Fibromyalgia

Immune Abnormalities

Fibromyalgia has symptoms that resemble those of some rheumatic illnesses, including rheumatoid arthritis and lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus). These are autoimmune diseases in which a defective immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own healthy tissue, producing inflammation and damage. The pain in fibromyalgia, however, does not appear to be due to autoimmune factors, and there is little evidence to support a role for an inflammatory response in fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia and Sleep

For people with fibromyalgia, the combination of pain and sleep disturbance is a double-edged sword: the pain makes sleep more difficult and sleep deprivation exacerbates pain. The good news is that reduction in sleep disturbance is usually followed by improvement in pain symptoms. This also highlights the importance of healthy sleep and to find a sleep professional in treating this disease.

For People Who Have Both Fibromyalgia And A Thyroid Condition

There are many people who have both fibromyalgia AND a thyroid condition.  For these people, the process is typically the same, as the goal will be to find the underlying cause of these conditions through the necessary testing (Adrenal Stress Index, Hormone Panel, Hair Analysis, tests for nutritional deficiencies, etc.), and then address these causes as necessary.  I’ve consulted with people who had fibromyalgia who were taking over one dozen medications.  And in many of these cases the medication did a poor job of managing their symptoms.  This isn’t meant to criticize anyone who takes prescription drugs to manage the pain and other symptoms, but for those taking numerous medications and are still feeling terrible, following a natural treatment protocol just may be the answer of getting your life back.

Fibromyalgia is a musculoskeletal disorder that is characterized by widespread pain in the musculoskeletal system, followed with fatigue and sleep problems. Though fibromyalgia and joint pain (rheumatoid arthritis) are different kinds of conditions, the symptoms are similar which sometimes make people confused. The Arthritis Foundation considers that fibromyalgia is a condition which is related to arthritis. Though in fact, arthritis and fibromyalgia have different symptoms. Knowing about this difference will help you get the best help for each condition as early as possible.

The biggest difference of fibromyalgia and arthritis is inflammation. The key symptom of rheumatoid arthritis is joint inflammation. However, fibromyalgia and inflammation are two things that don’t relate with each other. Yes, the pain in joints and muscles experienced by fibromyalgia sufferers is not caused by inflammation. It means that, the joints of fibromyalgia sufferers are not damaged, like in the case of rheumatoid arthritis. Instead of inflammation, the key symptoms that affect fibromyalgia sufferers are muscle and tissue pain throughout the body and sleep problems as well as fatigue.

The symptoms of fibromyalgia and hip pain may also be confusing to some people. However, the difference is actually noticeable. In hip pain, it is only hip which is in pain. In fibromyalgia, the pain is widespread. It means that the sufferers of fibromyalgia can feel the neck pain, shoulder pain, arm pain, and pain in other parts of the body. The pain may get worse after you do some physical activities.

The same with hip pain, people often confused about the symptoms of fibromyalgia and leg pain. The explanation will be the same. In leg pain, the pain is only felt in the leg area. In fibromyalgia, the pain is widespread, from the neck to the feet. However, it is possible that you feel the pain in your feet is more painful than in other parts of the body. This is actually what makes people confused. Having a diagnosis will help you get the best help for you condition.

Fibromyalgia is one of the most debilitating types of musculoskeletal disorder. This condition is characterized by widespread pain in the musculoskeletal area, which is also accompanied by mood issues, sleep disorder, and fatigue. Fatigue and fibromyalgia are often taught to be the same. In fact, the fibromyalgia fatigue is chronic and persistent. Some may describe the fatigue like the one you experience when you have flu. The fatigue is also exhausting and crippling. Even after hours of sleep, you will feel this fatigue when you wake up.

Experts say that fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue share some similarities, one of which is the ongoing and debilitating fatigue, causing the sufferer in some cases unable to continue working or doing their activities. The difference lays on the fact that the fatigue in fibromyalgia is widespread. The sufferer on fibromyalgia may find relief by having some daytime nap, on good days. But on bad days, multiple rest periods will fail to give relief to any kind of chronic fatigue and exhaustion that the sufferer feels.

One of the symptoms of fibromyalgia is abdominal pain. This is why many people often fail to differentiate fibromyalgia and abdominal pain. Many times, people think that the abdominal pain they suffer is just the usual abdominal pain, and not fibromyalgia. Many doctors may also have some diagnosis mistakes, the case of which many fibromyalgia sufferers experience at the beginning the occurrence of the symptoms. The abdominal pain may also be diagnosed as other types of diseases, like PCOS, Graves Disease, and Hashimotos.

Experts say that fibromyalgia and IBS (irritated bowel syndrome) are connected. The fibromyalgia abdominal pain is believed to be caused by the IBS. The IBS causes some problems to the stomach, including cramps, constipation, bloating, and diarrhea. However, other experts believe that the abdominal pain and discomfort may be caused the abnormal sensory processing. Yes, fibromyalgia affect the way the brain process the pain signal, which amplifies the pain. This can explain why many fibromyalgia sufferers feel extreme pain in other parts of the body, including the abdomen.

Fibromyalgia is a condition is which the sufferer feels extreme and widespread pain in their musculoskeletal systems. The sufferers usually also experience fatigue and other problems with their memory, sleep, and mood. When a person suffers from this disorder, the brain activity is affected, causing the pain to feel more painful. The disorders can be caused by many factors, such as physical trauma, certain kinds of psychological stress, infection, and surgery. Fibromyalgia seems to be a disease that is not popularly known. The conditions and symptoms are sometimes similar with other kind of disease, except the fact that the pain is extreme and widespread. Many questions have been asked about this. And among those many questions asked about fibromyalgia, one of the most frequently asked is “can men have fibromyalgia?”

If you want the answer of the question “can men get fibromyalgia”, the answer will be yes, they can. Although in fact women are more often diagnosed with fibromyalgia then men, it is not impossible that men can get fibromyalgia too. It depends on what kinds of triggering factors that the men experience. If he has undergone a surgery that can cause widespread pain, it is possible that he will suffer from this disorder. So, it is better than men doesn’t take this disorder for granted. Anytime you feel any kind of pain, especially the widespread one, just go to doctor and get yourself examined.

Another question asked is “can you get fibromyalgia at any age?”. Actually, the risk factor of fibromyalgia does not depend on the age. If you are young but you have a family history of fibromyalgia, you will be more likely to suffer from this disease than elder people. Other kinds of disease like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus and other kinds of rheumatic disease, you will also be more likely to develop fibromyalgia than the elder who are free from the rheumatic disease. So, if you think you are young and free from this disorder, don’t be too proud. Get yourself examined if you feel any pain.

Do you ever know anything about fibromyalgia? Fibromyalgia is a kind of musculoskeletal disorder that is characterized widespread pain in the musculoskeletal area. The sufferer can also experience fatigue and some problems with sleeping, memory, and mood. The brain of the sufferer of fibromyalgia is affected, disturbing the signal processing, which further strengthens the pain. This condition can occur after a person underwent a surgery. Some physical trauma and psychological stress can also trigger the symptoms. The sufferer of fibromyalgia can also experience headache, TMJ disorder, anxiety, and depression.

You can learn all about fibromyalgia from books that you can borrow from library. You can also learn about this musculoskeletal disorder via internet. No matter where you get the information, the more knowledge you have about this disease, the easier your reaction is when you face any symptoms. Talking about symptoms, the symptoms of fibromyalgia that can occur include long-lasting dull pain on many parts of your body, feeling tired when waking up, lacking of ability to focus, and pain or cramping in the lower part of the abdomen.

Many people have been asking ‘can fibromyalgia be cured?’ In many cases, doctors will prescribe medication as the cure for fibromyalgia. The most common prescribe medications are pain relievers which include acetaminophen, naproxen sodium, and ibuprofen. Some addictive drugs are prohibited to use to avoid any dependence. To relieve fatigue, doctors may also prescribe antidepressants. In certain cases, anti-seizure drug is also given to the patient to help relieve the pain.

Many people also have some dietary changes to help the healing process of fibromyalgia. It is believed that certain foods will help cure the disease and other foods can worsen the condition. The best diet for fibromyalgia includes any food rich in vitamin D, fish, and some vegetables.

When talking about fibromyalgia muscle pain relief, many if not all fibromyalgia patients must ever be recommended for pain relievers. Although approved, all those drugs can cause side effects. One of the medicine doctors often prescribe for fibromyalgia is Lyrica. Lyrica is usually used for patients with seizures, pain from shingles, and nerve pain from diabetes and spinal cord injuries. Lyrica is a drug that target nerve signals. And since fibromyalgia is caused by nerve-related changes, Lyrica is believed to be able to improve fibromyalgia symptoms. However, Lyrica can have side effects, especially if consumed in high dose and at prolonged time. The side effects include sleepiness, dizziness (mild to moderate), weight gain, dry mouth, blurred vision, and swelling on hands and feet. Allergic reactions may also rarely occur.

Another fibromyalgia relief drug that is approved is Savella, which is a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). Savella works by increasing levels of neurotransmitters, which can help ease pain and fatigue. The potential side effect that most often occurs is nausea. Other side effects of Savella include dizziness, constipation, vomiting, insomnia, excessive sweating, dry mouth, increased heart rate, and high blood pressure.

Afraid of the potential side effects of those kinds of medications, many fibromyalgia patients and family try to find help for fibromyalgia pain that does not cause dangerous and significant side effects. Some people opt to consume dietary supplements to treat the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Stress can worsen the condition of fibromyalgia, so increasing the level of serotonin can help better the mood. One supplement that is proven to help ease anxiety, insomnia, fibromyalgia pain, and morning stiffness is 5-HTP. Since low level of magnesium is also linked with fibromyalgia, many people also try to take magnesium supplements. Another supplement is the one containing melatonin, which helps to improve sleep and ease fibromyalgia pain.

Acupuncture and massage are among the alternative ways to help fibromyalgia. In traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture was used to rebalance the flow of energy through our body. In medical world, acupuncture is often used to increase blood flow and produce body’s natural painkillers, which is why it is common for people with fibromyalgia to take acupuncture. Another alternative is massage to reduce muscle tension and improve circulation, as well as producing natural pain killers.