An in-depth guide on Fibromyalgia, covering its symptoms, causes, treatments, and tips for managing this chronic condition effectively.
The unexplained pain experienced by patients with fibromyalgia is the result of a mismatch between sensory and motor systems, new research suggests. In a study published in the journal Rheumatology, researchers asked patients to look at a reflection of one arm whilst moving their other in a different direction which was hidden behind the mirror. This created a mismatch between what the brain sees via sensory input and what it feels through the motor system that controls movement.…
Fibromyalgia, a painful condition affecting approximately 10 million people in the U.S., is not imaginary after all, as some doctors have believed. A discovery, published this month in PAIN MEDICINE (the journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine), clearly now demonstrates that fibromyalgia may have a rational biological basis located in the skin. Fibromyalgia is a severely debilitating affliction characterized by widespread deep tissue pain, tenderness in the hands and feet, fatigue, sleep disorders, and cognitive decline. However, routine…
A new study from the U.K. shows that oscillations, or variations, in specific brain waves seem to correlate with fibromyalgia (FM) pain symptoms and fatigue in a small group of female patients. Findings from the study, “Altered theta oscillations in resting EEG of fibromyalgia syndrome patients,” can be found in the European Journal of Pain. Previous studies have shown that fibromyalgia as well as other chronic pain conditions can affect brain activity. However, many of the experimental studies…
As if muscle pain and tissue tenderness weren’t enough, many fibromyalgia patients must also put up with a variety of digestive problems on a daily basis. The pain and discomfort can get so bad you don’t know where to begin to find relief, and you may simply give up on a comfortable lifestyle. If this sounds familiar, know you’re not alone: up to 70 percent of fibro sufferers also suffer from irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, including gas…
Are you plagued by chronic lower back, buttock, or leg pain? Chances are it’s radiating from your sciatic nerves, which run from your lower back down to your legs. The symptoms can be frustrating, ranging from numbness to outright pain in the affected areas. When you go to your doctor for treatment, they’re likely to prescribe pain medications, pat you on the back and tell you to continue with your day-to-day activities. But not only…
Despite the claims of some government agencies, research has shown that the overwhelming majority of addictions do not start with a prescription, and most opioid prescriptions do not cause addiction. When 58-year-old Zyp Czyk* had a serious mountain biking accident in June, she refused to go to the emergency room even though her injuries knocked her out cold and her husband pleaded for her to seek help. Instead, Czyk slept for two days—contrary to the…
One of the worst things about fibromyalgia, besides the chronic pain and fatigue, has to be the way that people who suffer from fibromyalgia are at risk of so many other conditions like autoimmune diseases and especially, chronic headaches. It’s estimated that up to forty percent of people with fibromyalgia suffer from migraines or some other form of a persistent headache. But like fibromyalgia, it’s hard to get to the bottom of what’s causing your headaches.…
Fibromyalgia is typically characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, inability to get refreshing sleep, waking up tired and stiff, and developing cognitive disturbances including lack of concentration and clumsiness, dizziness, etc. Fibromyalgia syndrome is a chronic and long-term condition that has no cure. About 10 million people are currently diagnosed with this disorder. Although 9 out of 10 people diagnosed are women, men also get this disorder. Fibromyalgia association with other conditions Studies…
Sometimes prescription drugs are warranted in acute conditions and can save lives. But more often than not, prescription drugs for chronic health conditions can actually deteriorate your health in the long run, and many people are overprescribed drugs that cover up the underlying health issue found in their lifestyle or diet choices. There are some major downfalls of relying on pills for a chronic condition. Western medicine tends to focus on managing and suppressing individual symptoms…
If there’s one thing someone with fibromyalgia knows, it’s pain. After all, anyone living with the kind of chronic, excruciating pain that fibromyalgia causes quickly finds that their life becomes all about it. But did you know that there are actually several different types of pain? Doctors spend a lot of their time trying to help people in pain. And they’ve developed a system for classifying it over the years. One of these categories is something called “visceral…