Do you find that you are constantly dealing with muscle aches and pains all over your body? Can even the simplest of activities set your body off into a full out flare up of pain that feels diffuse and leaves you feeling totally exhausted?
If either of these examples sound like you, you may have what we call fibromyalgia.
Let’s explore what it means to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia and what can be done to help you get on top of your pain.
What is fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is an umbrella diagnosis that encompasses musculoskeletal pain that seems to be widespread throughout your body.
What are the symptoms of fibromyalgia?
The symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary greatly from person to person. This is part of what makes diagnosing fibromyalgia tricky for your physician.
Most often, individuals will describe a deep and gnawing pain in their muscles that just won’t seem to let up. Others will describe a sensation that their joints just ache all the time no matter what they do.
Fibromyalgia can also be accompanied by a sense of generalized fatigue and poor sleep. And in some cases, people will exhibit issues with their overall mood and memory.
What causes fibromyalgia?
Science is not 100% sure what causes fibromyalgia, but we have a few guesses.
It is thought that individuals with fibromyalgia may have what we call an “overactive nervous system” that responds differently to stimuli than someone who does not have fibromyalgia.
It is also thought that individuals with fibromyalgia may have overactive immune systems as well that make their tissues more sensitive to the micro-injuries in our tissues that happen with day-to-day movements.
Potential Diagnoses
Fibromyalgia can be a diagnosis given in isolation, but individuals with one of the following conditions seem to be more likely to develop fibromyalgia:
- POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome)
- Individuals who undergo physical or psychological trauma
- Individuals with immune system conditions (i.e. rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, diabetes, etc.)
- Individuals who have had multiple surgeries
Did you know?
Did you know that you can help to reduce symptoms related to fibromyalgia by focusing on eating an anti-inflammatory diet?
In particular, research has shown that consuming more omega-3-fatty acids helps to reduce symptoms related to fibromyalgia.
It’s important to note that if you have fibromyalgia, there are many potential treatment options available to help you reduce your pain and improve your overall quality of life.
