You have spent months, may be even years trying to understand what your body is feeling. You go to countless doctors and health care professionals to find one that finally says you have fibromyalgia. Now you want to know exactly what is this disease? Let’s dive in today to discover the painful coop of fibromyalgia.
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases defines fibromyaglia as
a long-lasting or chronic disorder that causes muscle pain and fatigue (feeling tired). If you have fibromyalgia, you have pain and tenderness throughout your body.
Researchers say that with fibromyaglia, the coop you feel is over-reactive pain signals to your body. Your pain volume is turned up like the volume on the radio. The experience for someone with fibromyalgia is that a minor bump or bruise will hurt greater than normal. In fact, with fibro one might experience pain from things that should not normally hurt a person.
Discovering the Pain Coop is Complicated
Sometimes those affected experience more than one chronic pain condition at a time. Other chronic pain conditions include, but are not limited to chronic fatigue syndrome, edometriosis, irritable bowel syndrome, interstitial cystitis, vulvudynia, migraines, anxiety, depression, postural tachycardia syndrome, and TMJ (Temporomandibular joint dysfunction).
Common symptoms of fibromyalgia are morning stiffness, problems thinking (fibro or brain fog), trouble sleeping, tingling in hands and feet, headaches, painful menstrual periods, and painful trigger points.
Who gets fibromyalgia?
People of all ages can develop fibromyalgia. This includes children. Women of middle age are the most common sufferers of this disorder. There is no conclusive evidence, but researchers believe since fibromyalgia tends to run in families so there may be certain genetic mutations that make you more susceptible to developing this disorder. There are some illness that appear to trigger fibro. The most common trigger with fibro has been a physical event such as a car accident or a trauma. Extended psychological trauma can also be a trigger. These variables are not the only indicators as who gets fibromyalgia.
How is the painful coop of fibromyalgia treated?
While there is no definitive test to determine the diagnosis of fibromyalgia one can see a general practitioner, an internal medicine doctor or a rhumatologist to rule out other diseases that may have similar symptoms like rhumatoid arthritis and lupus. If a patient is experiencing widespread pain for longer than three months, extreme fatigue, cognitive issues, and pain in one or more of the trigger points then a doctor may determine you have fibromyalgia.
The treatments are varying for patients. While there is no cure a person can take medicines to manage the depression, the severe pain, or medicines for the nerve pain. These will mask symptoms and often times will not offer full relief. While be it frustrating for the patient there is no long term relief these treatments can lessen the symptoms.
How to overcome the coop of fibromyalgia?
Many alternative treatments can help relieve the symptoms as well. A light form of movement is helpful to keep the muscles from tightening and causing severe pain. Yoga, walking, stretching can offer relief.
Making changes in ones diet can bring relief from inflammation which causes pain. Less sugar, increasing water intake and more fruits and vegetables offer a balance of nutrients that your body desires. While sleeping problems are often a symptom, one can change the times of rest and sleep for their body. When you experience the extreme fatigue then allow yourself prolonged times of rest, your body is needing it for recovery.
Meditation on Scripture or sitting to listen to soft music to focus you on positive Godly things will allow you to refocus the stress which weighs strong on your mind and body. Lastly, a fibromylagia patient needs to adjust their work demands. To lessen any demand on your time and ask for help where you can will allow you to manage the stress as well.
Other ways to fight fibromyalgia
There are also alternative therapies that patients find help manage their pain. Massage therapy performed by a licensed therapist is a relief to the muscles. This is not a spa-like comfort for those with fibro, but a regular relief for managing pain. Acupuncture or dry needling offer relief to the trigger points. Some have found temporary relief through a chiropractic visit. Always ask your physician for recommendations before engaging any type of alternative therapy. You also want to be certain to use a licensed practitioner.
Defining the disease is the first step to finding relief from the painful coop of fibromyalgia. Today we have taken a look at what is fibromyalgia. In the future, we will take a look at to ways to help manage those symptoms.