word that is associated with exercise is “tiring,” “draining,” or “not fun.” Whole-body vibration exercises remediate the situation as the individual does not do much of the work, the equipment does. The sensations allow the muscles to relax, which can lead to a state of inner peace and calm. This does wonders for the individual and can reduce the fibromyalgia symptoms with the passing of time.
Whole-body vibration exercises leave the body feeling reinvigorated and energized. This can’t be said for many other exercises. Thus, this form of passive exercise allows for comfort and an increase in activity. Furthermore, it does not need to be a time-consuming activity. The individual may stand on the vibrating platform while simultaneously performing other activities such as typing, reading, or watching television.
As with most passive exercises, whole-body vibration exercises merge exercise with other fun activities and thus, an individual can kill two birds with one stone (for example, read and exercise, write and exercise, or eat and exercise, although some of these combinations may not be too comfortable or appealing for some individuals).
Exercise does not need to be an activity that leaves the individual drained and tired. Whole-body vibration exercises are a great form of exercise for anyone, particularly for those who suffer from fibromyalgia.
Individuals can see results with the passing of time. This form of exercise does not take an excessive toll on the body and is a multi-dimensional form of exercise that improves the body’s functions in more ways than one. Individuals emerge from a session with a feeling of energy and comfort, something that individuals who suffer from fibromyalgia, particularly, really desire.
Adenomatous polyps are a pretty common condition where growths develop inside the colon. Most of the time, these growths are completely harmless, but sometimes, they can be an early warning sign of cancer. That’s why it’s important to know when you should be concerned about polyps.
So what exactly is an adenomatous polyp? What are the symptoms and how is it diagnosed? And what can do to treat it?
What Is An Adenomatous Polyp?
A polyp is basically a collection of cells inside the lining of the colon. Every second, your cells replicate themselves thousands of times to replace damaged cells. This replication of cells is coded inside your DNA. But sometimes, the cells begin to replicate too quickly. And when this happens, the collection of cells become a polyp.
And there are two basic categories of polyps, non-neoplastic and neoplastic. The non-neoplastic cells are ones formed by an inflammatory response instead of the rapid multiplication of cells. But neoplastic growths, like adenomatous polyps, are formed from damage to your DNA triggering rapid multiplication. Non-neoplastic polyps rarely become cancerous, because the DNA is not damaged.
But in cases of neoplastic polyps, the damaged DNA can begin to lead to the growth of damaged cells. These cells then begin to consume other cells, leading to cancer. So, neoplastic growths like adenomatous polyps can sometimes be the first sign of cancer.
Like any case of cancer, colorectal cancer from polyps goes through a series of four stages. These stages are determined by the size of the cancerous growth and how rapidly it is growing. At each stage, the odds of successful treatment drops significantly. And advanced colorectal cancer is often fatal. That’s why it’s so important to get a diagnosis as soon as possible.
Symptoms And Diagnosis
In most cases, polyps cause no obvious symptoms. And it’s possible that you can have polyps and not know until a doctor finds them in an unrelated examination of the colon. But there are a few symptoms that sometimes occur with colon polyps.
These symptoms include things like rectal bleeding when the polyps begin to bleed and the blood passes through your bowels. In addition, the blood can lead to a change in the color of their stool, making it red or black. Finally, the slow, chronic bleeding caused by polyps can slowly drain your body of the iron found in the blood, which leads to a condition called anemia. Iron plays an important role in the formation of blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. And that can lead to shortness of breath, weight loss, fatigue, and even fainting spells.
And if a polyp is large enough, it can actually obstruct the bowel, which leads to constipation and frequent abdominal pain.
If you notice any of these symptoms, you should see a doctor immediately. But even if you don’t, anyone over fifty years old, smokers, and people with a family history of polyps or colon cancer should be screened regularly.
To diagnose polyps, a doctor will perform a procedure known as a colonoscopy. Essentially, this involves inserting a long, flexible camera through the rectum and into the colon to visually inspect it for polyps.
How Can You Treat It?
If a doctor finds polyps during a colonoscopy, they will likely want to perform a biopsy. That means that they will remove a small sample of tissue from the polyp and examine it under a microscope. The cellular structure of a polyp can tell a doctor a lot about whether it’s cause for concern. They can judge what’s causing the polyp and whether it has progressed to being cancerous.
If the doctor determines that the polyp is dangerous, they will then order a surgery to remove it. The surgery itself is fairly simple. Essentially, a thin loop of wire is inserted into the colon along with a colonoscopy camera. The surgeon can then guide the loop over the polyp and tighten it until it cuts the polyp away from the wall of the colon.
In most cases, this is minimally invasive and can be performed within an hour with few side effects. Usually, this is enough to resolve the problem, but you will probably want to get follow up screening for a few years afterward to check for new polyps and ensure the old ones haven’t grown back.
So, have you suffered from colon polyps? What did you do to treat it? Do you have any advice about what to expect? Let us know in the comments.
The Difference Between Adenoma and Malignant Tumors
Written By: Wyatt Redd
admin
Image: Shutterstock/ David Litman
Tumors are a fairly common medical condition, especially as you age. And while developing any kind of tumor can be frightening, not every type of tumor is cause for serious concern. In fact, there are many different kinds of tumors. And while many can be dangerous, some, like adenomas, are really nothing to be that worried about.
An adenoma is essentially a benign form of tumor that carries little risk of becoming cancerous. That makes them distinct from other forms of tumors that are often malignant, or cancerous. So, what exactly causes an adenoma? How is it different from other, dangerous tumors? And what can you do to treat them?
What Is An Adenoma?
An adenoma is a form of tumor that can grow inside a number of different organs. You see, an adenoma is formed, like any tumor, when the cells inside the body begin to multiply rapidly. Your body is made up of trillions of cells, each performing their own role. Every day, these cells die and need to be replaced. And so, your body’s cells are reproducing constantly as they replicate themselves.
The process by which cells replicate is encoded in your DNA. But sometimes, the DNA controlling this replication gets damaged. When that happens, the cells can begin to multiply rapidly. As the cells build up, they form a solid mass of tissue called a tumor.
There are a lot of different reasons that this happens. Many times, it is simply spontaneous. Your DNA replicates billions of times a day, and at any point, something can go wrong with the natural systems your body has in place to keep your DNA consistent. This is usually what happens with adenoma and that’s one of the key differences between adenoma and other tumors.
Adenoma And Other Tumors
Adenomas are different than other tumors because they occur in the glands of the body. Other forms of tumors can occur in any tissue of the body like the skin, mouth, or even bones. Adenomas are almost always benign, which means that they grow slowly and rarely begin to destroy other kinds of cells.
But other forms of tumors can be malignant. Malignant tumors grow rapidly and begin to spread throughout the body, destroying vital organs and causing cancer. Like adenomas, these cancerous growths often occur spontaneously. But there are also many things that can damage the DNA and lead to cancerous tumors like smoking, drinking alcohol, and even UV light from the sun.
Adenomas, unlike cancerous tumors, are rarely a cause for medical concern. In most cases, they don’t even lead to any noticeable symptoms. But adenomas can cause symptoms when they grow in areas where they are likely to interfere with the functioning of your vital organs.
For instance, they can often grow on the pituitary glands. And the extra pressure from these tumors then causes the glands to secrete excess hormones, which can interfere with the way your body works. And they can also affect the adrenal glands, causing your body to excrete too much of the stress hormone cortisol. This can lead to a disease calling Cushing syndrome which leads to weight gain around the midsection, fatigue, irritability, depression, and mood swings.
And these types of cancers can occur inside the colon, where they can lead to painful bowel obstructions resulting in constipation and abdominal pain.
In these cases, adenomas need to be treated. So if you’re experiencing any of these types of symptoms, it’s a good idea to see a doctor.
How Are They Treated?
Doctors usually diagnose these types of tumors by ordering an imaging test like an x-ray or CT scan. The tumors are usually visible on these types of imaging tests, which means that a doctor can diagnose them by looking at the results.
The treatment depends on where the tumor is located and whether or not it is causing any symptoms. For small tumors that grow away from important glands, doctors often suggest simply monitoring it for any signs of growth. Tumors that grow slowly usually don’t have much risk of becoming cancerous, which means there’s no need to remove them.
But for fast growing tumors, or ones that occur in areas where they are likely to become cancerous, like the colon, should be removed. The primary method for removing tumors is with surgery.
A surgeon can often remove small tumors fairly easily. But for larger tumors, or tumors located in an area where a surgeon can’t remove enough tissue to completely get rid of the tumor, there is often a risk of the tumor growing back more aggressively. As always, it’s best to assess the risks of surgery with your doctor.
So, do you have an experience with a tumor? What did you do to treat it? Let us know in the comments.
Chronic pain is always difficult to live with. And conditions like fibromyalgia, which cause chronic pain, are absolutely debilitating. But we also know that chronic pain isn’t well understood.We’ve yet to really develop an effective way to treat it. And we don’t know why conditions like fibromyalgia cause chronic pain. One thing we do know is that fibromyalgia is a form of idiopathic pain.
You see, there are many different kinds of chronic pain. And idiopathic pain remains the most difficult kind to treat. So what exactly makes pain different from other pain? What is idiopathic pain? And what can you do to treat it?
Different Kinds Of Pain
All pain is equally real and one form of pain can be as severe as any other. But when it comes to chronic pain, doctors do try to distinguish one kind from another. This is because it makes it easier to treat. Pain can come from so many different places in the body. That’s why nailing down what specifically is causing your pain is the first step into figuring out how to treat it.
There are a few different kinds of pain that are worth looking at.
Neuropathic Pain
The nerves play a central role in transmitting the sensation of pain throughout the body. And as hard as it is to appreciate when you’re in constant pain, it serves an important purpose. When your cells get damaged they send signals to the brain. The brain then interprets this signal and transmits it back through the nervous system. This is the root of all pain. And this system prevents your body from damage.
But when it comes to neuropathic chronic pain, these signals can get mixed up. Someone who suffers from diabetes neuropathy, for example, is actually feeling the damage to the nerves themselves. And as you might imagine, neuropathic pain can be incredibly intense.
But not always, neuropathic pain can sometimes be limited to numbness and tingling. Either way, neuropathic pain is often difficult to treat and treatment depends on fixing the underlying condition.
Somatic Pain
Somatic pain comes from soft tissue like the muscles or joints. Somatic pain would typically be something like arthritis, which causes swelling of the soft tissue and results in pain.
Usually, this type of pain can be treated by reducing swelling or treating the injury. But for a condition like arthritis, which can’t actually be cured, the pain can be chronic.
Visceral Pain Visceral pain originates in the organs like the kidneys or liver. Any condition that causes damage to these organs can lead to chronic pain.
Visceral pain tends to be hard to locate since it’s more a dull, throbbing ache that isn’t localized in one obvious place. Though it can also feel like a stabbing pain. Chronic visceral pain is usually the sign that something is seriously wrong and should be treated as soon as possible.
And of course, there is also idiopathic pain.
Idiopathic Pain
Idiopathic pain is a pain that a doctor can’t identify the source of. Fibromyalgia falls into this category since we don’t know what exactly is going on in someone with fibromyalgia.
Some have suggested that the pain lies in the nerves, which would make it neuropathic, but we don’t have hard evidence supporting this.
It could be that fibromyalgia pain originates in the brain. It might be that the brain is sending pain signals along the nerves despite their not being any actual tissue damage. This would explain why the pain is chronic and seems to come from certain points in the body that aren’t swollen or damaged. But at the moment, idiopathic pain like fibromyalgia is very difficult to treat.
That’s why fibromyalgia is often treated with a wide range of medications. It’s almost like a shotgun approach of throwing everything we can find at it until we learn what works.
How Is It Treated?
Idiopathic pain in the case of fibromyalgia is often treated with SSRIs. These drugs, which include things like Savella and Lyrica, are designed to prevent the reuptake of a neurochemical called serotonin. This increases the level of serotonin in the bloodstream. We don’t fully understand why this is effective for some people with fibromyalgia. And, in fact, many people don’t find them effective at all.
In that case, doctors often prescribe opioid painkillers. These work by dulling the receptors in the brain that process pain signals. This is generally effective for treating any type of pain, including fibromyalgia. Unfortunately, they don’t treat the underlying condition. This leave people stuck in a cycle of dependence on opioids.
Unfortunately, until we learn more about fibromyalgia and idiopathic pain in general, these are some of our best options.
Let us know though, do you have idiopathic pain? Did you know there were different kinds of pain? How do you treat yours? Tell us in the comments.
Well, if you’ve received a fibromyalgia diagnosis then you have already been dealing with a catalog of symptoms and conditions that have made life difficult or just plain hell. The great news is that a doctor has finally affirmed what you’ve been saying for so long – something is wrong. The bad news is that the diagnosis doesn’t actually change your symptoms. Alternatively, you may be one of those people trying to figure out what on earth is going on with your body and are digging like mad because not one doctor has been able to identify the culprit. If that’s the case, then what is said going forward probably won’t shock you. Either way, even though this won’t be easy, it is doable.
Of course, everyone is different. But for many fibro patients it feels as if they have the flu every day of their lives, like they haven’t slept in days despite a full night’s sleep if they are lucky, and/or as if they are in a constant state of feeling hungover. In other words, for so many with fibromyalgia, their standard operating procedure comes from what others would call a sick day. It’s no walk in the park and unfortunately often expresses with minimal visible manifestations other than being bed-bound, walking with a cane, and looking like you have been tortured by the government using sleep deprivation and maybe the Barney theme song. Although there are manifestations that accompany certain symptoms, but they aren’t the kind you show to anyone. In other words, there is no cast for anyone to sign and thus feel inclined to bring you that desperately needed glass of water or lift your leg because you seriously need to readjust but simply can’t. And so, you secretly wish that those who don’t believe that something is definitively wrong with you had to experience your symptoms for at least one day – just so they would shut up and hopefully understand even a fraction of your pain.
The List
So the standard symptoms are as follows, but remember that since everyone is different, these vary by degree and expression, depending on the individual. Also note that the list is not comprehensive.
Cognitive and memory problems (aka “Fibro Fog”)
Sleep disturbances
Morning stiffness
Headaches
Irritable bowel syndrome
Painful menstrual periods
Numbness or tingling of the extremities
Restless leg syndrome
Temperature sensitivity
Sensitivity to loud noises or bright lights
Oh, did I mention chronic pain and fatigue? In fact, here are more symptoms that fibro patients report:
Chronic muscle spasms and tightness
Chronic severe fatigue
Decreased energy
Insomnia
Waking more tired than before you went to bed last night
Difficulty performing simple mental tasks (more of the Fibro Fog)
Jaw and facial tenderness
Abdominal pain, nausea, bloating, and constipation
Anxiety
Depression
Chronic migraines
Feeling of swollen hands and feet without any visible swelling
Allodynia: extreme sensitivity to touch, even clothing
Don’t panic. These are not all happening at one time, but it’s common to experience several of them at once. And they can come and go, sometimes with no known triggers. Sometimes you can feel them coming and other times you can’t. Every day is an experiment, but journaling about food, experiences, and interactions can be helpful in identifying certain triggers.
Now What?
So what can you do if you have been given this diagnosis? First, relax in knowing you aren’t crazy and that an actual healthcare professional has finally listened to you. Second, remember that even though it’s awful, it’s not terminal so it could be worse in that sense. Third, take all of this one day at a time. Fourth, accept it and work with it. It’s a lot less draining than fighting against it. Fifth, surround yourself with supportive people! Not the “Don’t worry, it’ll be okay” kind, but the “Don’t worry, we’re going to get through this together” kind. Remember, fibromyalgia isn’t easy, but you will survive it and hopefully you will figure out ways to thrive despite it. Oh, and if you’re here because you have a loved one dealing with these symptoms…be supportive, compassionate, and understanding. That will go a long way in helping them recuperate a little faster because you’ve taken a load of stress of them.
Are there different types of chronic pain? It’s a question you might be asking if you’ve been living with chronic pain for a while. Or if you have a loved one who is suffering from it. If that’s the case, then you know how much of a difference being knowledgeable about the subject can make in terms of getting the best care.
And we all know that chronic pain is one of the worst possible conditions to try to cope with, which is at least partially because so little is understood about its mechanisms and causes. So when it comes to chronic pain, a little knowledge can go a long way. So let’s talk about what chronic pain is, and what some of the different types of chronic pain are.
What Is Chronic Pain
Everyone experiences pain from time to time. And most people will have to endure a painful medical condition at some point in their lives. But chronic pain is different in one important way. Where normal pain tends to come and go depending on the condition, chronic pain lasts for a long time. That can be months to years, but the medical criterion for diagnosing chronic pain is that it lasts at least three to six months.
That means that chronic pain conditions are usually related to something fairly serious, like a physical injury or a major disease like cancer. And chronic pain actually affects a lot more people than you might think. In fact, around the world, as many as 1.5 billion people may suffer from chronic pain.
That’s a huge number, especially when you consider the added economic cost from the lost productivity of those people. So it’s easy to see that pain is a serious, serious problem. And it’s one that’s made all the more serious by the fact that there are so many different types of chronic pain.
What Are The Different Types Of Chronic Pain
There are actually several different types of chronic pain, based on the fact that pain can be very different depending on the condition and the person suffering from it.
First, you have neuropathic pain, which is pain that comes from the brain or nervous system instead of from a physical place in the body. This can often be some of the worst pain because pain actually originates in the nerves. See, while slamming your hand in a car door is painful and might break the bones, the pain itself in that situation comes from the brain. The pain signals travel along the nerves, which creates the actual sensation that you are feeling.
But sometimes the nerve cells that control this pain start sending that pain signal without any obvious cause. This is what happens in conditions like phantom limb pain, where the body processes the pain signals without an obvious physical source. Often these conditions are difficult to treat as well since no one really knows how they work.
Secondly, there is somatic pain which actually originates in the soft tissue. This sort of pain is stuff like chronic headaches where the constriction of blood vessels create pain or arthritis where swelling joints are to blame. This pain can be intense and is usually treated with either NSAIDs or opioid pain relievers.
Then there is visceral pain, which is similar to somatic pain. The big difference is that visceral pain occurs in the soft tissue of the internal organs, or viscera. This pain tends to originate from things like renal failure or liver disease and can be some of the most painful there is.
Next is idiopathic pain, which describes the pain that comes from a source that doctors can’t identify. This is what a disease like fibromyalgia is classified as. The pain from fibromyalgia doesn’t seem to come from any obvious source and doesn’t fit under any of the other categories of pain. That makes fibromyalgia pain unique in a lot of ways, and there aren’t many conditions that fall into the idiopathic category.
Obviously, the type of pain that you experience depends on the condition. But the amount of pain can vary widely from individual to individual. So there’s no particular type of pain that “worse” than the others. And all chronic pain is something no one should have to live with. But you tell us, do you live with chronic pain?Which of the different types of chronic pain is it? What do you do to manage it every day? Let us know in the comments below.
Central Serous Chorioretinopathy and Fibromayalgia
Written By: Wyatt Redd
admin
Image: Wikimedia Commons
Fibromyalgia can put you at risk of developing a lot of different conditions like autoimmune disease or depression. But a lot of the conditions that fibromyalgia can lead to are things you might not have even heard of like central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).
CSC is a condition where fluid builds up underneath the retina, which can eventually lead to blindness. So, what is CSC? How is it related to fibromyalgia? And what can you do to treat it?
What Is Central Serous Chorioretinopathy?
Central Serous Chorioretinopathy is caused by serous fluid building up beneath the retina. The fluid comes from a type of tissue located behind the eye called the choroid. Over time, this fluid accumulates in the tissue of the eye, which causes intense pressure on the retina. And this pressure can gradually damage the cells of the retina which can lead to permanent blindness.
Objects may appear larger or smaller than they really are.
Colors may become distorted.
Usually, these symptoms occur in one eye, although they can also occur in both. If you’re experiencing these kinds of vision problems, it’s always a good idea to see a doctor. Doctors can diagnose the condition in a pretty interesting way. They will use special medicated drops to dilate the pupils. Then they inject a dye into the veins in your arm. This dye travels through the bloodstream into the eye where it can be detected by a special camera. The camera can make high-resolution images of the shape of the retina by detecting the dye, and by looking for areas in the eye that are misshapen, the doctor can determine if you’re suffering from CSC.
But why is it that people with fibromyalgia are at a higher risk of the condition than most people?
How Is It Related To Fibromyalgia?
We don’t know exactly what causes CSC, but we think it’s related to psychological issues like chronic stress or depression. And that means that it can affect people who suffer from fibromyalgia. After all, what condition could be more stressful than fibromyalgia? And people who suffer from fibromyalgia are often victim to serious depression as a result of their chronic pain.
So it’s easy to see how these two risk factors can make people with fibromyalgia more likely to develop CSC. In addition, people with fibromyalgia often develop autoimmune disease, perhaps for the same reason. And one of the drugs that is most commonly prescribed to treat autoimmune disease, corticosteroids, can make you more likely to develop CSC.
But either way, if you’re suffering from CSC, you probably want to know how to treat it. The good news is that there are few things doctors can do and that in many cases, they don’t need to do anything at all.
How Can You Treat It?
A lot of cases of CSC resolve on their own after a few weeks. Most of the time, when you’re diagnosed with CSC, doctors will recommend simply scheduling regular visits so that they can monitor the levels of fluid in your eyes. If the fluid begins to recede after a few weeks, there’s usually no reason for any extra treatment.
But if the fluid doesn’t begin to go away on its own, you may need medical intervention. There are a few different types of medications that doctors can prescribe to help treat the condition. And low doses of ibuprofen have been shown to help treat the leakage of fluid into the eye. And these treatments are usually enough to handle the condition.
If the symptoms haven’t gone away within a few months, doctors sometimes recommend surgical treatment. The most common form of surgery for this condition is laser surgery. Basically, the surgery involves using high powered lasers to burn shut the tissue in the eye that leaks serous fluid. This surgery does carry some risks. If it’s done incorrectly, the lasers can damage the eye and lead to permanent blindness.
For that reason, doctors usually like to exhaust all other options before turning to surgery. As always, you should carefully consider your options with your doctor and follow their treatment recommendations.
So, what do you think? Have you suffered from CSC? Do you think it’s related to fibromyalgia? What treatment worked for you? Or did the condition go away on its own? Let us know in the comments.
Have you ever gotten that tingling feeling on your skin after hearing someone whisper in your ear? You know that kind of shiver that travels down your spine? Well, it turns out that there’s actually a name for that: ASMR, or autonomous sensory meridian response. And there’s actually a whole online world dedicated to learning how to cultivate that response.
But what exactly is ASMR? Why do people like it? And can it be effective for your fibromyalgia pain?
What Is ASMR?
Autonomous sensory meridian response is a natural reaction that your body triggers in response to certain sensations. The most common triggers are sounds, particularly rustling or whispering sounds. The ASMR causes a tingling sensation that extends in waves down your skin. No one is sure exactly why your body does it, but there are a number of theories.
The most compelling one is that your body is releasing endorphins in reaction to these noises. That would explain why people feel good and relaxed when they experience ASMR. Endorphins are natural chemicals released in your body in response to certain things that make you feel happy. We can only speculate on why certain sounds trigger that release of endorphins, but it could be an evolutionary adaptation.
It could be that this pleasing response to soft sounds is designed to stimulate bonding between people who are close. After all, mothers often whisper to their children and people who are in love do the same. It’s possible that the purpose of ASMR is to encourage these kinds of relationship-building interactions. But so far, this remains a theory.
We do know that there are lots of people who find the sensation enjoyable.
Why Do People Like It?
The subject of ASMR actually interests a sizeable community on the internet. These people are interested in figuring out how ASMR works and how they can control the sensation. Many people think that with practice, you can learn to induce the response yourself. To help with this, there are lots of videos on the internet full of sounds that are designed to trigger an ASMR.
The idea behind these videos is that ASMR is a good way to relax and can even help deal with pain. People in the community use it as a tool to improve their lives and take control of their mental health. And many believe that it can be a tool for dealing with chronic illness as well.
Can ASMR Help With Fibromyalgia?
There’s not a lot of academic study on the subject of ASMR and fibromyalgia. But there are a few reasons to think that it might be a good tool for dealing with the condition. First, there’s the anecdotal evidence. Many people who use ASMR think that doing so helps them handle pain like that caused by fibromyalgia.
There are a few reasons that this might be true. First, if ASMR actually does release endorphins, then it probably would help deal with chronic pain. Endorphins help dull the sensation of pain so anything that releases them would be helpful.
Secondly, trying to trigger an ASMR requires you to focus on your mind and try to remain calm. This kind of refocusing off of your pain has been shown to be useful in dealing with chronic pain. It’s similar to some of the behavioral conditioning therapy that many doctors recommend for dealing with fibromyalgia. It’s similar to meditation or many of the other mindfulness techniques that a lot of people with chronic pain find useful.
Anything that helps you slow down and focus on feeling good for a few minutes is a welcome respite from the pain of fibromyalgia. So in that sense, ASMR could be helpful for fibromyalgia. It’s likely the sort of thing that will work differently for everyone. But even if it isn’t effective, it never hurts to try.
If you are interested, there are plenty of resources online to learn more about how to use ASMR. A quick internet search will yield hundreds of websites that can teach you more about how it works and how to trigger it. And youtube has thousands of videos designed to help you learn more about and experience ASMR. Both are great tools for beginning your journey into the world of autonomous sensory meridian response.
So, what do you think? Does ASMR seem like something that interests you? Do you think it could help with fibromyalgia? Do you have any personal experiences to share? Let us know in the comments.
A Turkish study published in 2012 examined seven patients who had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, ages 22-41, and included six women and one man. Since recent research had brought to light how often fibromyalgia patients also experience psychological trauma, this study focused on the psychotherapeutic approach of EMDR.
What is EMDR?
According to the EMDR Institute, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a fast-acting way to repair mental trauma. It was originally designed to treat distress due to traumatic memories, such as that associated with PTSD. It works by simulating the conditions needed for mental processing of information, specifically the conditions associated with REM sleep. For example, traumatic experiences in early childhood often go unprocessed mentally and emotionally. This is usually because the mind does not know how to comprehend the experience and so will often bury it. Thus, later in life the unprocessed or unresolved information will force itself to the surface in the form of psychological disorders and/or physical ailments, such as fibromyalgia.
The cause of fibromyalgia is still uncertain; however, we do know that many fibro patients have experienced some form of trauma in their lives. Recall that Morgan Freeman’s fibromyalgia has been linked to a horrific car accident, while Lady Gaga associates hers with a violent sexual assault. In these cases, EMDR treatments would be used to evaluate the memories of those traumatic events and facilitate processing. Having personally experienced such treatments, I can attest to both the fast action and EMDR’s efficiency. In just a few treatments, I was able to address a series of traumas. It did not erase the memory of these events. Rather, the events no longer defined me as an individual. More specifically, instead of being a debilitating part of my make-up, the events are now just things that I experienced in life.
Turkish Study Results
Before and after the EMDR trials began, each patient was evaluated for a variety of symptoms associated with fibromyalgia, including pain, depression, PTSD, sleep quality, and anger management. After five – eight treatments, there was a significant decrease in all measured areas, except for anger management which significantly increased. Using EMDR treatments for fibromyalgia patients was indeed so effective, that six out of the seven patients no longer met the criteria for fibromyalgia.
In fact, EMDR is so effective and has been studied so frequently that it is recognized by the American Psychiatric Association, the World Health Organization, and the Department of Defense. The EMDR Institute adds, “More than 30 positive controlled outcome studies have been done on EMDR therapy. Some of the studies show that 84%-90% of single-trauma victims no longer have post-traumatic stress disorder after only three 90-minute sessions. Another study, funded by the HMO Kaiser Permanente, found that 100% of the single-trauma victims and 77% of multiple trauma victims no longer were diagnosed with PTSD after only six 50-minute sessions. In another study, 77% of combat veterans were free of PTSD in 12 sessions.” Remember that events that lead to PTSD are not limited to the battlefield. Think, then, of the possibilities for you and your fibromyalgia symptoms. Whether you have experienced a single trauma, a series of small traumas, or a lifetime of them, the potential to improve your fibromyalgia symptoms by addressing these in a controlled manner is tremendous.
Can EMDR Treat Trauma from Fibro?
Yes! Consider one fibromyalgia patient who went through EMDR for family issues and PTSD, “but it also helped me with my feelings of loss due to fibro.” She experienced loss and rejection from family and friends, her inability to work, and her damaged self-image. “The EMDR helped reinforce my belief in myself and gave me the energy and courage to speak up and not let” others drag her down.
Does it Hurt?
There is no physical pain involved in EMDR at all. To recreate the conditions in the brain necessary for REM sleep, patients are given external stimuli in the form of directed lateral eye movements, audio stimulation, or hand-tapping. EMDR facilitators require special training. To find a clinician near you who specializes in EMDR, use this directory and let us know how it works for you.
The lupus butterfly rash has to be the most visually distinctive symptom of lupus. And for people who suffer from it, it can be a source of a lot of misery. Not only are they afflicted with a painful and chronic disease, they have this bright, visual marker that can make going out in public feel embarrassing.
So, not only do people with lupus feel isolated by the chronic pain of their condition, but they’re forced into social isolation by this visible symptom of their disease as well. But what exactly causes this lupus butterfly rash? And what can you do about it?
What Causes The Lupus Butterfly Rash?
To understand the cause of the lupus butterfly rash, you first have to understand the cause of lupus. Lupus is an autoimmune condition. That means that the condition is caused by the immune system attacking your own body. In a healthy immune system, the white blood cells produce antibodies. These antibodies travel through the blood stream and latch onto foreign cells like bacteria or viruses. After destroying one type of bacteria or virus, these cells become conditioned to identify and destroy them immediately the next time they appear.
But when you suffer from an autoimmune condition like lupus, these cells instead become conditioned to attack your body’s own tissue instead. This gradually breaks the tissue down and results in painful inflammation.
When it comes to lupus, these immune cells can attack the skin. They begin to destroy the cells of the skin, which causes your body to overcompensate by producing extra skin cells. The runaway production of skin cells leads to a scaly rash that crosses the cheeks and the nose, resulting in the distinctive “butterfly” shape that gives the symptom its name.
This is similar to what causes psoriasis, which is why the rash is often visually similar to that caused by psoriasis.
We don’t know why it is that lupus causes this specific symptom when other autoimmune conditions don’t, but it’s possible that UV light from the sun plays some role in triggering the rash. People with lupus often report photosensitivity. Some have speculated that UV light might somehow be altering the cells of the skin, which accelerates the autoimmune response.
And it’s interesting to note that not everyone who suffers from lupus will present with the distinctive rash. That implies that there may be some external factors that influence how likely you are to suffer from it. But at the moment, we aren’t sure what those factors might be. It’s possible that it has something to do with genetics or environment. Until we have more information on the subject, however, we won’t know exactly what causes the lupus rash or even how to treat that symptom specifically among other lupus symptoms.
How do you Treat it?
Basic skin care practices can help with the lupus rash. Make sure to keep your skin moisturized, which helps promote good skin health and helps prevent the rash. And make sure whenever you go out in the sun you’re using a high-quality sunscreen. This will protect your skin from the sun and might help prevent the rash from developing.
Otherwise, the best way to treat your lupus rash is to treat the underlying lupus. And to do so, you first have to handle the inflammation. The inflammation plays the largest role in causing the lupus rash, so many of the basic medications used to treat lupus will be helpful.
But if NSAIDs aren’t enough, you might also turn to corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are a hormone your body naturally produces in response to inflammation. But with severe inflammation caused by autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, you might benefit from additional synthetic corticosteroids to bolster your body’s natural healing process.
And finally, your doctor can also prescribe immunosuppressant drugs. Immunosuppressant drugs work by reducing the activity of your immune system. This means that your body produces fewer antibodies. And that results in fewer antibodies being free to attack your body’s tissue.
All of these drugs are commonly prescribed to treat lupus. And if you suffer from lupus, odds are good that you’ll find yourself taking some or all of them at some point.
So let us know, do you suffer from lupus? Do you have the lupus butterfly rash? How do you manage it? Tell us in the comments section.
New research on fibromyalgia is being done all of the time. The resultant volume of published studies can be overwhelming to keep up with. There is recent research and studies being published suggesting that one of the main components of the dysfunction of Fibromyalgia (aside for the nerves and brain signals) is the Fascia. This is known as Myofascial Pain syndrome but is often considered a symptom of Fibromyalgia. There are ways that you can treat this aspect of fibromyalgia in your own home with Myofascial release.
The fascia is the membranes that encase your muscles. It is similar to the “silver skin” that you find on beef. Studies show that this fascia membrane is an important part of the signals that cause the muscles to tighten and spasm. It is also an important part of the inflammatory reaction of the body. Other studies are showing that myofascial release can be very useful in treating myofascial pain. However, not everyone has the extra income needed to schedule twice-weekly Massage therapy appointments. There are ways to achieve the same results at home. Here is a closer look at Myofascial release.
At-home myofascial release
There are several tools and methods for performing Myofascial release in the comfort of your own home. Weight lifters and trainers do it all of the time. Here is the disclaimer right off the top: Myofascial release hurts! I mean it hurts really bad sometimes, and especially the first time. You are deeply manipulating the fascia and the muscle tissue. You will find that you might use more foul language that usual when performing these techniques, but once you get the knots worked out and continue doing it on a regular basis, studies show significant improvement in Fibro symptoms. Here are tools and methods for at-home Myofascial release.
Rolling it out
This is a common practice in the fitness world. You will need a foam roller. You basically lay the affected part of the body on the roller and use your body weight and rolling motion to work the deep tissue. I recommend rolling out your whole body, or at least more than just one muscle in the area that is having issues.
Tennis balls
Individual balls or two balls in a sock are great for a more targeted myofascial release. Just like the foam roller, you simply lay or sit on the ball and move back and forth to massage the deep tissue. This is also a great treatment technique for piriformis syndrome as well. I recommend that you look for balls from the dog toy section of the store. Dog toy manufacturers have started making solid rubber balls that can withstand the abuse that dogs can inflict on them. This makes them great for massage purposes.
Hand rollers
These are great for the legs and neck especially. They are a little difficult to use for the back and shoulders.
Yoga
Yin or restorative yoga can be very helpful for helping work out the tensions in muscles and fascia. There are several routines that you can do to help with fibro pain. You can even incorporate the balls and rollers into the routine for a more focused therapeutic effect.
Recently, one of our Facebook followers asked why pain from fibromyalgia would disappear while in the water. She simply went swimming in a lake and noticed that her pain was gone while she was in the water. A commenter replied that she swims once per week in cold water and that relieves her fibro pain as well. Let’s assess these scenarios: the first woman was likely swimming in a relatively warm lake for pleasure. The second appears to swim regularly, probably in laps, in cold water. Yet, both women experience pain relief. Whether the first woman experienced diminished pain even after she got out of the water is unclear. Nevertheless, these are definitely noteworthy situations because it means that there is something about being in water that is helps fibromyalgia pain and likely other kinds of pain as well. Let’s try to figure out why.
Aquatic Therapy
The Research
Experts do recommend water exercise–aquatic therapy–to help deep muscle pain specifically associated with fibromyalgia. In fact, one 12-week study of fibro patients “who exercised in warm water — for 60 minutes, 3 times a week — reported improved physical and mental well-being. They also had less fibromyalgia pain and more vitality. As for their state of mind, they reported feeling less depressed, and more sociable.” That’s pretty impressive, but what if you would rather just kind of do your own thing in the water?
Well, another study looked at 75 sedentary women with fibromyalgia, their ages ranging from 18-60. “They were divided randomly into two groups: 39 practiced freestyle swimming and 36 undertook moderate open-air walking. Both groups underwent the training three times a week for 12 weeks. The 50-minute sessions were overseen by physical education professionals specializing in rheumatology.” The results? Both groups saw significant increases in social ability and mental health. This alone is remarkable considering the depression that comes with the toll that fibromyalgia pain and fatigue take on your social life, as well as mental and emotional states. Furthermore, both groups also so significant decreases in overall pain levels.
Why Does Water Relieve Pain?
When you’re hurting, whether you have fibro or not, warm water can be a good source of comfort and healing. Just think of how rehabilitating a hot bath can be. But when you’re moving around in a warm water source such as a pool or lake, it still counts as exercise. Why? Because you are forced to use your muscles. And that causes blood to flow into them.
Director of Pain Management at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Dr. Doris Cope, explains: “People tense their muscles, and probably don’t even realize they’re doing it. That reduces blood flow to the muscles, which causes pain….Running, walking, having sex with your husband — these increase your pulse rate so you’re getting more blood to muscles. That will reduce pain in muscles. The worst thing [for pain] is to lie there, because then it will only hurt more.”
If you have fibromyalgia, it is true that any of these activities can be painful, especially during a flare up. But the great thing about water is that you are close to weightless when you’re in it. That means that all the pressure that gravity puts on your bones and joints essentially disappears in the water. This makes it much easier to move around. In other words, besides the convenience of walking, swimming is about the easiest form of exercise a fibro patient can tackle.
How Do I Get Started?
This really depends on what you have access to and whatever you feel you can handle. For example, you may want to conduct an internet search for “aquatic therapy near me.” This option is specifically for physical therapy and may be a perfect fit for you. This option gives you a trained physical therapist who will guide you through a process to improve your symptoms. Alternatively, you may wish to consider local community centers with pools or even your local YMCA. These often have therapeutic water classes. For example, a community pool near me offers scheduled lap swimming, shallow water exercises, “gentle joints,” deep water exercise, toning, and individual rehabilitation. Of course, most pools also offer an open swimming time for anyone to get in the water and do whatever they’d like.
If you need something structured, you would do well to find a class. If you prefer doing your own thing, that appears to work as well. You might need to experiment with different options, including comparing cool water and warm water.
Have you ever tried water activity to relieve your fibromyalgia pain? Did you discover it accidentally or did you set out with the intent of getting some pain relief? Have you had aquatic therapy sessions with a therapist? Tell us your results and any details you can think of so others can learn about different options.
Formication and Fibromyalgia: Bugs Under Your Skin
Written By: Wyatt Redd
John
What’s the most annoying thing about fibromyalgia? Is it the constant pain? Or the fatigue that makes it impossible to do even the most basic tasks? Maybe it’s the fibro-fog that leaves you forgetting where you left your keys every morning. Fibromyalgia has a seemingly endless supply of those little knock-on symptoms that all compete for the title of “worst element of the disease.” But regardless of which one you decide on, you have to admit that formication is a strong contender for that title.
But even if you’re familiar with the symptoms of formication, you might not have heard the technical name before. You likely know what it is though: bugs under the skin. It’s a feeling like there is something crawling under your skin that you can’t scratch away. So what exactly causes it, why is it so common in people with fibromyalgia, and what can you do to treat it?
What Causes Formication?
First, some good news: while you might feel like there are bugs crawling under your skin, you can rest a little easier knowing that they aren’t actually there. It just feels exactly like they are. Small miracles, right?
So if it’s not actual bugs, what’s going on? Well, formication is frequently reported in people with mental health or substance abuse problems (particularly methamphetamine users). So obviously, there’s something going on with the brain. But obviously, you don’t have to use drugs to experience it since formication is what’s called a tactile hallucination and can affect almost anyone.
What isn’t obvious is why exactly the brain produces this hallucination in the first place. Essentially, your brain is registering the sensation of something crawling on or under your skin when this isn’t actually happening. So your nervous system, which usually determines when something is crawling on you and sends that information back to the brain, is sending those signals without the external influence of something touching you. But again, at the moment we don’t know why that happens.
But what we do know is that formication can be a very serious problem. People who suffer from it frequently scratch or pick at their skin while trying to find some relief from the maddening sensation of having bugs crawling under their skin. This results in horrible scarring or infections from open wounds. And the sensation can make it difficult to sleep, which results in all the usual health problems caused by sleep deprivation from diabetes to high blood pressure.
And yet another thing we don’t understand is why it seems to be associated with fibromyalgia so often.
Formication And Fibromyalgia
As stated earlier, formication is rooted in a communication problem with the nervous system. This might explain why it’s so common in people with fibromyalgia. You see, it’s not the only nervous system disorder that frequently affects people with fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia sufferers often deal with other nervous system problems like irritable bowel syndrome or chronic itching. So with a clear link between all of these different nerve system disorders and fibromyalgia, it seems like the pain of fibromyalgia might actually be rooted in the nerves. Usually, your nervous system sends signals to the brain, which in turn interprets these signals. For instance, if you touch a hot stove your nerves send a signal that your finger tips are being burnt which your brain then interprets as pain and registers as occurring in your fingertips.
This is the way our body protects us from being injured, by making us want to pull our hands off of the hot stove. But in someone with fibromyalgia, those pain signals are being sent to the brain without any obvious cause. Your brain simply registers pain that isn’t there. And in cases of formication with fibromyalgia, those same faulty neural pathways are registering a sensation of bugs under your skin that isn’t there.
So it seems likely that the fact that people with fibromyalgia deal with sympathetic nervous system disorders like formication so often is due to these malfunctions in the nervous system. We don’t yet know for certain that this is true, and won’t until we understand what causes fibromyalgia or even just what causes formication, but this seems like a fairly solid explanation at the moment based on what we do know.
But you tell us what you think? Do faulty nerves seem like the explanation do you? Do you suffer from formication? Does it seem to go together with your fibromyalgia or not? Let us know in the comments.
If you are a woman and experience chronic fatigue, either as a syndrome unto itself or in association with your fibromyalgia, you probably blame yourself for your condition, asking, “Is chronic fatigue my fault?” Maybe you think something is wrong with you psychologically that causes your extreme fatigue. Perhaps you consider yourself a perfectionist who sets absurdly high goals and standards for yourself. Trying to meet them brings about chronic and debilitating fatigue, right? Is that what you think about yourself? Well, stop because it is not correct! You may be surprised to find out that you were conditioned to think that way. In fact, just over 100 years ago, chronic fatigue was considered a male disorder and it was totally excused as a physical problem. Now? Now it’s considered primarily a psychological problem that effects women. Did we get more science-y and find an accurate diagnosis? Not by a long shot! Let’s explore why.
Is Chronic Fatigue My Fault?
A Breach of Character?
The Information Centre for Gender Research in Norway published a telling study that shows how chronic fatigue used to be considered a neurological side effect of the noble efforts of men. They didn’t have to ask themselves “Is chronic fatigue my fault?”Olaug S. Lian, a sociologist and professor at UiT The Arctic University of Norway explains, “Long-term fatigue was viewed as a legitimate disorder, a result of the heroic efforts of the upper class male. Today, it is a stigmatizing disorder, understood as an expression of women’s lack of ability to cope with their lives, a kind of breach of character.”
But wait…it’s gets worse! It turns out that not only has chronic fatigue changed gender, but it has also changed in cause. It’s true that researchers don’t know the exact cause. But in the past, they attributed this problem that men were having to a neurological disorder that came from societal pressures. Meaning, it was a physical problem. Now, however, even though the true cause is still unknown, the root of chronic fatigue is thought to be psychological in nature. But is society still to blame? Of course not. It’s the woman herself.
Class and Gender
Apparently, around the turn of the last century, industrialization and women entering the workplace put an abnormal toll on the working men of the time. And even though some women were also diagnosed with the disorder, they were not the typical patient. Neurologist George Beard explains that this very special kind of man was “civilized, refined, and educated, rather than of the barbarous and low-born and untrained.” In other words, men diagnosed with this neurological disorder were of the upper class. Neurologists thought that men were overstimulated by hustle and bustle that came with modern living.
So then, how did they explain chronic fatigue in women and working class men? “To simplify a bit, we can say that it was mainly middle class men and working class women whose diagnosis of neurasthenia was explained by overwork. For working class men it was due to sexual escapades, and for middle class women the cause given was heredity or ‘women’s issues’,” explains Lian [emphasis added]. That means that if you were an upper class male and had chronic fatigue, then it was unfortunate but noble for you to bear the physical burden of social pressures. If, however, you were a middle class male with chronic fatigue, it was your own fault for ‘sleeping around’ too much. And if you were a woman of any class with the same diagnosis, it was just one of those inexplicable things that comes from being a weak and fragile woman.
Enter the Field of Psychiatry
In the early 1900s, psychiatry was really gaining ground as a science in the field of medicine. And so, it took chronic fatigue and “….changed its definition from a physical to a psychological condition. Since women were regarded as psychologically weaker and therefore more disposed to mental illness, the disorder became a female problem,” says Lian.
Even though we now know that women are no more disposed to mental illness then men, chronic fatigue is still predominantly associated with women. But what’s the main theory today? It’s that women, especially the “good girls” who work hard and strive to be perfectionists, can’t handle stress and are particularly at risk.
Blame and Shame
“Today the medical community is searching for explanations of ME [chronic fatigue] at the individual level. The ME patient is depicted as a woman with five-star goals and four-star abilities — with character traits that make it hard for them to cope with their own lives,” says Lian. She adds, “When the entire problem is seen as the patient’s fault, the person experiences blame and shame because it is the patient, not society, who is the cause of the illness. It is therefore the individual who is responsible for coping with the illness, such as by changing her own thought patterns.”
Do you think this is an over-exaggeration? Are you a woman who has been to the doctor for chronic fatigue and/or related fibromyalgia? Have you asked yourself, “Is chronic fatigue my fault?” How many of you have been led to believe that it’s all in your head? And as for the men with chronic fatigue, are they getting overlooked for chronic fatigue syndrome similar to the way they are overlooked for fibromyalgia? Tell us your story!
Are Guillain-Barre Syndrome and Fibromyalgia Related?
Written By: Wyatt Redd
John
A lot of people wonder if Guillain-barre syndrome and fibromyalgia are related. Both produce pretty similar symptoms in people who suffer from them, which makes it easy to see why people would think that there may be a connection between Guillain-barre syndrome and fibromyalgia. But is there? Let’s take a look at what these diseases are, exactly, and how they’re related.
What is Guillain-barre syndrome?
Guillain-barre syndrome (which is actually pronounced gee-yay buh-ray in case you were wondering) is a disease that causes your body’s immune system to start attacking your nerves. No one knows exactly what causes it, but the fact that it often starts after a serious illness implies that it may be your body over-reacting to being exposed to a virus.
You see, in a healthy person, the immune system works by sending white blood cells to attack foreign cells like viruses or bacteria. But with autoimmune diseases like Guillain-barre syndrome, those white blood cells become too sensitive and begin mistaking your own cells for foreign invaders. Thus, for people with an autoimmune disease, the body is essentially attacking itself.
As a result, people with Guillain-barre have a host of symptoms. These include:
Muscle aches and fatigue
A tingly feeling in your limbs that leads to numbness
Severe lower back pain
Typically, the disease sets on after an illness with a stinging or tingling feeling in your fingers and spreads to the rest of your body. It slowly becomes more difficult to move your muscles as the disease spreads. In severe cases, Guillain-barre syndrome can lead to total paralysis within a few minutes. It can be fatal if the paralysis spreads to the lungs, which makes breathing impossible.
But for most people, the condition usually resolves itself, though the recovery can take weeks or even months. Obviously, the condition requires treatment by medical professionals, though.
What is fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is another condition that produces a lot of similar symptoms. It causes muscle aches and fatigue and causes pain in the lower back. No one is sure what causes fibromyalgia, but there are a lot of people who believe that it might also be an autoimmune disease.
It’s possible that both Guillain-barre syndrome and fibromyalgia are caused by the same thing, which is the immune system attacking nerves. At the moment, though, no one is sure exactly how fibromyalgia causes the symptoms it does.
But it is definitely different from Guillain-barre syndrome in a few crucial ways. First, the pain manifests itself in 18 specific points on the body, instead of the generalized pain of GBS. Second, people with fibromyalgia don’t gradually become paralyzed like people with GBS do. Finally, while Guillain-barre syndrome generally heals after a few weeks or months, fibromyalgia doesn’t get better with time and there’s no effective cure for it.
And no one is sure exactly what the link between Guillain-barre syndrome and fibromyalgia is, but it seems like there may be one.
How are Guillain-barre syndrome and fibromyalgia related?
Well, here’s where things get tricky. We know that Guillain-barre and fibromyalgia both produce similar symptoms. And we know that both attack the muscles. But it’s not clear that they are both the same kind of disease.
But it does seem like there is a connection in the sense that Guillain-barre can actually lead you to develop fibromyalgia. A bout with Guillain-barre Syndrome is often extremely traumatic on the body. And it’s been established that that kind of trauma can trigger fibromyalgia.
In fact, people with Guillain-barre have reported that they were diagnosed with fibromyalgia after they recovered from GBS. So it’s possible that the over-sensitization of your immune system that comes with GBS also triggers fibromyalgia afterward. Then again, that connection could be a total coincidence.
Unfortunately, while there is anecdotal evidence from fibromyalgia sufferers that suggests there’s a link between fibromyalgia and Guillain-barre Syndrome, so far, doctors haven’t conclusively proven it either way. But still, it seems like they must have some relationship, right? After all, they seem to affect the body in such a similar way. So it seems likely that developing a better understanding of the basic functions that trigger both conditions could help lead to breakthroughs in studying how the nerves produce chronic pain syndromes.
And that gives hope that one day we may understand the relationship between Guillain-barre syndrome and fibromyalgia. And that may yield a better chance at curing both diseases.
But let us know, do you have Guillain-barre syndrome? Are your symptoms similar to fibromyalgia? Did you get fibromyalgia after being diagnosed with Guillan-barre? Tell us in the comments.
Itchiness is one of the most unusual symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. Many doctors who deal with fibromyalgia frequently have never even heard of it.
But to people who suffer from fibromyalgia itching, it’s an infuriating and stressful symptom to live with. Their sleep is disturbed even further by the constant feeling of itching or bugs underneath the skin. And many people with fibromyalgia itching are willing to try anything to put a stop to it. Some people say that when it comes to antihistamines fibromyalgia itching just doesn’t respond. Others say that antihistamines for fibromyalgia itching are very effective.
So, are antihistamines fibromyalgia itching cures or useless placebos? Let’s find out.
What Causes Fibromyalgia Itching?
No one is sure what exactly causes people with fibromyalgia to feel itchy. There are a few theories that might explain it.
Some people think that the explanation might be an accumulation of heavy metals in the body through diet, which contributes to general fibromyalgia symptoms including itching.
Others argue that the cause if formication, which is a disorder where your brain imagines feelings that aren’t there. In this case, it imagines the sensation of itching or bugs under the skin.
What Do Antihistamines Do?
Antihistamines are a class of drug that is designed to block your body’s natural allergic response. You see, when your body is exposed to allergens, it begins to release histamine. Histamine is a chemical that encourages your body to release fluids from cells which lead to stuffy noses and inflammation in the cells. This also contributes to a feeling of itching, which happens when the cells of the skin are irritated.
Usually, your body’s immune system is a good thing as it protects you from dangerous substances in the environment. The histamine your body releases is designed to clog up your nose and respiratory system so that things that are bad for you can’t get in. But often your body begins releasing histamine because it mistakes a harmless substance for something dangerous.
Antihistamines block this reaction so that you can continue to breathe comfortably. But when it comes to antihistamines fibromyalgia itching doesn’t necessarily respond the same way allergies do.
What Causes Fibromyalgia Itching?
Doctors don’t know exactly what causes fibromyalgia. But there are a number of theories about how exactly it works. Some doctors argue that fibromyalgia is essentially an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease is caused by your body’s immune system attacking healthy cells. This causes healthy tissue to break down and begin to hurt. And the fact that your body constantly thinks it’s sick makes you feel fatigued.
And if fibromyalgia is an autoimmune disease, then the itching could be caused by the sort of inflammation that is common with autoimmune diseases. But that wouldn’t explain why fibromyalgia itching is usually not related to inflamed skin.
Other doctors think that the itching from fibromyalgia is caused by nerve damage which is related to fibromyalgia. Lots of diseases cause this kind of nerve damage and the result is often chronic itching.
In an interview with NPR, one of the countries leading doctors in the field of chronic itching, Dr. Gil Yosopovitch talked about how diseases like fibromyalgia can cause chronic itching:
There are a lot of overlaps of people who have some types of chronic pain and they’re in the same spectrum of chronic itch, and they could have chronic itch. This is not well mentioned, but for patients who have, for example, fibromyalgia, if it causes chronic pain, a lot of times they complain also of chronic itch. So it won’t surprise me, people who have irritable bowel syndrome, which is another form of – all these aspects of disease have something in common – they have a hypersensitization of the nerve fibers and it’s very similar to what I described before, with a patient with chronic itch is that the nerves are acting wacky; they’re just firing all over. And that’s why it’s so severe and why it’s so difficult to treat these patients
So, essentially, chronic itching is caused by a misfiring in the nervous system.
Are Antihistamines A Fibromyalgia Itching Cure?
There isn’t a lot of good, peer-reviewed data on the subject, which makes it difficult to argue whether antihistamines are really effective for fibromyalgia itching.
But anecdotal information from fibromyalgia sufferers suggests that they may be effective in limited ways when it comes to relieving the itch. But it also suggests that not all antihistamines are equally as effective.
Sufferers have reported that general antihistamines like Benadryl are sometimes effective in preventing itching. This seems to be especially true at night when the drowsiness that is usually a side effect of using antihistamines for fibromyalgia itching makes sleeping easier and also lets them sleep through the night even if they do feel itchy.
But they have also reported that other antihistamines don’t work as well. In particular, topical antihistamines, which are rubbed directly on the skin, don’t seem to provide much relief when it comes to the itching that fibromyalgia sufferers feel.
Other things like keeping the skin hydrated and healthy and limiting medications that can lead to itching, like aspirin, are also reported to be effective ways to manage the itching with fibromyalgia.
But using antihistamines for fibromyalgia itching may not be the most effective cure. Using antihistamines for fibromyalgia itching limits the amount of histamine in your body, but in a condition like fibromyalgia, histamine isn’t really the cause of the itching. The nerves seem more likely. And drugs that are designed to help limit the interactions between nerves like Gabapentin, and other anticonvulsants, are probably more effective than antihistamines for fibromyalgia itching.
Anything that works for you is worth a try, and antihistamines are easy to pick up over the counter and safe, so there is little harm in testing it for you.
Again, there’s little scientific data in peer-reviewed journals on this issue, so please help us out. Do you suffer from itching with your fibromyalgia? If so, what works for you?
In the fight against Fibromyalgia, fatigue is one of the most challenging battles to face. How can you regain energy, or find new sources of energy to access. How can we find extra spoons to put in our pocket? There are several things that can be done, but every person is different. What works for some may not work for another person. Here are some suggestions of some ways to fight fatigue.
Ways to fight fatigue
Be protective of yourspoons
The idea of spoon theory is a great way to explain the realities of Fibromyalgia. In short, spoon theory says that you have a certain number of spoons to use everyday (think of them as units of energy). When finding ways to fight fatigue, the most simple answer is conservation. Try to protect the energy stores that you have. This means learning to say no to things. Sometimes, pain sufferers have to say no to things that they want to do, so it is important to also say no to things that we do not want to do, or don’t have the energy to do. If you are trying to do activities that take your spoons, simply because you are trying to protect someone’s feelings, then you may need to evaluate some priorities. Is it more important to keep your body functioning, and to have energy left over for your loved ones? Or, is it more important to protect a person’s feelings, and agree to do something that you may not have energy to do? It may be important to you to make that person a priority, and that is a choice that you have to make for yourself. Conservation is the most obvious and conservative way to maintain your energy.
Plan ahead
This is a subcategory of protecting your spoons, but planning ahead can be a great tool. There is a certain amount of life that you can not plan for, but you can try to set yourself up for success instead of failure. It may mean using the motorized cart at the grocery store, avoiding activities that will drain you too much, or setting aside your idea of what you should be capable of. Planning ahead just means looking ahead and planing the most energy efficient way to perform the tasks of your day. The ego can be a big enemy of utilizing the most energy efficient means to perform a task. You may not look as cool as you would like, feel like you are not operating at the level that you should be able to, or damaging another person’s view of you. Is it more important for you to operate from ego, or is it more important to have the extra spoon available to you to give to yourself or a loved one?
Food
The food that you consume is one of the biggest ways to fight fatigue, even if you do not suffer with chronic pain. It would be great if there was a “fibro diet” that worked for everyone, but that is not realistic. The diet industry is so huge in America because different diets work differently for different people. Finding a diet that works to bring energy to your body takes experience and experimentation. It can be frustrating to try several diets and not find the right one for you, but you have to take note of the things that do work. When you start compiling info about what works for you, you can start customizing your nutrition to your needs. It is worth trying to dial your nutrition in, because if you are eating junk, then your energy will never be optimum.
Exercise
This is a hard thing to start when you have no energy and deal with chronic pain. It can feel like using energy that you don’t have, and may feel counter productive at first. Getting started and building momentum is always the hardest part, but once you start it gets easier to keep going. Exercise does not always mean pushing, grinding, sweating, and using every last ounce of energy that you have in your body. You can take short walks, do some yoga poses, or swim a few laps. Try doing exercise that only uses one “spoon” at first, and try to do it on a regular basis. If you find that your energy is increasing, great. If it is having the opposite effect, then do what works best for your body.
Supplements
When looking for ways to fight fatigue, many people find supplements help them increase their energy. A great place to start the supplement search is by getting a blood test from your doctor to see if you are short on any essential vitamins or minerals. Vitamin D, Iron, and B vitamins are commonly used to increase energy in fibro sufferers. There may also be some other compound that your body has a shortage of that can negatively affect your energy. Melatonin is also a supplement that may help you sleep more restfully, and in turn, give you more energy. There are several vitamin supplements that are specially formulated to help fight fibro symptoms. Find the one that works best for you.
Protect Your Sleep
Sleep the chief of ways to fight the fatigue, period. It is not always an option to climb into bed in the middle of the day, and tuck in for a long nap. However, it is possible to plan ahead and protect your sleep to ensure that you are getting as much as you can. It may mean going to bed early; taking a sleep aid; finding pillows, sleep masks, black out curtains, sheets, mattress toppers, etc that you need to have the most restful sleep possible. If sleep is the most important thing that your body needs to perform optimally, then make a good amount of restful sleep a priority. Protect your sleep.
Mindset
In dealing with human ailments from cancer, M.S., Fibromyalgia, chronic pain, or chronic fatigue, mindset is always the most important thing. It is incredible to research the stories of what people can accomplish with the power of the mind. If you are constantly focussing on your symptoms and fatigue, then it will rule your life. Obviously, this is easier said than done. You will have to condition your mind over time to be selective of the thoughts that you dwell on. The practice of redirecting your mind will strengthen your cognitive function as well, and Meditation is a great way to practice the redirecting of your mind. Mindset will also make it easier to stay motivated to overcome ego, plan accordingly, stay consistent with exercise, and manage your nutrition as well. Keeping a determined mindset is a great way to set yourself up to make the best choices for keeping your energy levels up.
These are some suggestions of ways to fight fatigue related to Fibromyalgia. The most important thing is to find what works best for you. What are some ways to fight fatigue that work for you? Please share them in the comments.
The 10 Most Hateful Things People say to People With Fibromyalgia
Written By: admin
admin
We know that in addition to suffering the actual pain, fatigue, and fog of fibromyalgia, many patients also suffer from the stigma associated with having a chronic disease. We asked our readers for some of the more hateful examples of what people say to them. Be warned, some of this stuff is just heartbreaking. But it’s important that we bring this into the light. We had such an overwhelming response we decided to share some of them.
A quick content note/trigger warning: Some of these things are really hateful. We post them in the hope that they can be shared with people who are likely to say some of these things and think twice about saying them, but they could also be traumatic for people who hear things like this in their daily lives.
1. People with fibromyalgia are just lazy
This is a killer, and the vast majority of our respondents mentioned being told they just “don’t want to do” stuff.
Some responses:
That i’m lazy i play up to my fibro and its all in your head and you can do more than you think you can!
Lazy, everybody hurts. Everyone has arthritis. You need to exercise, you need to walk. Blah blah blah.
My 17-year-old son broke my heart, he said I wasn’t sick I was lazy. Even though he hears me cry in my sleep in pain threw two walls. I’m 53 and have to use a walker.
They have told me I was just lazy that I got up and moved around I would feel better or its all in my head if I would find something to keep my mind occupied I would be ok.
“Child protection services took my 5 children. On court records, the judge overruled me and my doctors and expert witness and said that it wasn’t a disease and I was just lazy.
Lazy, a waste of space, nothing wrong with me, so why would I want to leech off the government with wanting to get disability?
My ex husband told me I was a lazy sponging c$&t that I wasn’t contributing financially or around the house enough after much abuse I found out he was cheating and he left.
As you can see, this is very common and hurtful. In fact, people eamil Fibromyalgia Treating just spew this kind of hate. For example, this person got themselves so worked up they finished in all-caps:
you weak individuals are just looking for a quick fix, a simple cure, there isn’t one, very over it (sic) and care for yourself, lol no medication is going to help ANYONE with fibro you have to actually get off your ass to help yourself. Why not post TRUTH like that? Stop peddling trash. YOU ARE MISLEADING. I UNFOLLOWED YOUR TRASHY BULLSHIT PAGE AND I’LL KEEP REPORTING THOSE POSTS AS MISLEADING. HAVE NICE DAY. (sic)
We did have a nice day, and banned this person, too. But this person’s comment touches on our next type of hateful comment.
2. Fibromyalgia doesn’t exist
A classic that everyone’s heard, and it’s so hard because that maybe we should have made it the number one hateful statement because it’s the basis of all stigma against people with fibromyalgia.
I saw a doctor for a different medical condition. Once he saw Fibromyalgia listed on my medical chart he made a point to tell me “I don’t believe Fibromyalgia is a real thing. The doctors that do these days should have their license reviewed. It simply does not exist. What meds are you taking for it?
It’s an awful disease. I put my brave face on 24/7. No one can see our pain and suffering, so they question if it’s real or we’re just attention seeking. It’s much easier to pretend I’m ok, than it is to explain why I’m not.
3. It’s all in your head
This is closely related to the “doesn’t exist,” but it’s a much more explicit way to gaslight fibro sufferers.
That i’m lazy i play up to my fibro and its all in your head and you can do more than you think you can! And people have said i don’t want to hear it and we all have problems. They should step in my shoes for a day !!
They’ll say things like “you ain’t sick it’s all in your head” or “it doesn’t look like you’re in pain” makes your heart ache with tears that nobody will ever understand you.
They have told me i was just lazy that i got up and moved around i would feel better or its all in my head if i would find something to keep my mind occupied i would be ok.
As you can see, people are cruel and they like to use more than one category of hateful comment.
4. You Don’t Look Sick
Since fibromyalgia is an invisible illness, people who have it often don’t “look” sick, whatever that means. It’s also one of the most frustrating things a fibro warrior can her.
You don’t look sick. Look at you, you’re a runner. No way it’s that bad. Suck it up…. I’ve lost 2 very good paying jobs because of my faked illness.
I went to a concert at a stadium to be told I don’t look disabled and that fibromyalgia is just a figment of my imagination to scam the tax payers, needless to say we left the concert and headed straight home, wrote a letter of complaint but never even received an acknowledgement from them.
This women came to the car and said you can’t park There? On showing her my disability disk she said neither of you look disabled and it was disgusting that we were able to have a car???
5. God is punishing you for your sins
These people take victim-blaming to the next level by making illness a judgment on a person’s moral character. It’s shameful.
My uncle, who is a preacher, told me I was being punished by God for all of the wild things I have done & my family wonders why I don’t believe.
The rudest thing I have been told is GOD is punishing me for my sins. I know a lot of good Christians that died of cancer…I don’t think they were punished either. How dare they say this to me?
6. You’re just trying to get drugs
This is also a sad side-effect of the opioid crisis in the United States. We assume anyone in pain is just trying to get pills.
I’m lazy, good for nothing, will do nothing with my life, I need to do more, im a pill popper (I have a hard time taking meds unless I have too) and my favourite is I’m faking everything!
I’m not sure but to day I was left feeling like a addict over Tylenol. I am 54 years old when do you stop defending yourself. It made me cry.
I work with my mom and I was having an awful pain day. Around lunch time I had finally had it and I couldn’t hold back the tears. I was crying and crying as she spent 10 minutes telling me to suck it up and go back to work. I told her I needed to go home and take my meds to which she said ‘I think you’re just addicted to your meds.’
I was called a drug addict at one point because I was on so many medications. I felt like I might as well have been shooting up with the way people looked at me.”
I’ve had a receptionist look at my file and count my meds telling me I should still have plenty left, would never greet me, and I finally told my Dr after months and he got so upset with her and told me to tell him those things straight away, she has no right to be doing that. He sorted her out and also the pharmacist that would comment on my meds and how much I’m taking, without knowing my many medical issues.
7. You just need to exercise and lose some weight
This is similar to the “You’re lazy” and “it’s all in your head” with the added bonus of weight-shaming. It’s despicable. Here’s what our readers shared:
I have had to deal with uneducated Dr.s who were insensitive however , saying things like, Well, if you would lose some weight and get out and exercise you would be ok and this condition isn’t really a condition!
Just exercise and lose some weight and you’ll feel better. Or you sound happy to have that diagnosis, are you just looking for excuses.
“Well maybe if you lost weight and exercised you’d feel better.. THANKS SIS.. love you too.. maybe if she knew that the majority of the over 20 pills I take daily cause weight gain and bloating.”
Eye rolling while telling me ‘oh I don’t believe in all that crap! If you just exercise and diet you will start feeling better. Lose some weight and you’ll feel better. I would be in pain too if I just laid around all day.’
Lose weight, you are too big, that’s why you are in pain, you carry too much weight on your body.’ ‘You need to move around and exercise.’ I’ve been told this many times.’
Family member told me to just suck it up. You don’t need your Lyrica . You don’t look sick you’re just over weight…… U dont go out enough….. It’s all in your head……
8. You just want attention
People love to break out their arm-chair psychiatry degrees for this one. Munchausen Syndrome is a real thing, but so is fibromyalgia. People are so rude.
‘Attention seeking’
‘It’s in your head’
‘It can’t be that bad’
‘Stop being lazy’
‘You need to go out and exercise more’
‘I did this with that and that’s worse’
‘Are you sure you’re not putting on?’
‘You’re always sick’
Was in hospital with the worst pain flare up, had so many tests and they all came back normal!….so the dr said to my dad does your daughter like being in hospital??…must of thought the blue curtain around my bed was soundproof.
You just want attention. There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re a hypochondriac. You just need some exercise and to lose weight. These are just some of the things I hear!
9. That’s all you talk about
This is a big one. People are afraid to talk because they’re met with eye-rolls or worse. Here’s a tip: If you don’t want to know how someone is doing, don’t ask.
I can’t talk about how I feel….I always get the same comment…you always say your not feeling well…like it’s something I’m making up.Each day is different and can be a struggle.. It’s hard when people around you don’t understand how your feeling and don’t want to hear it and don’t really care.
10. Oh yeah, that sucks, but it’s not as bad as this
There are some people who can’t just empathize. They have to outdo your pain by telling you how bad they’re hurting.
A friend of a (friend), said, “O I have that too, but that’s nothing compared to ” and that’s where they say their condition is worse than mine.
There are a lot of different medical conditions that can mimic the effects of fibromyalgia. The chronic fatigue and pain all over the body are also the signs of other conditions that you might not have considered. And when you keep in mind that getting an accurate diagnosis for fibromyalgia can sometimes be difficult, it’s easy to see why you might want to look into some other possibilities.
So what are some other conditions that can lead to fibromyalgia? Here are seven to consider.
Medical Conditions Like Fibromyalgia
1. Lupus
Lupus is an autoimmune condition, which means it’s caused by your body’s immune system attacking your tissue. As a result, lupus causes chronic fatigue and muscle pain. This can produce symptoms very similar to those of fibromyalgia.
The most obvious sign of lupus is the distinctive malar, or “butterfly” rash. It’s a portion of scaly skin that extends from one side of the face to another. But if not everyone has this rash. So it’s possible to have lupus and not be aware of it.
Luckily, you can get a test of your blood to determine if you have it or not.
2. Arthritis
Arthritis causes painful swelling of the joints. This is slightly different from fibromyalgia which causes pain in 18 specific points of the body. But if you have a specific form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, it can be difficult to distinguish from fibromyalgia.
Like lupus, RA is an autoimmune condition which causes widespread pain and fatigue. And these symptoms can mimic fibromyalgia.
3. Sjogren’s Syndrome
Sjogren’s syndrome is another autoimmune condition. Like lupus, it causes widespread fatigue and pain that can make it difficult to tell apart from fibromyalgia. But it also seems to affect the moisture producing glands in the mouth and eyes. Over time, it damages these tissues resulting in swollen glands, a dry mouth, and chronically dry eyes that can be very painful.
You can get a test for elevated antibodies in the blood to determine if you’re suffering from fibromyalgia or Sjogren’s.
4. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a condition that causes extreme fatigue, regardless of how much sleep you get. It’s different from a condition like narcolepsy, which causes you to fall asleep frequently. It’s more of a constant feeling of exhaustion that you can’t really solve by sleeping.
This is similar to the fatigue caused by fibromyalgia. We don’t know what causes CFS, similar to how we don’t know the cause of fibromyalgia.
5. Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is a disorder affecting the thyroid gland. The thyroid produces too much of a certain hormone, which can lead to a variety of health complications. It can cause anxiety, depression, or rapid weight gain. But it can also cause chronic fatigue and sleep problems.
These symptoms are similar to fibromyalgia, which can make it hard to distinguish between the disorders.
6. Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a condition where the airway collapses during sleep. As a result, it affects your ability to breathe. That makes it hard to get a good night’s sleep, which leads to chronic fatigue. In addition, sleep apnea is actually very common among people with fibromyalgia.
So it’s possible that you might actually have both. Either way, if you do suffer from sleep apnea, you should see a doctor. They can arrange a sleep study that will determine how severe it is. And they can provide you with a CPAP machine to help manage it.
7. Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is spread by the bite of an infected tick. It’s a bacterial infection, and with an early dose of antibiotics, it is completely curable. But, if the condition isn’t treated soon enough, it can progress to the chronic stage. In the chronic stage, it causes chronic fatigue and muscle pain spread throughout the body. In addition, it can cause mental fog and forgetfulness similar to fibromyalgia.
It’s important to make sure that you practice good tick-safety practices when going outside during the summer. Look out for a distinctive bullseye pattern rash around the bite, which is a tell-tale sign of Lyme disease. Early treatment is vital when it comes to Lyme disease.
For any condition that is similar to fibromyalgia, it’s important to look out for the symptoms and make sure you know the difference between these conditions and fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is diagnosed by pain in 18 specific points, which is the easiest way to differentiate it from other conditions.
So, have you ever been misdiagnosed with fibromyalgia? What happened? What disease did you end up finding out you had? What did you do about it? Let us know in the comments.
You know the feeling: you wake up and it seems like you can’t even raise your head off your pillow. It’s the weakness and fatigue that comes with fibromyalgia. That’s what makes fibromyalgia so hard to live with. It’s like fibromyalgia forces you to live half a life. While other people are off having fun, you’re stuck at home dealing with aching limbs and extreme fatigue.
But what causes that fatigue? And is there a way to manage it?
What Is Fibromyalgia Fatigue?
Fibromyalgia has a lot of different symptoms. But by far, the most common are fatigue and pain in different points around your body. And people with fibromyalgia know that their disease makes them feel extremely tired and lethargic.
That’s not news to anyone with fibromyalgia, but what is it exactly that is going on in your body to make you so tired?
Why Does Fibromyalgia Make Me Feel So Tired?
This is a tricky question to answer because no one really knows what causes fibromyalgia. So it’s hard to say whether the fatigue that comes with fibromyalgia is part of the disease or not.
The best theory right now is that the fatigue is caused by your body trying to deal with the pain of fibromyalgia. The constant release of pain signals in your nerves causes you to grow tired as your body essentially fights itself. Furthermore, the fact that it is so difficult to sleep when you have fibromyalgia makes it hard to get any rest. And of course, that also causes serious fatigue.
It’s also possible that something a bit more complex is going on when it comes to fibromyalgia fatigue. One of the theories on the causes of fibromyalgia is that it is essentially a mistake in your body’s immune system. The idea is that fibromyalgia is caused by your immune system attacking itself. And if you’ve ever had the flu, you know that when your immune system is active, it causes fatigue.
What Can I Do About It?
It is possible to manage fatigue with fibromyalgia. It will always be difficult, however. Constant pain makes getting a good night’s sleep hard, but there are a few things you can do that will help.
Stick to a schedule. One of the best ways to help you get a good night’s sleep is to condition your body to go to sleep at the same time every night. Pick a bedtime and stick with it. Eventually, your body will adjust to naturally get sleepy around that time. This can help you get a more reliable rest.
Avoid caffeine. It’s tempting to fight fatigue with coffee. But remember that the more caffeine you drink, the harder it will be to get a good sleep later. Have a cut-off time in the afternoon for when you need to stop drinking any more caffeine.
Watch your diet. A good diet can help your body feel healthier and more alert. Eat natural food with fewer preservatives. And make sure that you get all the nutrition you need.
Try to get exercise. Excercising with fibromyalgia is difficult, if not impossible, for many fibromyalgia sufferers. But if you can, try and get a little bit of exercise in every day. This well help your body regulate itself and make sleeping easier.
Take naps. If you have the luxury, take a nap during the day. It can help you shake off some of the fatigue. But remember to not nap so much that you can’t fall asleep at night.
Talk to your doctor. If all else fails, a doctor can prescribe you something to help you sleep. But sleeping pills carry their own risks, and you should avoid becoming dependent on them if possible.
Constant fatigue is one of the worst things about fibromyalgia. And people often say that the fatigue is worse than the pain. But even if you are living with fibromyalgia fatigue, there are things you can do to help manage it. Just remember that you are not alone. And that there is a community here of fibromyalgia sufferers who will understand how hard it is.
So if you have any tips about handling fibromyalgia fatigue, or just want vent, let us know in the comments.
How did I come to know about chronic lower back pain? Several years ago I participated in an intense strength and conditioning program. The 2.5 years I spent in extreme fitness came to a halt in 2011 when I acquired a lower back injury. I didn’t know the extent of my injury at the time. I only knew that it was impossible to move forward with the program. Shortly after, I decided to go back to school which involved a highly sedentary lifestyle and abnormal degrees of sustained stress due to my stage in life. My back rarely bothered me during the next few years. You see, I had built up such tremendous core strength that it protected my spine and injury point. Thus, I had actually forgotten that there was ever an injury to start with.
I forgot, that is, right up until the spring of 2016. One week before my honeymoon on a cruise ship, I found myself in excruciating pain, bed-bound, and barely able to move. I knew what it was from, so I decided to self-medicate with ibuprofen, hot and cold therapy, and old pain meds. And it worked. I recovered by Friday, got married on Saturday, and boarded the cruise ship in Sunday. Life was good. Until about six months later. All of the core strength I had was completely gone. My back injury flared up so intensely that I could no longer work, had to take “Incompletes” for classes, and practically crawled to a reputable chiropractor. That guy immediately took x-rays of my back and sent me to my general practitioner for some chronic lower back pain relief. In fact, it was so bad that the chiropractor refused to treat me until the chronic lower back pain and inflammation had calmed some.
Chronic lower back pain treatments
Treatment One: General Practitioner
I happen to have a great relationship with my general practitioner. He has treated me and my family for 17 years so he knows me well. This is a luxury that not everyone has. I usually only visit him when I feel like I’m dying or if I know I can’t treat the issue myself. He knows that and trusts me because my diagnoses are accurate most every time. So when I told him I’d seen a chiropractor for my back and that I was in agony while I waited for chronic lower back pain relief of some sort, he gave me the medication I needed and sent me on my way. If I needed a recommendation of any kind, all I had to do was make a phone call. He supported my decisions and left it to me to work my way through this in whatever ways I was comfortable with. Again…not everyone has that luxury. I recognize that, but finding a good general practitioner is worth the process until you get what you need.
Treatment Two: Chiropractor
I was introduced to chiropractors at a young age so I am familiar with them, although I have rarely been. I also know that their brand of medicine does not always coincide with traditional medical practices. And I recognize that, like some physicians, there are certainly chiropractors who can be classified as so-called “quacks.” But really it’s just a matter of incompetency and over-confidence, both characteristics that can be found in any profession.
The x-rays my very competent and humble chiropractor took revealed some “minor” injuries. These included a cracked disc, two bulging discs, a lumbar sprain, and an arthritic joint. I say “minor” because he and the other practitioners I visited after him all used that word. However, they all graciously acknowledged that everyone experiences chronic lower back pain differently and did not doubt my excruciating and debilitating experience. My chiropractor thoroughly evaluated me, attempted various in-office treatments, kept me on a steady regimen of ibuprofen and cold packs, and added some herbal pain relievers (Formula 303) as well as magnesium supplements (Natural Calm). He also gave me what I needed to get a temporary handicap parking pass through the state. That was the best six months of parking I’ve ever had!
After one month of treatments at three visits per week, as well as following his instructions almost perfectly, I was not improved anywhere close to where he thought I should have been. So, he sent me to the next option to make sure there wasn’t something worse going on.
Treatment Three: Microsurgeon
A microsurgeon does what you might expect from the name: they perform surgery with high-powered magnification and thus, in very tiny spaces. The microsurgeon carefully evaluated my x-rays, story, and a mild physical examination of the injured location. He told me that my injuries did not appear bad enough for surgery, especially at my age. He said that kind of surgery is far too invasive and that I was much too young for it at 40 years old. He then sent me to what turned out to be my best solution for treatment options.
Treatment Four: Physical Therapist
At my initial visit with a physical therapist, I explained how I received the injury in the first place. He was intimately familiar with the kind of training and conditioning in which I was formerly involved. He had several patients come to him from the same exercise method, all of our injuries stemming from the same activity: kettle bell swings. At any rate, the physical therapist met with me three times and prescribed specific exercises each time for me to practice at home. And it worked. I started to get better and was able to reclaim my life again. By this time I was enrolled in my last semester of school where I was also taking a yoga class to help with the stress of school and the chronic lower back pain.
I eventually discovered classical Indian yoga that is much different than the brand of yoga we practice here in the West. The practices I learned began to do more for my back than the physical therapy. And so that is what I do now. The key is to keep doing it. I don’t mean every day of my life. I mean I have to be consistent with at least two or three times a week at minimum. That keeps my back from causing problems. Recently I got sick with some strain of the flu that prevented me from practicing my yoga for a month. Guess what? My back just about gave out on me again. I’m working to get it back to where it was, but it’s definitely a process.
There are many reasons for chronic low back pain, including injuries, stress, or even fibromyalgia. And there are many symptoms ranging from nagging aches to debilitation. Furthermore, as you can see from my experience alone, there are many treatment options as well. If you are experiencing chronic low back pain, see a healthcare practitioner about this as soon as possible. Otherwise, you may end up like me and find yourself struggling for a year just to get around. Have you found something to treat your pain? Tell us about it.
We’ve all had that feeling of “pins and needles” after your leg has “fallen asleep.” Or maybe you have been awakened in the middle of the night to an utterly numb arm, only to have it begin tingling like mad after you clumsily readjust. These are the more common forms of a condition called paresthesia.
For example, perhaps you feel random burning sensations throughout the body. You may also have to endure random itching or a feeling like something is crawling on your skin. To make matters worse, paresthesia is a fairly common symptom of both fibromyalgia and diabetes. As if dealing with all the other symptoms of these conditions wasn’t hard enough, paresthesia gets thrown into the mix as well.
Although the cause is not known, fibromyalgia is a disease that effects the central nervous system. This is categorized as an illness that amplifies pain often causing sensations that are not painful to increase to the point that someone with fibro experiences intense pain. This puts parenthesia in a whole different light for people with fibro from those experiencing that tingling feeling after watching television in the same position for too long. Generally, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) explains that paresthesia is usually painless. Fibro patients often see it otherwise.
Neurological Nightmares: Paresthesia with Fibromyalgia
We all know the tingling or pins and needles feeling that occurs when your leg “falls asleep.” (One comedian said it felt like his foot was filled with ginger ale.) The Autoimmunity Research Foundation explains: “It happens when sustained pressure is placed on a nerve.” The feeling usually recedes once the pressure is relieved. It’s often felt in the hands, arms, legs, or feet, but can also occur in other parts of the body such as mouth or chest. It may be constant or intermittent. Paresthesia can also be caused by disorders affecting the central nervous system (encephalitis, MS, stroke) or any of the peripheral nerves (carpel tunnel syndrome, atherosclerosis).
Most people know the “pins and needles” experience as an intense, but harmless sensation. A numb limb that is temporarily useless can be viewed as a cosmic joke. But persons living with fibromyalgia don’t experience paresthesia the same way. The amplified sensations of parenthesia can be painful to someone with fibromyalgia, leaving them with a second form of pain to deal with on top of the chronic pain already being experienced.
So how can you know if you are experiencing paresthesia in addition to your fibromyalgia?
Paresthesia Symptoms
Certain fibromyalgia symptoms can often overlap with chronic paresthesia, sometimes making it difficult to diagnose. However, there are separate symptoms, such as:
Crawling feeling on the skin
Sensitive to the touch
Burning sensation on the skin, particularly on the extremities
Itchy skin on a particular area of the body
Pain in a certain area of the body
Numbness in the extremities or other areas of the body
Treating Paresthesia
The single greatest problem associated with fibromyalgia is our inability to cure it. The only option is to attempt managing the symptoms. Fortunately, paresthesia is usually a symptom that is treatable once the source is identified. However, you may run into problems if the source is actually the fibro itself. Nevertheless, the NINDS explains that the prognosis “depends on the severity of the sensations and the associated disorders.” Finding the source often involves tests such as MRI, X-ray, or blood test. Whether or not you have fibromyalgia, it is important to seek diagnosis and treatment for it in the event that it is related to nerve damage, tumor near the spinal cord or brain, undiscovered mini-strokes, and more.
After identifying the source and possibly treating the source, paresthesia may go away on its own. However, some treatment options also include exercise, massage and anti-inflammatory medications.
Do you have paresthesia with fibromyalgia? If so, have you found a successful treatment option to at least eliminate that particular symptom? Did you have a difficult time finding the correct diagnosis? Tell us about your experience.
Anorexia patients found to have enhanced senses of smell
Written By: Chuck Bednar
admin
Young women suffering from anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder that causes them to lose more weight than is deemed healthy for someone of their height and age, could develop an enhanced sense of smell, according to research published earlier this year in the journal PLOS One.
People with anorexia have a distorted image of their own body, an intense fear of gaining weight and extremely low body weight, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). They often diet or exercise too much, or go to even more extreme measures in an attempt to lose weight.
Now, researchers from the University of Copenhagen Department of Clinical Medicine and the Mental Health Services in the Capital Region of Denmark have discovered that they also tended to be highly sensitive to smells, and that this olfactory sensitivity could play an important role in the disorder, according to a report published this weekend by the website PsyPost.
“The interest in olfaction and anorexia nervosa began with the intention to understand why it is so difficult to recover from this disorder in some, but not all, cases,” study author Mette Bentz told PsyPost via email. “My colleagues and I decided to study social functioning in persons with anorexia nervosa, along with areas that might relate to social functioning.”
“The sense of smell is associated with social functioning in other psychiatric disorders, and therefore, olfaction might be a simpler way to measure individual differences in persons with anorexia nervosa, which might predict functioning in social domains,” the researcher added.
Discovery could lead to new treatment options
The sense of smell has a significant influence on the eating process in healthy individuals, Bentz told PsyPost, and since the consumption of food is a key component of anorexia, the study author reasoned that altered olfactory processing could be a factor in the eating disorder as well.
“We knew from the research of others that olfaction shares some brain networks with executive functions, such as mental flexibility,” she explained. “Mental flexibility is in turn reduced in adults with anorexia nervosa and might explain why it is so difficult to change cognitive and behavioral patterns of anorexia nervosa, once they are firmly in place.”
As part of their research, Bentz and her colleagues looked at 43 young women with first-episode anorexia, 27 recovered anorexia patients and 39 females with no history of the condition. Each of the participants were between 14 and 22 years of age, PsyPost said, and each took part in an odor threshold test, an odor identification test and an eating disorder evaluation, the authors added.
Both of the clinical groups were found to have heightened olfactory sensitivity when compared to the control group, the study authors reported. Furthermore, once patients who had also been diagnosed with depression were excluded, participants with first-episode anorexia were found to be better at identified odors than those who had recovered from the condition.
“The superior olfaction in those who had anorexia nervosa or were recovered from anorexia nervosa was not related to their cognitive or social functioning,” Bentz explained. This could be “related to anxiety in general concerning bodily senses, or anxiety specifically concerning food related stimuli,” she added. “Therefore we speculate that superior olfaction might be involved in exacerbating disordered eating in anorexia nervosa.”
While the study only looked at female patients, if the results were correct, it could lead to a new method of treatment for anorexia patients, the researchers said. Specifically, if doctors can help their recovering patients avoid strong smells, it could make the process of renourishing them far easier, and gradually getting patients used to strong smells could help them overcome their fear of eating, the lead author told PsyPost.
Many people with fibromyalgia suffer from a range of additional illnesses. One of the tragedies of living with such a miserable chronic pain condition is that not only is it debilitating by itself, it also leaves you vulnerable to developing a lot of other conditions. And one of the most common conditions that people with fibromyalgia suffer from is polyneuropathy.
Polyneuropathy is a condition where the nerves are damaged, which causes tingling and pain all over the body. And sometimes, it can be hard to distinguish between the pain of neuropathy and the pain of fibromyalgia. So, let’s talk about neuropathy. What is it? How is it related to fibromyalgia? And what can you do to treat it?
What Is Polyneuropathy?
Neuropathy is caused by damage to the nerves. In cases of polyneuropathy, the principle is the same, but specifically, it affects the peripheral nerves on both sides of the body. The nerves play a central role in relaying pain signals to the brain. When tissue is damaged, it sends signals to the brain. The brain, in turn, processes this signal and interprets it as pain. This is the system that warns you to protect damaged tissue and is an important part of how the body works.
But when the nerves themselves are damaged, it leads to a pretty uncomfortable amount of pain that can become chronic. The most obvious symptoms of polyneuropathy are a tingling, burning, or numb sensation spreading down the limbs on both sides of the body.
What distinguishes polyneuropathy from regular neuropathy is that the sensation is symmetrical, affecting both sides of the body equally.
Like fibromyalgia, polyneuropathy causes pain in the limbs. But you can distinguish the condition from fibromyalgia by carefully considering what sort of pain you’re feeling. If it’s a sharp ache in the muscles that seems to radiate from 18 specific points, then it is likely fibromyalgia. But if it’s more of a general tingling or burning along the limbs, then it’s probably neuropathy.
There are a lot of different things that can cause neuropathy, and many of them can be related to fibromyalgia.
How Is It Related To Fibromyalgia?
It’s worth noting how common nerve damage is in people with fibromyalgia. It’s estimated that close to half of people with fibromyalgia also suffer from a condition called “small fiber peripheral neuropathy.” This is a condition that causes the kind of tingling and burning sensation we associate with nerve damage.
We aren’t sure why that is, but it could reflect the role of the nervous system in fibromyalgia. The same faulty neural pathways that cause the pain of fibromyalgia may be contributing to neuropathy in some patients.
In addition, one of the most common causes of polyneuropathy is diabetes. And people with fibromyalgia suffer from diabetes at a higher rate than average. So it’s possible that if you have a concurrent condition like diabetes with your fibromyalgia, that it can lead to nerve pain.
How Can You Treat It?
There are a few ways to treat nerve pain. The first step is to make sure that you aren’t making lifestyle choices that can make your nerve pain worse. One of the worst contributors to nerve damage is alcohol. Not only can alcohol use lead to nerve damage, but it can also make existing nerve damage worse. Cutting out alcohol and ensuring that you get a rich, balanced diet to correct vitamin deficiencies are lifestyle adjustments that can help you reduce the amount of nerve pain you experience.
In addition, certain tasks, like typing on a computer, can compress your nerves which leads to damage. Make sure you take breaks from repetitive tasks, especially if your limbs start to tingle or feel numb.
When it comes to medical options, there are a few medications that can help treat nerve pain. And interestingly, many of them are usually prescribed to treat fibromyalgia, so you might get some extra benefit from your medication.
The first type of drug is anticonvulsants. These dull some of the interactions between nerves in the brain. This is why they are used to treat seizures caused by runaway nerves in the brain. And evidence shows that they can also help reduce the pain of both neuropathy and fibromyalgia.
The second type is antidepressants. If you’ve been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, odds are good that you’ve already been prescribed a drug like Lyrica or Cymbalta. But not only do these drugs help treat fibromyalgia, they can also help reduce nerve pain.
But let us know, do you suffer from nerve pain? Is it related to fibromyalgia? Tell us in the comments.
You know how fibromyalgia tends to keep you up at night? You’re lying in bed, hurting and in desperate need of sleep. You’re beyond exhausted and can barely move a muscle. The one thing you need more than anything is sleep. Of course, everyone and their mother has given you all the best tips on how to sleep. Because everyone is an expert. Yet, not one of them has lived a single moment in your skin. So, they just don’t get it.
I know what I’m talking about here. I’ve been dealing with insomnia for more than half my life. And I actually am an expert when it comes to understanding the vicious cycle of pain and sleeplessness. I’ve tried many things, from prescription and OTC medications to herbal supplements and meditation techniques. I’ve come across some decent options. But I wasn’t expecting the results I got from taking 5-HTP. A dear friend told me about it many years ago. It turned out to be somewhat of a life-changer. And even though I know it may not work for everyone dealing with fibromyalgia, chronic pain, and insomnia, it’s bound to be effective for some. But first, the basics.
What in the World is 5 HTP?
Let’s start with the stuff that’s familiar. Do you recognize anything in the whole word: 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)? How about tryptophan? That’s that buzzword we’re used to hearing at Thanksgiving. You know the one. It’s the chemical in turkey that supposedly makes you fall asleep. While it’s true that tryptophan is a natural relaxant, there’s actually more of it in chicken than turkey. What’s making you so darn tired at Thanksgiving are all the carbohydrates and lounging. But at least you’re on the right track in understanding 5 HTP when you think about its relaxing qualities.
The University of Maryland Medical Center explains it this way: “5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is a chemical that the body makes from tryptophan (an essential amino acid that you get from food). After tryptophan is converted into 5-HTP, the chemical is changed into another chemical called serotonin (a neurotransmitter that relays signals between brain cells). 5-HTP dietary supplements help raise serotonin levels in the brain. Since serotonin helps regulate mood and behavior, 5-HTP may have a positive effect on sleep, mood, anxiety, appetite, and pain sensation.”
And there’s another buzzword: serotonin. You see, 5-HTP is a building block of serotonin which is thought to play a significant role in fibromyalgia pain. In fact, low serotonin levels are also associated with insomnia and depression. See where we’re going with this?
Does 5-HTP Really Help with Fibromyalgia?
Obviously 5 HTP is not a cure for fibromyalgia. But it has been shown in a number of studies to improve symptoms. And yes, there are people for whom it has no effect at all. This could be due to variances in serotonin levels, hormonal differences, or something else entirely. I can tell you what I noticed: taking 5-HTP regularly helped me finally sleep through the night, which in turn decreased my pain. It also lowered my anxiety and depression levels significantly. Indeed, some studies show that 5-HTP is as effective as antidepressants. But again, that is dependent upon the individual. So, don’t take that as a call to stop your medication and switch to 5-HTP. Rather, continue to do your homework and speak to you healthcare practitioner about it. There are actually some pretty severe reactions possible if you mix 5-HTP with certain medications like antidepressants.
A study in the Alternative Medicine Review “reported that supplementation with 5-HTP may improve symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia, and fibromyalgia pain. However, there are some contradictory studies that show no benefit with 5-HTP.”
More Benefits
Remember that fibro symptoms tend to be intertwined. That is, one leads often leads to another, which fuels the first one, and so on. So, your body ends up in this awful loop of pain, depression, anxiety, and so forth. Taking a supplement like 5-HTP tends to target the potential source of some of the big problems associated with fibromyalgia. In other words, instead of simply treating just one of your symptoms, using 5-HTP to address serotonin levels can lead to the treatment of several symptoms at once.
In addition to fibromyalgia, depression, and insomnia, the University of Maryland adds that 5-HTP can also help with general headaches, migraines, and obesity. The U.S. National Library of Medicine says that studies are inconclusive still on whether it also helps with Alzheimer’s disease, nervous system disorders, menopausal symptoms, schizophrenia, and much more.
While I don’t need it anymore, I can’t deny the benefits I gained from using 5-HTP. Have you ever used it? Did it work for you? Tell us your story.
Fibromyalgia seems to come with an almost unending list of additional side effects. From chronic itching to frequent urination, it seems like the fresh miseries of fibromyalgia never end. And in case you were looking for a new side effect to add to your list, how about urticaria.
Urticaria, commonly called hives, is a skin condition that seems to affect people with fibromyalgia frequently. There are a number of different reasons that fibromyalgia might lead to hives. But to understand why, it’s helpful to ask what exactly causes hives? ? How is it related to fibromyalgia? And what can you do to treat it?
What Causes Urticaria?
Urticaria is a skin condition that causes a vascular reaction leading to smooth swollen plaques in the skin. The swelling is usually red and itchy, which can make the condition maddening to deal with. There are a lot of different things that can cause hives, and nailing down the cause of a single episode of hives can be difficult.
Usually, hives are a symptom of an allergic reaction. These can be seasonal allergies, food allergies, or even allergies to certain medications. These things trigger a response in the bodies of certain people where their cells begin to release a hormone called histamines. These histamines cause your small blood cells to release a clear fluid called plasma that builds up under the skin, causing hives.
The type of hives caused by allergies falls into the acute category, which describes sudden attacks of hives in response to specific stimuli. But in certain cases, attacks of hives can last up to six weeks, at which point the condition enters the chronic stage. Chronic urticaria is almost never the result of allergies, but rather certain medical conditions like hyperthyroidism.
And this is by far the most common type of hives for people with fibromyalgia.
Urticaria and Fibromyalgia
We aren’t sure what the precise link is between hives and fibromyalgia, but we do know that there does seem to be one. And there are a few possible reasons for that.
But stress may be more important to explain the link between hives and fibromyalgia. Chronic hives are frequently caused by excessive amounts of stress. And people with fibromyalgia are obviously under a tremendous amount of stress on a daily basis. Trying to manage the chronic pain and fatigue and still having to live a normal life in a world that is never going to stop to give you the break you need to manage your symptoms would have anyone tearing their hair out.
Antihistamines are medications designed to combat the natural hormones that lead to hives in the first place, histamines. And there are a number of different kinds. Over-the-counter antihistamines like Benadryl are often pretty effective for treating hives. And you can also pick up a topical antihistamine that you rub directly onto the affected area for some relief.
But beyond that, one of the best ways to manage chronic urticaria is by managing your stress levels. Makes sense, right? Stress leads to hives, so if you can eliminate stress, you’ll eliminate the hives. Practice good mental wellness to limit the stress of fibromyalgia. And regular, low-impact exercise is also a great way to relieve tension and blow off a little steam. Not only that, but good diet and exercise are also vital to managing fibromyalgia symptoms, which will leave you feeling better and less stressed out.
Finally, it might be worth heading to a doctor to get your hives checked out. A doctor can prescribe a stronger antihistamine which might be able to resolve the symptoms if the over-the-counter stuff doesn’t work. And depending on the frequency and duration of your hives, it’s possible that you might actually just be suffering from allergies. Your doctor can test to determine if there is an allergic component to your hives and give you tips on what to avoid.
But let us know: do you have hives? Do they seem to be related to your fibromyalgia? What treatment works for you? What doesn’t? Tell us in the comments.
How to Tell the Difference Between Fibro Pain and a Heart Attack
Written By: Wyatt Redd
admin
Image: shutterstock.com/Maridav
Fibromyalgia can be a scary condition to live with. But while it can’t kill you in a few seconds, a heart attack can. And fibromyalgia can cause symptoms that are very similar to a heart attack. That’s why fibromyalgia sufferers need to know when their symptoms are a heart attack or fibro pain. Here’s how to tell the difference.
What is fibromyalgia chest pain?
Fibromyalgia causes a kind of generalized pain in certain areas of your body. But there is also a specific condition associated with fibromyalgia that affects your chest in particular. It is called Costochondritis and causes localized pain around your ribs.
Costochondritis is the result of an inflammation of the cartilage around your ribcage. This causes a stabbing or aching pain in your chest that is easily confused with the chest pain associated with a heart attack. But while a heart attack is often fatal and can cause permanent heart damage, costochondritis cannot.
What is a heart attack?
A heart attack occurs when one of the coronary arteries that allow blood to flow from your heart to rest of your body is blocked. Blood transports oxygen around your body. And your cells need oxygen to live. The lack of blood flowing from your heart to the brain after a heart attack causes you to lose consciousness and can cause your cells to die.
So unless you receive help quickly after a heart attack, it can kill you or cause permanent damage to your heart or brain.
Heart attack or fibro pain?
A heart attack causes symptoms that are similar to costochondritis. The symptoms include a general pain in the chest that comes in waves. This is also a symptom in costochondritis, which can make sufferers believe they are having a heart attack.
The easiest way to tell if your chest pain is a heart attack or fibro pain is to touch your chest where you feel pain. Costochondritis results in swelling tissue around your ribs, so they will be sore to the touch. Because a heart attack is not a physical pain in your tissue, but in the arteries in your heart, your chest will not hurt more when you touch it.
Costochondritis chest pain also lasts far longer than a heart attack.Typically, a heart attack is an acute condition, while costochondritis is a chronic condition that can last for weeks.
But there are also symptoms that a heart attack causes that costochondritis does not. A heart attack causes radiating waves of pain that are localized in your left arm. And in addition, someone having a heart attack will often feel nauseous and break out in a cold sweat. Finally, someone having a heart attack will often experience shortness of breath.
The best way to tell if you’re having a heart attack or fibro pain is to check the symptoms in your head. If you have at least three of the symptoms of a heart attack, that’s probably what it is.
What should you do if you think you’re having a heart attack?
If you begin to feel like you are having these symptoms, immediately call an ambulance. Minutes will make the difference between life and death when it comes to a heart attack, so act quickly and err on the side of caution. Try to call someone you know to watch you until the ambulance arrives. A heart attack can easily make you pass out and it is best to have someone nearby to look after you and talk to the paramedics when they arrive.
Always remember that the most important thing to do is to take a possible heart attack seriously. Pay close attention to your symptoms to decide if you’re having a heart attack or fibro pain. And if you think your fibromyalgia pain may actually be a heart attack, treat it like one. That can make the difference between life and death.
Have you ever wondered what the absolute worst case of fibromyalgia would be? After all, it’s a disease that affects everyone differently. And it makes sense that some people are affected by it more severely than others.
So what would be the worst case of fibromyalgia? How severely could it affect your life? And what could you do to treat it?
What Is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a disease that is not well understood. Essentially, it creates a general feeling of pain and fatigue around your body. There are a number of possible explanations for what causes fibromyalgia, but no one is sure what the right one is.
Some doctors believe that fibromyalgia is an autoimmune disease. That means that the body’s immune system begins to attack the healthy cells which make them inflamed and tender and causes aching in certain points around your body.
While no one knows exactly what the cause of fibromyalgia is, it’s a debilitating illness that affects people in a lot of different ways.
What Does It Do To Your Body?
Fibromyalgia causes a number of very different symptoms. And it varies so much that no two people have the exact same reaction to fibromyalgia. However, the most common system, and one that all fibromyalgia sufferers have, is chronic pain.
The pain is located along 18 specific points of the body. These are usually in your joints on both sides of the body and the level of pain can be different for different people. The level of pain can also change throughout the day.
And another common symptom for people with fibromyalgia is fatigue. Fibromyalgia sufferers often find that they can’t sleep very well, and when they do, they don’t wake up feeling refreshed the next day. As a result, people with fibromyalgia end up feeling something that is usually called a “fibro-fog.”
Fibro-fog is the name for a sort of mental cloudiness that comes with fibromyalgia. It usually presents as short-term memory loss, or trouble focusing on tasks.
Finally, fibromyalgia can cause some slightly more unusual symptoms. People with fibromyalgia often have irritable bowel syndrome, and gastrointestinal problems are very common among people who have fibromyalgia. And there are other conditions like constant itching which sometimes affect fibromyalgia sufferers.
What’s The Worst Case Of Fibromyalgia?
So if you’ve been diagnosed, you’re probably wondering how bad your fibromyalgia might actually get (what the worst case of fibromyalgia might be, basically).
Well, the good news is that your fibromyalgia won’t kill you. But fibromyalgia can still severely limit your quality of life.
Fibromyalgia affects many people by causing them to feel a constant feeling of pain and fatigue. So for people who have fibromyalgia, daily life can get very difficult.And the stories of people who have suffered from the illness for decades are heartbreaking.
Generally, fibromyalgia begins in its early stages with some warning signs. These are things like chronic fatigue and mysterious pain in eighteen points around the body. This pain is what causes most fibromyalgia patients to go to the doctor for a diagnosis. Though, if you have fibromyalgia, you probably already know how that goes.
Fibromyalgia then progresses into the chronic stage, where the pain and fatigue are constant. This is what most fibromyalgia patients live with every day. And though there are treatments, not all are effective. And everyone’s fibromyalgia seems to respond differently to different drugs.
Even the most up to date and cutting edge treatments might be completely ineffective for a lot of people. And this kind of treatment-resistant condition is the worst case of fibromyalgia since it is unresponsive to treatment and can often seem to get worse.
This is a tricky subject to discuss with any certainty, however. While most doctors will say that fibromyalgia isn’t a progressive disease for most people, some sufferers definitely report that their disease gets worse over time.
Can Fibromyalgia Make You Disabled?
So if you’ve just been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, there’s a chance that your pain and fatigue levels might begin to plateau and stay roughly where they are, though some days will be worse than others.
But in the worst case of fibromyalgia, the disease will get more painful and debilitating over time.
For people whose situation is the worst case of fibromyalgia, they will likely suffer their entire lives with constant, and unmanageable pain. This leads to serious problems in their daily lives.
Often, they lose their jobs due to the fact that they are effectively disabled. The constant pain and fatigue and the mental cloudiness, or fibro fog, makes working impossible.
And for people with extremely severe fibromyalgia, even getting out of bed is close to impossible. They require heavy doses of painkillers to even walk. And it takes them heavy doses of sleeping medication to get anything close to a full night’s sleep.
For those people who have the worst case of fibromyalgia, every day is a physical struggle. But it can be an emotionally struggle as well.
Can The Worst Case Of Fibromyalgia Affect Your Relationships?
Having severe fibromyalgia makes it difficult to maintain relationships with friends and family. People who used to enjoy your company sometimes drift away because your chronic pain and lack of mobility become tough for them to deal with. While that isn’t even remotely fair, it’s often how people are.
So in the worst case of fibromyalgia, expect to lose some of the friends you had who aren’t really friends. But the good side is that you will see who truly cares about you because they will stick around.
In addition, dealing with such a severely limited quality of life is extremely difficult emotionally. The constant pain can make it feel like life isn’t worth living. And suicide is tragically common among people with severe fibromyalgia.
It’s important to get help if you feel like you might be considering taking your own life. Suicide is never a good solution, and the saying that “it doesn’t end the pain, it only spreads it to the people who care about you,” is very true.
Fibromyalgia is a horrific disease to live with. And it takes a special kind of courage to endure the worst case of fibromyalgia. So tell us, has your fibromyalgia gotten worse? What are your worst symptoms like? Does anything work for you? Tell us in the comments.
When does your pain kick into high gear? For some it’s first thing in the morning, others at random times, but for most with fibromyalgia, the pain seems amplified at night. You know the routine: you try to be social and hang with a friend for dinner, but you have to come home early because you’re in agony. Or you actually made it to work today and successfully managed to block out the pain all day, but now that you’re home it feels like all the pain you were supposed to feel is happening right now. Sleep is not even an option at this point. You lie there, tossing if you’re able, with your muscles tensed and in more pain than you can remember. Of course, there are other nights where the pain isn’t that intense. So what gives? As always, a journal of diet and activities can be helpful in determining if there are any particular triggers that seem to exacerbate the pain. But what if there still is no apparent explanation?
WebMD offers one possible reason for what appears to be an oddity: “Research shows that with fibromyalgia, there is an automatic arousal in the brain during sleep. Frequent disruptions prevent the important restorative processes from occurring. Growth hormone is mostly produced during sleep. Without restorative sleep and the surge of growth hormone, muscles may not heal and neurotransmitters (like the mood chemical serotonin) are not replenished. The lack of a good night’s sleep makes people with fibromyalgia wake up feeling tired and fatigued. The result: The body can’t recuperate from the day’s stresses — all of which overwhelms the system, creating a great sensitivity to pain.” This sounds like a very vicious cycle.
Some speculate that by the end of the day our minds are beginning to clear as we focus on resting which makes us more aware of our fibromyalgia pain. However, conventional wisdom dictates that by the end of the day our minds have been flooded with information gathered by our senses and processed in our brains and bodies. Indeed, this is why we must sleep at night so that we can process all we have absorbed and refresh our bodies. Thus, this flood makes us the least clear at night. Compare it to the clarity you have when you first wake each day. What seems like a much more reasonable conclusion is that the body itself is fatigued just from the activities of the day. Therefore, by the evening, it takes far less to stress the muscles and create more inflammation. In fact, while it may seem like an exaggeration, the muscles of fibromyalgia patients might be mildly compared to rigor mortis wherein the muscles are always contracted. Because fibro patients cannot usually relax their muscles.
Since fibromyalgia patients almost universally struggle with good and restful sleep, WebMD goes on to offer tips to facilitate better sleep, specifically for fibro patients:
Take a soothing, warm bath in the evening (provided you have the energy to get in the tub).
Bruch your body with a loofah or long handled brush in the bath (your ability to do this may vary from day to day given your level of pain).
Ease painful tender points with a self-massage device, such as a tennis ball.
Practice yoga or other stretching exercises to relax (Amazon offers several yoga DVD options specifically for fibromyalgia).
Listen to calming music (Pandora has a station called “Calm Meditation Radio” that sounds just like what you’d hear at a spa during a massage).
Meditate to calm intrusive thoughts and tension.
Sleep in a dark room (consider an eye mask if necessary).
Keep the room as quiet as possible (or use a white-noise machine or fan to drown out subtle sounds).
Make sure the room temperature is comfortable.
Avoid foods and beverages that contain caffeine, including teas, colas, and chocolate.
It seems there may be a variety of reasons for fibromyalgia pain to increase at night, but all of them point to muscles as the key player. Again, try a journal that keeps up with food and basic activities for a month or so and see if you find any common themes or triggers. Also try the list of tips here, knowing that there are going to be days when even just one of the tips is an impossible task. Simply do what you can and share your results with the rest of us!
You have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Now what? What does this mean for your future? How will this disease change your life? A better question may be, how are you going to wrap your mind around this? As with any diagnosis, you must first come to terms with your disease as a part of setting an active plan for treatment. This article is for the purpose of helping you come to terms with your disease.
When dealing with a chronic illness, especially one with an element of chronic pain, there are several thoughts and traps that you must know about. I believe that there are certain stages of this process that most people go through, but there is no “right” way to deal with your diagnosis, and there is no point A to point B trajectory that you must follow. It is a different process for each individual. It is almost always a long process that can take several years. With that in mind, this article will deal with some of the things that you may experience in your process.
It’s Not Fair
As you start to come to terms with your disease, you will certainly come to the point when you feel like “why me?” or “this isn’t fair.” This is a totally natural reaction to your situation. You are right, it is not fair. There is no rhyme or reason to why you have this disease. However, trying to determine why you have this pain, instead of another more deserving person, is a thought process that will not serve you. This is not your fault or the result of some action that you performed in the past, and there are surely more deserving people out there. However, casting blame and pointing fingers will not provide a moment’s respite for you. The simple, cold, and “mean-sounding” fact is that it did choose you. This is your reality now. A more healthy approach than asking “why me,” or “why not them”, is to ask instead “what can this experience teach me?” I can see the eye rolling and hear the judgmental laughter already. This sounds ridiculous. This disease is an enemy and robbing me of my life. Why would I allow it to tech me anything? It is not a normal human reaction to look at things this way, but changing your perception of this disease is one of the most powerful tools that you have to help you come to terms with your disease.
My Life is Over
In some regard you are right. The life that you knew is over, but your time of life on this planet is not over. Your task is to determine what your life looks like now. You may not be able to do all of the things that you used to do, but you can begin to assess your limits to see what you are capable of. It is important that you begin to find the parameters that you are able to operate in. It is tempting to lay in bed and feel sorry for yourself, and I spent a long time doing exactly that. That is wasted time that I will never get back. You can save yourself from wasting months or years in the same way. Instead, begin recreating your life around the things that you can do. Focusing on what you can do, instead of what you can’t do, may seem like a slight distinction, but it changes the focus from negativity to positivity . Keeping a focus on positive things can make a huge difference, and can help you come to terms with your disease.
What Will Others Think?
Weak, Lazy, incompetent, broken, and on and on. Modern humans can get so caught up in what others think of them that it begins to cause depression and anxiety. As young people, most of us get to a point where we decide to be individuals, and we don’t care quite as much about what others think of us. However, there is something about physical disability that is different. You can be an individual that is not concerned with the thoughts of others, but when you are physically limited you begin to feel worthless. You can not work as hard, cook for the family, run the errands, etc. You need help. For many people with physical limitations, you must learn to be honest about who you are and where you stand. You must be honest enough to ask for help when you need it. You need to get past caring what others think.
For years, if I wanted to go to the store I had to use one of those motorized carts. Without it, I couldn’t last for more than a few minutes in the store. Since I was a heavy person (because of the chronic pain), I would get those looks from people that thought that I was disgusting or lazy. My mistake was that I took it personally and started to believe them. Once I looked at myself honestly, and got real with myself about my capabilities, I began to not care what people thought of me. This process is difficult because our society likes to use shame as a means of behavior modification. Dr. Wayne Dyer used to say, “what you think of me is none of my business.” Once I realized that the only person that I have any control over is myself, I started refusing to let others define me. They did not know me, did not have all of the information, and were not on the other side of my mirror. I was the only one who knew myself and my circumstances well enough to judge me.
Who am I now?
There is every reason to have an identity crisis after a diagnosis like Fibromyalgia. If you can’t be the person that you have always been, then you have to wonder who you are going to be now. However, the answer is that you are still you. The decision that you must make is if you are going to be a better or worse version of yourself. Are you going to choose to be bitter, cold, angry, negative, depressed person wasting away and dragging others down? Or, are you going to chose to be a fighter? Dr. Dyer has also said that the way that pain changes you is up to you. It can make you bitter, or it can make you better. When people choose to fight, and refuse to let pain or disease define them, they are almost always stronger as a result. This goes back to asking what the disease can teach you. Chronic pain has taught me to be strong mentally and physically. The decision of who you are going to be is totally up to you.
I hope that this helps you come to terms with your disease. By focusing on the positive instead of the negative, looking for what you can learn from the experience, getting over what others think of you, and deciding to fight, you can come through your pain a stronger and better person. The last thing to remember is to give yourself a break. Not everything is so serious and dire, though it may seem that way at times. It is ok to break down. You do not have to be a rock all of the time. Give yourself grace, and allow your process to unfold as you need it to. Guilt will not give you the results that you want.
Meditation is becoming more popular all of the time. As this practice grows, more studies are done to see the benefits of meditation for different purposes. Several studies have shown that Meditation is an effective part of treating fibromyalgia. The popularity of meditation has also spawned the creation of several apps to help people meditate. Here is a look at the best meditation apps, so that you can begin to enjoy the benefits of a meditation practice.
This app has been redesigned from a previous model that was not very good. So, if you tried it in the past and did not like it, then you should probably give it another try. This app features thousands of guided meditations for many different purposes. When you are done with a meditation session, the app will tell you how many people were just meditating with you, and how many people are meditating with you in your area. The best thing about this app is that it is free! This is a very cool app, and we highly recommend it!
Headspace is more than just a meditation app. The entire premise of this app is using science to increase brain function. The primary means that the app uses is meditation, but it also has exercises for several different purposes to help you approach aspects of your life in a more mindful way. This app has a free ten-day trial, and after that, it is a $12.99 monthly subscription.
Calm is one of the most relaxing meditation apps out there. The app features nature scenes that you can watch for a visual relaxation, and it also has a timer and music for a more traditional meditation. There is a free and paid version. The paid version has a lot more of the specific guided meditations and more nature scenes. This app is great for those days when your stress level is high and you need to decompress.
This is an app created by Dan Harris. He is leading the movement for science-based meditation. The app that he created uses several meditation gurus to lead the meditations. He has collected some of the greatest meditation leaders on the planet for this app. Because the app is a science-based meditation focus, the app is specifically designed for using meditation to increase cognitive function. Dan Harris calls meditation a bicep curl for the brain. The app is free so that you can learn to meditate, and then the monthly subscription is $7.99.
This app has a five day guided introduction and features a free and premium paid subscription for $9.99/month. This app almost feels like a music player for your favorite meditations. The app lets you download your favorites for offline meditation. The paid subscription offers you several meditations that focus on specific things, like calm, relationships, or focus.
We hope that meditation will become a regular part of your treatment regimen, and with these best meditation apps, it can be easier than ever. Do you have favorite meditation apps that we should know about? If so, tell us in the comments!
Study finds signs of CTE in 99% of NFL players’ brains
Written By: Chuck Bednar
Brian Galloway
Evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive degenerative disease found in people who have received repeated blows to the head, was discovered in the brains of 110 out of 111 (99%) former National Football League players, a newly published study has revealed.
The research, published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, also found signs of CTE in 48/53 former college football players; 7/8 Canadian Football League players and 3/14 high-school players. Neither of the two pre-high school showed evidence of the disease.
The three high school players had mild cases of CTE, while the rest of the ex-players had a mix of mild-to-severe symptoms, according to Ars Technica – who pointed out that the brains were a “convenience sample” or a biased sampling that is not representative of ex-athletes as a whole.
A total of 202 former brains were donated for analysis by the former players or their families due to concerns or suspicions that they were at risk for developing CTE. While the study provides no new information about the disease and its progression, it does strengthen the apparent association between football and CTE, a condition that can cause aggression, depression and dementia.
“It’s impossible to ignore this anymore,” study author Dr. Ann McKee, a neuropathologist from Boston University, told the Boston Globe. She said that her team was “startled” by the extreme prevalence of CTE among the brains that were analyzed, adding that the results confirm that this is “a public health problem… something that should concern parents and athletes.”
Data strengthens link between CTE and football, say authors
First discovered in boxers in the 1920s and originally known as dementia pugilistica, CTE can only be diagnosed by post-mortem examination of the brain, according to Ars Technica. Doctors search for unusual protein masses accumulate near tiny blood vessels. Those lumps are limited to the outer layers of the brain in mild cases but are found in deeper areas in severe instances.
As part of their research, Dr. McKee and her colleagues examined the brains of 202 individuals who had played football at various levels at some point during their lives. Of those ex-players, a total of 177 (87% of them) showed pathological evidence of CTE – a high proportion which the study authors said suggests that the disease may be linked to prior participation in the sport.
Eighty-four of the participants were found to have severe signs of CTE in their brains, while 27 had mild pathology, the researchers reported. Of those with severe CTE, 80 were found to have cognitive symptoms related to the disease, while 75 had behavioral and/or mood symptoms and 71 showed evidence of dementia. Among those with mild CTE, 26 had behavioral and/or mood symptoms, 23 had cognitive symptoms and 9 showed signs of dementia.
“The fact that we were able to gather so many instances of a disease that was previously considered quite rare… speaks volumes,” Dr. McKee said in a statement. “Our goal is to try to understand the disease from its earliest beginnings in the brain, what molecular pathways are involved, how it spreads, which regions it affects most severely – all to give us ideas how to diagnose this disease during life, and also to give us information about how to treat it.”
“We appreciate the work done by Dr. McKee and her colleagues for the value it adds to the ongoing quest for a better understanding of CTE,” the NFL said in a statement. “Case studies such as those compiled in this updated paper are important to further advancing the science and progress related to head trauma. The medical and scientific communities will benefit from this publication, and the NFL will continue to work with a wide range of experts to improve the health of current and former NFL athletes.”
Many people who have fibromyalgia also report that they feel a constant itching sensation. It doesn’t seem to be caused by any irritation of the skin but is rather just a persistent itchiness that can occur all over the body. And for many people, fibromyalgia itching is worse than the pain.
The constant itch is incredibly frustrating and close to impossible to satisfy. And that leads to many people scratching until they break the skin, which leads to infections. Unfortunately, this kind of chronic itching is not understood very well by science. And fibro itching, in particular, is not the target of much research by most medical researchers.
But with marijuana increasingly being accepted as a medication, many wonder if it can help treat fibromyalgia itching. So what exactly is fibro itching? And can marijuana help?
What Is Fibromyalgia Itching?
Fibro itching is something that affects many people with fibromyalgia. And while usually itching is caused by irritated skin, people with fibromyalgia get the feeling of itching for seemingly no reason. Many find that the itching comes and goes, but some feel it nearly all the time.
No one is sure what causes it, but this kind of chronic itching is actually common in many chronic pain disorders. And some doctors think that the itching is the result of the same over-active nerves that cause these disorders. They believe that the nerves are sending itching signals to the brain by mistake, which causes the chronic itching feeling.
Can Marijuana Help?
Marijuana is increasingly gaining acceptance as an effective treatment for many chronic health conditions. And there is some evidence that marijuana can help cure itching in some conditions, especially psoriasis. Psoriasis is a skin condition that causes skin cells to be produced too quickly, which results in scaly, itchy skin.
Scientists have studied marijuana as a treatment for this condition and found that it is effective. And it is also effective in treating chronic itching caused by liver disease. So certainly, some forms of itching are treatable with cannabis.
Unfortunately, there isn’t that much understanding about how exactly cannabis stops itching. It seems like the most logical explanation is that it stops nerve cells from interacting with each other.
As far as fibromyalgia itching goes, little to no research exists on how effective cannabis is. And for many people, marijuana can actually cause itching. This is especially true for people who are allergic to cannabis.
So is marijuana effective for fibromyalgia itching? It’s tough to say. It does seem to help with certain itching disorders, but it isn’t clear that this is one of them. However, if it works with other conditions that cause chronic itching, it stands to reason that it could be effective. It’s certainly worth pursuing as an option.
How Can You Get Prescribed Marijuana For Fibromyalgia Itching?
The first thing you need to ask when trying to get a prescription for medical marijuana is whether or not your state allows it. There are currently twenty-three states where doctors can prescribe it. So if you want to get a medical marijuana prescription, you have to first establish residency in that state with your doctor according to the law.
Then, all you have to do is discuss it with your doctor like you would any other condition. Your doctor will determine if medical marijuana is a good choice for you and then give you a prescription like with any drug.
Then you will have to go to a legally licensed dispensary to obtain your medication. Be careful when choosing a strain that you tell the staff if you are a first time user. The THC content varies substantially among different strains, and starting with too much THC can cause panic attacks which can be psychologically traumatizing.
With that being said, marijuana for medical purposes has been determined to be safe for most patients. Though people with pre-existing mental health conditions might want to think carefully before trying it.
Is Marijuana Effective For Other Symptoms Of Fibromyalgia?
Marijuana is gaining a lot of acceptance as an effective medical option for people with chronic pain diseases like fibromyalgia. And there’s a lot of evidence that THC-derived medications can be at least as effective as opioid pain relievers in treating fibromyalgia pain.
A study in Germany found that forty subjects with fibromyalgia reported significantly reduced pain after taking cannabis-based medications over the period of a month. So as far as chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia go, marijuana seems to be an effective treatment for a lot of people.
So if you’re suffering from the chronic pain of fibromyalgia without really finding an effective treatment, it might be worth considering medical marijuana.
But aa lot of people with diseases like fibromyalgia worry about using marijuana because they don’t want to take a psychoactive drug like marijuana. And that’s a valid concern. People who are likely to abuse drugs might worry that using medical marijuana might lead to addiction, which is more of a concern with marijuana than people in the media often argue. And using psychoactive drugs like marijuana always carries specific risks. Not to mention that some people simply don’t enjoy the feeling of being high.
And using psychoactive drugs like marijuana always carries specific risks. Not to mention that some people simply don’t enjoy the feeling of being high.
With that being said, medical marijuana can be used without getting you high, and thus it might still be worth a try if that’s a concern. It’s up to you to way the risks and benefits with your doctor. Be honest with your medical provider about your concerns and listen to their opinion about whether marijuana might be an effective treatment for your fibromyalgia itching.
But let us know, do you have fibromyalgia itching? What works for you? And is marijuana something that you think would be willing to try? Finally, if you have tried it, how did it go?
Let us know in the comments. Your experiences could really help people who suffer from chronic itching with their fibromyalgia.
We recently posted a couple of items regarding Lady Gaga’s recent announcements about her health, namely that she is suffering from fibromyalgia and has been given that diagnosis. We also reviewed her Netflix special with particular attention paid to the scenes in which she shows herself in pain. Some have even referred to it as the Lady Gaga Fibromyalgia show.
Because Lady Gaga is very famous–she’s arguably now the world’s most famous celebrity who has gone public with her fibromyalgia diagnosis–these articles understandably generate lots of interest. In fact, the three articles we’ve published have been the most-viewed in the history of the site. There’s no denying that people are interested in Lady Gaga, and people want to read about her illness. There’s no getting around it.
The topic is not without controversy, however. One of the most interesting topics of conversation around these articles is whether or not Lady Gaga really has fibromyalgia, or maybe it’s just generic chronic pain. It’s certainly confusing because, in the documentary, there’s a scene which in which she has what many people with fibro recognize as a flare-up, but the word “fibromyalgia” does not appear in the film. Lady Gaga herself seems keen to clear this confusion up, as she recently tweeted that the pain shown in the move is indeed fibromyalgia.
So I guess the question is, does it matter? It certainly matters to a lot of people. Fibromyalgia is a notoriously invisible illness, and people who have fibromyalgia have to suffer not only the pain and fatigue and confusion and all that comes with the disease but also the doubt and stigma from those who don’t understand. So in that sense, having a celebrity who is this visible come out with her diagnosis is helpful.
What do you think? Does it matter? Is it good for celebrities to be open about their health issues? Let us know in the comments.
How Effective is CBD oil for Fibromyalgia Treatment?
Written By: Tiffany Vance-Huffman
John
In a recent post regarding the use of medical marijuana for the treatment of fibromyalgia symptoms, comments were made regarding the helpfulness of a similar product called CBD oil (cannabidiol). What exactly is CBD oil and is it the same as medical grade marijuana? What exactly can it do for fibromyalgia?
Is It Legal?
The first thing you should know about CBD oil is that it is completely legal in the United States as long as it is made from industrial hemp rather than marijuana. It is viewed as a dietary supplement, similar to an herbal supplement such as Valerian Root which is commonly used by fibromyalgia patients to relieve insomnia and anxiety.
Some years ago I did medical transcription for a pediatric neurologist. Several parents whose children had epilepsy or seizure conditions asked the physician about the usefulness of CBD oil. Fibromyalgia patients often find themselves in the same boat as the children of these parents: the prescription pharmaceutical options usually have side effects that are too debilitating and unbearable. Thus, parents who were aware of the CBD oil treatment unequivocally preferred it over all of the prescription medication because it has no side effects. However, the physician always responded with the same answer, that he did not have any information about it and therefore was not willing to advise one way or another. While there have been a number of studies conducted on the efficacy of CBD oil for both epilepsy and fibromyalgia, it is apparently still not enough. That is why you will usually find the same disclaimer on CBD oil that you do for other supplements: “These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.”
Regardless of a lack of scientific data, fibromyalgia patients on nearly every online forum dedicated to the condition mention CBD oil and marijuana as highly effective treatments at one point or another. That means it merits our attention.
What is CBD oil anyway?
“CBD hemp oil is made from high-CBD, low-THC hemp, unlike medical marijuana products, which are usually made from plants with high concentrations of psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Because hemp contains only trace amounts of THC, these hemp oil products are non-psychoactive,” say the folks at Medical Marijuana Inc., a leader in prescription grade CBD products. They add that since CBD interacts with our naturally occurring systems and is not psychotropic, it will not cause a high like traditional marijuana. For those suffering from fibromyalgia who must also function daily with jobs, children, or other responsibilities, a non-psychotropic option may be just the key. Think of how often you’ve tried to function with prescription pharmaceuticals for fibro, but get knocked down by the side effects of grogginess or fatigue. CBD oil could also be a great alternative for those who do not wish to use medical marijuana for religious reasons, or for the majority who simply lack legal access.
CBD oil comes in many forms, such as lotion, tinctures, drops, vape oil, spray, chocolate bars, salve, capsules, cream, and is even available for pets in drops. In the fibromyalgia community, drops seem to be the number one choice while capsules come in second.
What will CBD oil do for my fibromyalgia?
Fibro patients report a variety of symptoms that are often treated with CBD oil, but remember that everyone is different. Nonetheless, it is worth trying because fibromyalgia patients report that it helps greatly with chronic pain, sleep, endurance, anxiety, depression, inflammation, muscle spasms, overall mental health and well-being, mood, and more. Occasionally you will find those who say that CBD oil does nothing for them. However, it should be noted that an FDA report shows that some hemp oils only contain very little CBD while others have no cannabinoids at all. That may explain why some fibromyalgia patients say they have no response to the oil at all. In other words, quality matters and it would be helpful to check out the report to see the relevant brands.
Where can I get CBD oil?
There are high quality CBD oil distributors all over the internet, including Amazon where you can check reviews by thousands of people and search for the highest rated products. Additionally, most local health food stores carry it in one or many ways. The key is to do your research by checking online sources and talking to fellow fibromyalgia patients to see what brands and distributors have been the most helpful. If you have found a particularly good brand, please share it with us and tell us how CBD oil has helped your fibromyalgia symptoms.
“Can you die from fibromyalgia?” It’s a question that a lot of fibro sufferers have probably asked when they were first diagnosed. And fibromyalgia is a painful, chronic disease that can make you feel sometimes like you might die. But in reality, can you die from fibromyalgia?
Can you die from fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is not itself life-threatening. That can be hard to believe given how bad it makes you feel. But the truth is that the symptoms of fibromyalgia, like muscle pain and fatigue, aren’t going to kill you.
The real danger from fibromyalgia is the fact that it is so often associated in sufferers with serious depression. The constant pain and fatigue, along with the sense that you aren’t getting support from friends or doctors, can make one feel like life isn’t worth living.
That’s part of why the rate of suicide among fibromyalgia sufferers is higher than among the average population. And while no one dies from their fibromyalgia directly, plenty of people with fibromyalgia have taken their own life.
So can you die from fibromyalgia? In a sense, yes.
How to cope with depression from fibromyalgia
The most important thing to remember when dealing with depression is that suicide is never a good choice. People with depression or chronic pain often feel like suicide will put an end to their pain, but the reality is that suicide doesn’t get rid of pain, it just gives it to the people who care about you.
And the truth is that while fibromyalgia isn’t curable, there are ways to better manage your pain. And new treatments and therapies are being invented every day. It’s entirely possible that you will one day find a treatment that works for your fibromyalgia. But only if you’re still alive.
Remember that it’s important to find someone to talk to about your feelings. And there are lots of professionals who can offer you effective help for chronic depression.
But if someone you love has fibromyalgia, be on the lookout for signs that they are forming suicidal thoughts. Talk of suicide is the most obvious sign. But if they begin reaching out to other people who they haven’t talked to in a long time (to say goodbye) or if they make arrangements for their deaths or if they begin engaging in reckless behavior like drinking or drugs, then there is a chance they are suicidal.
In that situation, make sure that you talk to them about their feelings. And get them help if they need it. Someone who is suicidal will be unlikely to seek help on their own. Many people with serious depression feel that there is no point.
Just remember that fibromyalgia is a manageable disease. And that the real danger is a fibromyalgia sufferer taking their own life. So be vigilant and proactive about managing depression as you would any other fibromyalgia symptom.
Nearly 100 Volcanoes Discovered Under Antarctic Ice Sheet
Written By: Chuck Bednar
Brian Galloway
Nearly 100 previously unknown volcanoes, some of which are more than 12,000 feet tall, have been discovered hidden more than a mile beneath the extensive ice sheets of western Antarctica, according to researchers from the University of Edinburgh’s School of Geosciences.
Using data from a digital elevation model known as Bedmap 2 DEM and radar imaging to create a surface elevation model, the scientists located 91 undiscovered volcanoes, The Verge explained on Sunday. It is not known how many, or if any, of the new volcanoes are currently active.
If any of them are active, study author Robert Bingham cautioned, there could potentially be dire consequences. “If one of these volcanoes were to erupt,” he explained to The Guardian, “it could further destabilize west Antarctica’s ice sheets. Anything that causes the melting of ice – which an eruption certainly would – is likely to speed up the flow of ice into the sea.”
Active volcanoes could further destabilize of the ice sheet
Using their surface elevation model, Bingham’s team searched for mounds that were at least 328 feet (100 meters) tall and met a specific length-to-width ratio benchmark, which they categorized as a probable volcanic core, The Verge said. Next, they further evaluated the candidates to gauge how confident they were that each structure was actually a volcano, the website added.
Ultimately, they came up with a list of 178 cone-shaped structures, 138 of which were believed to be volcanic in nature. Those volcanoes range in size from 328 feet (100 meters) to more than 12,600 feet (3,850 meters) tall, with cones ranging from two to 40 miles in diameter. Ninety-one of those cones had not been previously identified, the researchers noted, and are part of what has been dubbed the West Antarctic Rift System.
“We were amazed,” Bingham told The Guardian. “We had not expected to find anything like that number. We have almost triped the number of volcanoes known to exist in west Antarctica. We also suspect there are even more on the bed of the sea that lies under the Ross ice shelf, so that I think it is very likely this region will turn out to be the densest region of volcanoes in the world.”
In fact, the authors reported that the density of the volcanoes is nearly one per 4,800 square miles of land – making it comparable to the East African Rift, which has one volcano per 4,500 square miles, according to The Verge. More to the point, the discovery could be bad news, the scientists warn. If even one of these volcanoes erupt, it could further destabilize the ice sheet, causing even more meltwater to flow into the nearby ocean and triggering a rise in sea level.
“It is something we will have to watch closely,” Bingham told The Guardian.
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Cryotherapy is used by people to help reduce inflammation, and there are claims that this treatment improves circulation, boosts the immune system, increase energy, increases weight loss, and reduce the signs of aging. Cryotherapy is being used and researched as a treatment for Fibromyalgia, and it is having promising results. Here is a look at the science behind whole body cryotherapy for treating fibromyalgia.
Cryotherapy started in Japan and uses a device called a cryosauna. For the procedure, a patient stands in a chamber with their head sticking out the top, and they wear socks and gloves. A fog of liquid nitrogen is pumped into the chamber through special compressors, lowering the temperature to -100∘ C (-148∘ F) or below for 2-3 minutes. Participants report higher energy and reduced pain.
The most obvious result of cryotherapy is a reduction in inflammation, similar to icing an injured part of the body. However, fibromyalgia is not a disease of inflammation, so how would this therapy be beneficial in treating fibro? Firstly, we do know that fibromyalgia is caused by an overactive nervous system and that inflammation causes pain. So the idea is that, on a simple level, reducing inflammation may help to reduce the pain that nerves are receiving. Additionally, submitting the body to extreme cold causes the body to react as though it was being attacked by extreme cold. Blood concentrates around the core and the organs, and the body produces special proteins, called cytokines, that help the body repair the damage and reproduce cells despite the cold. The benefits of this are regulation of pain, repair of damaged tissue, and increased circulation.
There have been several studies of the effects of whole body cryotherapy on fibromyalgia, specifically. The conclusions of these studies are positive and report that Cryotherapy can be a very beneficial addition to a treatment regimen for fibro. Most of the participants of the studies reported reduced pain and improved energy and quality of life after the treatment. There are not a lot of these studies, and most use a small sample size and recommend more research. It is important to note that the FDA has not approved the use of cryosaunas, and they have even released warnings against some of the claims that are made about what cryotherapy can do. However, the limited studies definitely seem to show a benefit in fibro patients symptoms.
The use of whole body cryotherapy to treat fibromyalgia seems to have a promising outlook. Since the treatment is not an approved medical treatment by the FDA, the treatments are not covered by most insurance. Cryotherapy facilities usually charge between $60-75 per treatment, and most offer reduced rates when you sign up for several at a time or sign up for a membership that offers unlimited treatments. It is important to discuss adding whole body cryotherapy to your treatment plan with your doctor before trying it.
We hope that you will take a closer look at whole body cryotherapy as part of your treatment regimen for fibro. Have you tried cryotherapy? Please tell us about your results in the comments section.
Fibromyalgia Treating is now part of the RedOrbit.com community!
We are excited to announce that FibromyalgiaTreating.com is now part of RedOrbit.com. All of the same great people, writers and editors but now with more firepower. We now have access to an enormous amount of additional research information
from doctors and scientists. We can now extend to other conditions that may be part of your everyday lives and help you on a broad level if that is what you need. We are here for you and now, better than ever so sit back and enjoy
the new Fibromyalgia Treating by RedOrbit!
