Let's Talk Fibromyalgia

Let’s talk fibromyalgia.  Many people have heard of the term fibromyalgia, but do not know what it is or what its symptoms are.

Fibromyalgia is defined as a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, this pain is accompanied by fatigue, sleep, mood and memory disorders.  It is believed that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals.

Symptoms sometimes begin after a physical trauma, surgery, infection or significant psychological stress. In other cases, symptoms gradually accumulate over time with no single triggering event. 


Women are much more likely to develop fibromyalgia than are men. Many people who have fibromyalgia also have tension headaches, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety and depression. 


While there is no cure for fibromyalgia, a variety of medications can help control symptoms. Exercise, relaxation and stress-reduction measures also may help. 


Symptoms:

The pain associated with fibromyalgia often is described as a constant dull ache, typically arising from muscles. To be considered widespread, the pain must occur on both sides of your body and above and below your waist. 

Fibromyalgia is characterized by additional pain when firm pressure is applied to specific areas of your body, called tender points. Tender point locations include:

• Back of the head
• Between shoulder blades
• Top of shoulders
• Front sides of neck
• Upper chest
• Outer elbows
• Upper hips
• Sides of hips
• Inner knees                                          
  
  
  Fatigue and sleep disturbances 
  People with fibromyalgia often awaken tired, even though they report sleeping for long periods of time. Sleep is frequently disrupted by pain, and many patients with fibromyalgia have other sleep disorders, such as restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea, that further worsen symptoms. 

 Coexisting conditions

Many people who have fibromyalgia also may have:

• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Endometriosis
• Headaches
• Irritable bowel syndrome 
  Causes:

Doctors don't know what causes fibromyalgia, but it most likely involves a variety of factors working together. These may include:

• Genetics. Because fibromyalgia tends to run in families, there may be certain genetic mutations that may make you more susceptible to developing the disorder.
• Infections. Some illnesses appear to trigger or aggravate fibromyalgia.
• Physical or emotional trauma. Post-traumatic stress disorder has been linked to fibromyalgia.

Source of information:  Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/fibromyalgia/basics/definition/con-20019243

 I cannot pinpoint when exactly my fibromyalgia began, but looking back I believe I started having symptoms in my teen years.  I had no idea what was going on with my body as I thought that pain was just a normal part of life and I believed that everybody, especially in my field, lived in pain.  Boy was I wrong.  If you are in pain, something, somewhere in your body is wrong and your body is telling you that.  Most people can identify their pain to a particular reason or event that led up to it, there is always a cause.  I just thought my pain was because I worked on my feet all of the time, lifted boxes, ran around and worked hard.  Sure, I would bet that is where some of the pain came from, but even after I stopped doing those things, the pain remained and is still here.  Along with the widespread pain, I suffer from terrible migraines, fatigue, anxiety, depression, a sleep disorder and GI problems.  The worst part about fibromyalgia is the fact that there is no cure and I take a pile of medication every day to try to relieve all of these symptoms.  

Medication is not the only solution to easing the pain of fibromyalgia, I have found other, more natural ways of dealing with the illness.  One example would be physical therapies such as water therapy, myofacial release therapy or acupuncture. 

Diet plays an important role when living a life with fibromyalgia, I have found that following an inflammation free diet without wheat, gluten, sugar or dairy have worked the best at combating pain and migraines.  A great book to refer to is the Inflammation Free Diet Plan by Monica Reinagel.  Superfoods and aloe drinks are also highly recommended for pain.

Relaxation techniques are also crucial when you have fibromyalgia.  Try meditation, guided imagery or yoga on a daily basis to relax the mind and the body.  Regular monthly therapeutic massage treatments can also be beneficial.  Heat can also work to help relax the muscles, I almost live with my heating pad.

Anti-Inflammatory essential oils may also prove to be beneficial; oils such as lavender, myrrh, patchouli, rosemary, rosewood, spruce, thyme, or wintergreen.  These oils can be infused in the air or applied to the skin when diluted with a carrier oil.

Not everything works for everyone and the above suggestions are just that, suggestions from what has worked for me.  I have good days and I have bad days no matter what I am doing to improve my daily life; just because these things have worked for me does not mean that they will work for you, every case is different.  

I hope that the above information has helped you to better understand fibromyalgia and given you some ideas on how to cope with it if you or someone you know is living with the condition.  As always, your thoughts are welcome.