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Edited by: Steven Henderson
Tags: fibromyalgia, fibromyalgia symptoms, fibromyalgia treatment, what is fibromyalgia, fibromyalgia diet
Do you suffer from widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and occasional memory or mood issues? If you do, you’re not alone, because the symptoms I just described are most commonly associated with a condition known as fibromyalgia and approximately ten million Americans suffer with it every day.
Fibromyalgia is a condition which does not discriminate amongst ethnic backgrounds and sadly, if you are a woman you will be more likely to develop it. However, the condition does affect men and sometimes even children. Fibromyalgia (FM) is often described as a debilitating, chronic pain that quickly causes your quality of life to plummet. It is also worth noting that fibromyalgia is a condition which is generally not understood very well within the medical community and this in itself can lead to major frustration, depression and anxiety when seeking help or answers.
What is Fibromyalgia?
The most simple way to explain fibromyalgia is to say that it is a complex disorder whose central characteristic is chronic pain.
How does it work?
Researchers have discovered that fibromyalgia can increase pain sensations by affecting the way our brain processes pain signals.
Quick aside…is this ringing any alarm bells yet? Why would our brain WANT to increase our experience of pain? And why do depression, anxiety, tension headaches, fatigue, mood swings and irritable bowel syndrome tend to pop up in in the same conversations? If you are starting to think that this sounds like a lifestyle and diet issue, you wouldn’t be too far off.
See, modern life is not always a user friendly experience and many people fall victim to its sometimes overpowering consequences, which are frequently manifested in conditions like fatigue, anxiety and depression. Things like poor diet, spending two hours driving to and from a job we hate in murderous traffic, lack of money, dysfunctional family relationships, psychological trauma, constant stress…the list could go on forever and it all results in our lives becoming very unbalanced, to the point where physical symptoms actually begin to attack us.
It’s almost as if life is planned out for us in such a way that there is no way to avoid the situations described above and the distressing physical symptoms that stalk us.
So just what is fibromyalgia and how do we know if we might have it – and most importantly what can we do treat and avoid this debilitating condition? In spite of all the bad news, we do have some positive options to consider to improve the situation.
Fibromylagia Symptoms
FM pain is typically described as a dull ache coming from the muscles. The pain is usually spread through the upper and lower sections of the body, as well as both sides…bascially, an all-over pain. In addition to this dull ache, increased pain usually occurs when pressure is applied to ‘tender points’ such as:
* Back of the head
* Between the shoulder blades
* Top of the shoulders
* Front sides of the neck
* Upper chest
* Outer elbows
* Upper hips
* Sides of the hips
* Inner knees
Additional Symptoms
These can include fatigue, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, anxiety, depression, endometriosis, headaches and irritable bowel syndrome.
What Causes Fibromyalgia?
The really interesting thing is that doctors do not actually know what causes FM and the best they can come up with is that a combination of genetic factors, infections and physical/emotional trauma…in other words, it could be one thing or it could be the combination of a dozen things – they have no idea!
Why The Pain?
The current thinking is that fibromyalgia sufferers, who are mostly women, have a low pain threshold and their brain receptors remember the signals, becoming more sensitive and thereby overreacting to pain. I for one, find that theory more than a little insulting and it proves just how much of a misunderstood condition fibromyalgia really is!
Fibromyalgia Diagnosis
To be officially diagnosed with FM you must have experienced widespread pain for three months or more and have eleven out of eighteen tender points, as well as have no other underlying condition which could cause the pain.
Treatments
Drugs
The drugs most commonly used to treat fibromyalgia include analgesics, anti-depressants and anti-seizure drugs. Considering that doctors still do not know what causes fibromyalgia, it is not surprising that this huge variety in drug treatments is the best they can do.
Lifestyle, Self-Care and Home Remedies
With this approach, the emphasis is on minimizing symptoms and improving general health/ It is considered a critical element in managing fibromyalgia. The most important elements of this approach include reducing and/or dealing with stress through stress management techniques, establishing routine sleep patterns which include adequate night-time sleep and not napping in the daytime, ensuring regular exercise, pacing yourself and most importantly of all, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and diet. The importance of a healthy diet cannot be stressed enough because so often it impacts who we are and what we are.
Meditation and yoga are widely practiced these days and are routinely used to manage pain and stress, particularly in relation to chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia. Massage therapy and acupuncture can also provide relief and massage in particular is beneficial because it can assist in increasing the production of your body’s natural painkillers, as well as help relieve anxiety and stress.
Traditional Therapy
Counseling sessions can also help to strengthen your belief in yourself and your abilities, assisting you in learning effective stress-reduction strategies.
Diet
The importance of following a healthy diet cannot be underestimated and the old saying ‘we are what we eat’ could not be more true when it comes to fibromyalgia. While this condition cannot be cured or prevented, it can most certainly be managed to a point where pain is no longer an issue, allowing you to have a life once again. Diet is a huge part of this and eating your way to better health has never been more true. Now some doctors and nutritionists go to the extreme, eliminating all sugar, MSG, aspartame, and carbonation; but is all that really necessary?
Doctors have admitted they don’t even know what causes fibromyalgia, yet they prescribe a diet that is not only insanely restrictive but impossible to follow long-term. Can you imagine spending the rest of your life trying to avoid sugar, MSG, and carbonation?
Wow!
I think a much better solution is putting some time into researching a list of foods that don’t trigger your fibromyalgia attacks, as this is a venture that will give you a sense of control while you’re doing it and provide you with a list of triggers to help sort out a possible cause when you’re done.
In any case, before you start any fibromyalgia treatment plan, make sure your doctor is fully aware and make sure he lists you as healthy enough to begin your road to a better life.
You can do it…I promise!
