A comprehensive look at Fibromyalgia pain, its symptoms, triggers, and effective strategies to manage and alleviate discomfort.
“Nothing vivifies, and nothing kills, like emotions”, Joseph Roux It’s almost the end of December already and I missed writing a blog in November. Seems I was trying to recover from the many crises (or at least perceived crises) in my life. The physiotherapist (Nick) said my nervous system was “completely exhausted” and to rest. For the past few weeks things have finally quieted down and I am having Feldenkrais movement treatments/activities (I am somewhat certain…
Several years ago I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. I was treated with various drugs including methotrexate. The drugs did not really help, but I did have some side effects from them. Recently I obtained a second opinion from a different NHS Trust. I was told that I did not suffer, nor had I ever suffered, from rheumatoid arthritis. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I believe that my current diagnosis is correct and that I…
This is an assignment for my disability studies course in my social work program. The purpose of the assignment is to identify different models of disability in the media by reviewing a news article. This one looks at the construction of the ‘supercrip’ (super cripple) who ‘overcomes his/her disability. Let me know what you think of this image – inspiring or unrealistic? Learning Activity 3.1 The article I chose for this Learning Activity describes how…
Mechanized “smart” undergarments may be the answer to back pain, according to researchers. The Vanderbilt University engineers have created an undergarment that eases stress on the low back and activates only when a wearer needs it. “I’m sick of Tony Stark [the fictional Iron Man] and Bruce Wayne [Batman’s alter ego] being the only ones with performance-boosting supersuits. We, the masses, want our own,” Karl Zelik, principal investigator on the project, quipped in a university…
The most common way to control pain is with oral medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nsaids) or opioids. Some people don’t respond to these medications, though, while others are unable to tolerate oral pain medications. Nerve blocks are another way of treating pain with medication, but nerve blocks are injected, which increases efficacy and reduces the likelihood of other side effects. Nerve block injections allow the delivery of pain-relieving medication directly to the location…
A herniated disc is one of the most painful, debilitating lower back pain conditions. The pain caused by herniated disc is different for each person who experiences it and can even change as the condition progresses. Because this condition can be unpredictable, a herniated disc treatment that works can also vary from person to person. Here’s how to treat a herniated disc. What is a herniated disc? The spine consists of 33 individual vertebrae, each stacked…
You may suffer from bruxism if you have an aching jaw, pounding headaches, and episodes of TMJ. It is easy to fix it but you need to understand the having bruxism symptoms and fibromyalgia together, as it will help you in having a better life. What bruxism is? It is a clinical term for gnashing and grinding of teeth. Usually, it occurs while you are sleeping at night, although there are some people who experience…
Have you ever noticed it takes you a couple of days to recover from a stressful event or over-exertion? A 48-hour recovery period is something you commonly hear about from people with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. We don’t yet know why we need a couple of days to recover from … well, just about anything, but a lot of chronic fatigue syndrome research is focusing on post-exertional malaise—the intensified fatigue and flare of other symptoms following exercise. Several…
Chronic pain is increasingly rampant today.However, chronic pain and chronic diseases are often invisible. In many cases, there are no plasters, visible rashes, or nasal discharge involved.Those who suffer from chronic pain often appear “normal”, perhaps a little more fragile or sad than average.I suffered from chronic headaches for four and a half years and chronic hip pain for two and a half years.He often seemed depressed, disinterested and angry, when I was simply in…
Anger is a very common emotion, particularly for people suffering from fibromyalgia. It is a natural, human reaction and yet it doesn’t get an awful lot of attention as a side effect to chronic pain. It’s one thing to accept our anger, but it’s another to let that anger consume us and let it impact our lives and the lives of others. It can be difficult to draw that line when you feel enraged by…