Receiving a Fibromyalgia diagnosis can be overwhelming, but don’t worry, while there is no cure there are Fibromyalgia treatment options. I’m fairly confident that in the last ten years I’ve tried most of them! Some work better than others, and each answer is individual, but a Fibromyalgia diagnosis is not a death sentence. So here’s your guide to everything Fibromyalgia that I’ve learned over the years.
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What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes widespread pain, fatigue, and tenderness to touch that may occur all over the body. No one knows the cause of Fibromyalgia, but studies suggest that it’s related to how the nervous system processes pain. The underlying problem in fibromyalgia may stem from abnormal pain processing in the brain. Sensory overload and over-stimulation are quite common in Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. In one study, people with Fibromyalgia reported discomfort or pain at lower levels of stimulus intensity than the control group. This leads to the belief that sensory overload and hypersensitivity are a core part of Fibromyalgia and CFS/ME and why some experts refer to Fibromyalgia as a central pain amplification disorder.
A study conducted by the University of Michigan found that the pain levels of people with Fibromyalgia were directly linked to their sensory systems. The more sensory symptoms, the higher the pain score. and more capacity is reduced.
Related articles: How to find pain free clothing when you have Fibromyalgia
5 kitchen and cooking tips for Fibromyalgia
15 top recommendations for living with Fibromyalgia by those who know
Basic Fibromyalgia facts and statistics
- Approximately 2 to 4 % of the US population or as many as 6 to 12 million people have Fibromyalgia
- Fibromyalgia affects both men and women, but 90% of patients are women
- It is estimated that it takes an average of 5 years for a fibromyalgia patient to receive an accurate diagnosis
- It’s estimated that there are as many American women living with Fibromyalgia as there are with diabetes
- Fibromyalgia develops most commonly in middle age. However, it can also begin during the teenage years or later in life.
- People with a mother, father, or sibling with fibromyalgia are eight times more likely to develop it
What are the symptoms of Fibromyalgia?
The most common symptoms are chronic pain and fatigue, but there is a wide range of other symptoms that can occur.
- Brain fog
- Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
- difficulty sleeping (otherwise known as painsomnia)
- headaches
- skin sensitivity
- muscle stiffness
- overstimulation
- interstitial cystitis
- TMJ
- Irritable bowel syndrome
Why is Fibromyalgia controversial and why isn’t there more treatment?
In my personal beliefs, it’s because doctors want to cure people and don’t have time to deal with patients who cause problems. It’s easier to deal with diseases that are detected on a standard blood test. Also, some were taught it was fake in medical school and they refuse to change their opinion because they have a God complex. However, if you want a more professional opinion I found a study in Dialogues in clinical neuroscience stating:
It is our opinion that some FM “wars” are fought because of the belief systems of medical and psychological specialties, the interests of patient self-help organizations, financial advantages for the pharmaceutical industry, and personal academic advancement, rather than the objective of valid scientific and clinical progress.
It’s basically a mix of reasons: politics, doctor’s egos, psychologists getting involved when they shouldn’t, money, and the cutthroat world of academia. You also have to add in sexism because most of the patients are women. The medical world isn’t that far away from the hysteria and wandering uterus days. There’s a long history of women being told they are exaggerating, hysterical, or depressed when they’re ill.
Fibromyalgia is controversial for a host of reasons: politics, doctor's egos, psychologists getting involved when they shouldn't, money, the cutthroat world of academia, and the biggest reason, sexism. Click To TweetFibromyalgia Treatment
There is no cure for Fibromyalgia, but there are many options for reducing its symptoms.
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Medication for Fibromyalgia treatment
I wrote this post recently where I describe 8 different types of medication available
2. Pain Devices for Fibromyalgia treatment
There are tons of pain devices designed to help with Fibromyalgia. I have personally tried Quell Relief, Oska Pulse, Hummingbird, and SOLIS Pain Relief. The Quell is my favorite and I use it most frequently.
There are also a million different TENS devices that tend to be more affordable than other pain relief devices. The downside is TENS only works when you apply it to the painful area, and no one can walk around all day with that many wires attached.
3. Diet and exercise for Fibromyalgia treatment
This one makes most of us with experience roll our eyes. Every doctor that thinks they know what they’re talking about suggests diet and exercise. If your doctor tells you to exercise more than your body can handle, run away. If your doctor suggests starting slowly doing yoga or stretching exercises, that’s okay as long as you don’t have CFS/ME.
Diet is a sticky subject because healthy people will suggest a million different diets to anyone with a health problem. I suggest you stay away from the more extreme options that people may be selling and focus on eating as healthy as possible. If that doesn’t help, you can try an elimination diet or gluten-free option. However, not everyone with any illness needs to go gluten-free. It is not the answer to all the world’s health problems.
4. Alternative Methods for Fibromyalgia treatment
This is a really broad category because there are some real alternative options and there are snake salesman who will promise a cure a take every penny you own. A big rule of thumb is that if anyone promises you a cure, stay far far away. There is no cure for fibromyalgia, anyone who says differently is selling something.
A big rule of thumb to locating scammers is that if anyone promises you a cure, stay far far away. There is no cure for fibromyalgia, anyone who says differently is selling something. Click To TweetEveryone responds to alternative methods different, but here are a few options:
Heat: Take a hot bath with Epsom salts or grab a heating pad. Heat can help manage the pain. I always sleep with a heating pad
Massage: For some people, massage can help loosen up painful muscles. For me personally, it doesn’t work because a massage feels like torture thanks to allodynia.
Pain-relieving creams: These are generally helpful in the short term when you feel like you can’t stand the pain anymore, but they only last for 20 minutes or so. Bio freeze is currently my favorite option.
Pacing: Pacing is a tricky technique that involves spacing out your activities to preserve your energy levels. Instead of going crazy and cleaning your entire kitchen (I might know this from experience) when you have energy, space out your activities and only clean a little bit for example.
Acupuncture: I’ll admit, I haven’t tried this for real yet, all I have is an acupuncture mat which is surprisingly comfortable. Acupuncture does seem to work for some people, I’m just too chicken to try it.
All and all finding the right Fibromyalgia treatment takes experimentation because everyone is different. Don’t give up, keep experimenting, you will find something that eases symptoms.
Sources
https://www.healthgrades.com/right-care/fibromyalgia/fibromyalgia-facts
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6016048/