A detailed guide to understanding Fibromyalgia symptoms, early warning signs, and how they are diagnosed.
People with fibromyalgia often ask, “Is fibromyalgia genetic?” It’s a hard question to answer, especially when little is known about how fibromyalgia works. But it’s something that could be relevant to getting the best possible treatment. So let’s look at the evidence. Is fibromyalgia genetic? If you have fibromyalgia, there’s a good chance that you know someone in your family who also has it. According to research, fibromyalgia does tend to run in families. And that implies…
Fibromyalgia symptoms can mask the presence of chronic inflammatory disease affecting the joints of the pelvis and spine, according to new research. The study, titled “Prevalence of Axial Spondyloarthritis Among Patients With Fibromyalgia: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study With Application of the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society Classification Criteria,” was published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research. It highlights the importance of vigilant management of fibromyalgia symptoms by doctors and patients, taking into account the possible underlying presence of inflammatory…
According to a study titled “Lengthened Cutaneous Silent Period in Fibromyalgia Suggesting Central Sensitization as a Pathogenesis” and published in the journal PLOS One, dysfunction in spinal cord processing may be responsible for pain in fibromyalgia (FM) patients. Among other side effects, Fibromyalgia is portrayed by chronic widespread pain, but the root cause that is responsible for chronic pain in FM is still vague. A recent study has shown that for fibromyalgia pathogenesis, central pain…
As anyone with fibromyalgia knows, there are times when symptoms are more acute and intense than normal. These times are commonly known as fibromyalgia flares (or flare-ups). Fibromyalgia flares can last anywhere from one day to several weeks at a time and often have a trigger associated with them. Understanding the common triggers of fibromyalgia flares can help sufferers develop a strategy to lessen the number of occurrences in the future. #1 – Weather Changes Many fibromyalgia…
Fibromyalgia has long baffled both medical professionals and sufferers. Branded as a neurological syndrome characterized by chronic pain, fatigue, and cognitive dysfunction, fibromyalgia has defied precise categorization and treatment. However, emerging evidence introduces a compelling and often-overlooked player in this painful puzzle: fascia, the connective tissue that blankets every inch of our internal architecture. Could it be that the discomfort fibromyalgia patients endure—those deep, radiating aches and that crawling, prickling sensation beneath the skin known…
Many fibro patients suffer from a condition called Costochondritis, apart from common symptoms of fibromyalgia. In this condition, wearing a bra becomes difficult and sometimes even becomes impossible because it causes pain in the rib cage and breasts. Wearing the right bra can reduce the pain significantly if you are suffering from Costochondritis. What is Costochondritis? Inflammation of the cartilage that links the ribs to the breast bone is Costochondritis. It is very sudden and…
Dysphagia is a medical term that means that a patient has difficulty swallowing. There are a number of different conditions that can cause dysphagia. And someone who suffers from dysphagia often finds that it makes life very difficult. Depending on their condition, swallowing can be very painful, which makes eating and getting enough nutrition a challenge. And what’s even more alarming is that many people with fibromyalgia report having problems with dysphagia. So, what are some of the…
Light and noise sensitivity in fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) have been scientifically established since the early 1990s, but they’re still underrecognized and rarely make symptoms lists. Rest assured that you’re not alone in experiencing this symptom! When I used to take my kids to daycare, some mornings the noise would hit me like a brick wall. In an instant, I’d have pain, nausea, dizziness, trembling, and a looming panic attack. More than once, I had to…
In 2014, a survey of more than 1,300 fibromyalgia patients by the National Pain Foundation and National Pain Report found medical marijuana is more effective than Lyrica, Cymbalta, or Savella, the three drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat the disorder. (If you’re curious about the effectiveness of Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Savella, then you might be interested in my post, “Why your fibro meds aren’t working.”) There’s growing anecdotal evidence that marijuana relieves fibromyalgia pain,…
Gluten has been liked to more than 55 diseases and is often called the ‘big masquerader’. The reason for this is that the majority of symptoms of gluten intolerance are not digestive in nature but rather neurological such as pain, cognitive impairment, sleep disturbances, behavioral issues, fatigue, and depression. Adrenal Fatigue:Adrenal fatigue is a result of chronic stress whether real or perceived. Chronic pain is a stress to the adrenal glands, though typically not the…