Don’t Have Time To Read The Full Article? Here Are The Main Points To Know:
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Fibromyalgia (FM) is a multi-syndrome condition that primarily manifests as musculoskeletal pain and chronic fatigue.
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Although the pain of FM is real, it is triggered by the brain and isn’t due to physical trauma within the body’s tissues.
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There are many factors believed to contribute to FM.
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While there isn’t a set ‘cure’ for FM, there are many natural options which can effectively manage symptoms.
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These natural therapies include gentle exercise, optimizing dietary intake (particularly of anti-inflammatory nutrients), stress-reduction, yoga, meditation, acupuncture, sleep, heat therapies, knowing symptom triggers and applying strategies to work with ‘fibro brain fog’.
It’s been said that you never really appreciate your health until it is gone.
In this vein, it’s difficult to truly grasp how much Fibromyalgia can affect your entire life, unless you actually live with this debilitating condition.
Imagine this: Waking up after ten hours’ sleep feeling utterly exhausted and too tired to face the day. Picture widespread pain throughout your muscles and joints; some days it’s so bad that you can’t do simple tasks like turning a door handle or lacing up your shoes. Think about living with a constant, thick brain fog, where you can’t string two coherent thoughts together and your mood is often low.
Worse yet, imagine being told that it’s all in your head.
Or that there’s nothing you can do about it.
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Generalized pain, discomfort and tenderness throughout the body (ranging from a dull ache to excruciating nerve pain)
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Chronic fatigue, low energy and tiredness
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Cognitive disturbances, upsetting emotions and low mood
Depending on each individual, these symptoms can range from occasional and mild to chronic and severe. Furthermore, many people with fibromyalgia also may suffer from:
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Irritable bowel syndrome
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Disrupted sleep
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Weakened bladder control
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A lowered pain threshold
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Intolerance to noise and light
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Memory issues
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Restless leg syndrome
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Painful periods
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Headaches
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Swelling
Given some of these symptoms, it’s easy to see why many experts class Fibromyalgia as an “arthritis-related” condition.
Fibromyalgia is believed to affect two to five percent of the total population in Australia. Experts furthermore estimate that at least five million Americans are living with Fibromyalgia. For reasons that aren’t yet clear, this condition mainly occurs in women during their middle years of life.
Given the subjective nature of Fibromyalgia symptoms, it can be a very difficult condition to diagnose. Health professionals can’t test for Fibromyalgia in your blood or via scans – it is based on self-reported symptoms.
Therefore, don’t be discouraged if a diagnosis and answers aren’t immediately forthcoming. Obviously, these symptoms also occur in many other conditions that your health professional may want to investigate first. Also, not all doctors are equally aware about Fibromyalgia, so you may need to seek several opinions before finding a health provider who is familiar with and confident in treating this condition.
What Causes Fibromyalgia?
While research is ongoing and hopeful, there is no clearly defined cause of Fibromyalgia.
However, researchers speculate that there are many factors that may contribute towards or trigger this condition including:
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Genetics
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Rheumatoid arthritis
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Virus and infection
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Painful trauma or injury
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Previous history with pain syndromes
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Substance abuse
Many people with Fibromyalgia commonly report that their condition developed after a traumatic event, albeit physical or psychological.
One thing is very clear, however.
Regardless of cause, the symptoms of Fibromyalgia appear to be due to how the brain processes pain.
Please don’t think that this means that your pain isn’t real. It most certainly is!
However, the pain doesn’t appear to be due to an actual physical trauma in the muscles and joints – this would be objectively visible via inflammation, swelling and tissue damage.
In Fibromyalgia, the affected tissues appear otherwise healthy. This has led experts to believe that the pain isn’t triggered by the body but that it’s triggered in the brain.
Other people have conceptualized Fibromyalgia as a ‘sensitivity syndrome’. Like other syndromes such as IBS, chronic fatigue and chemical sensitivities, the brain of somebody with Fibromyalgia seems to be sensitive to certain stimuli that other people would perceive as normal.
Can Fibromyalgia Be Cured?
Firstly, please be comforted by knowing that Fibromyalgia is not a disease that will progress into something more serious. While this condition is very unpleasant to live with, it isn’t fatal and doesn’t cause damage to your joints and organs. Many people also find that it naturally improves with time.
That said, the general consensus from the medical community is that Fibromyalgia cannot be “cured” per se.
But don’t let this discourage you! There are many options to help you manage your symptoms and enjoy a happy, healthy life. Keep reading for my top recommendations.
Natural Ways To Manage Fibromyalgia
The first step is education and knowing more about this condition. So congratulations, you’re already doing Step One by reading this article! Please don’t stop learning either. As new research continues to emerge, I’m sure there’ll be plenty more to follow in this space.
The next step is about truly understanding how Fibromyalgia personally affects you and your body. As I said earlier, each case is a little bit different. This puts you in a seat of power to learn more about how your body responds to various treatment options. Not everything listed below will suit everyone, so explore gently, and listen to the feedback that your body provides:
1. Know Your Triggers And Manage Them Accordingly
Many people with Fibromyalgia find that their symptoms are switched on or worsened by different triggers. If you’re not aware of what yours may be just yet, consider some of the common ones below:
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Physical exertion
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Other infections and illness
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Stress and anxiety
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Changes in the weather and seasons
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Allergies
You can try keeping a ‘symptom diary’ and recording what your symptoms are doing at particular times.
2. Move Gently
I know, that’s the last thing you probably want to hear, right?
When getting out of bed is painful, any form of exercise probably feels out of the question.
However, many people do find that a gentle aerobic exercise program does relieve or improve their symptoms.
The key is being gentle. Start softly with something that resonates with you. Good options include tai chi, water-based activities, gentle walking, and stretching. These offer the further benefits of improving sleep and mood; other factors which can also affect Fibromyalgia.
Some studies have also found that yoga can reduce cortisol levels and improve the symptoms of Fibromyalgia.
3. Nourish Yourself
Chronic pain can really affect our willingness to eat and appetite for food.
Yet ironically, when our body is unwell, we need to optimize our nutrition more than ever.
Having a nutrient-rich, well-rounded diet will ensure that your cells have the best fuel to heal and function optimally. It will also boost your energy.
Here are some other tips to consider when managing Fibromyalgia:
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Take a probiotic. I know this sounds a little strange and you may be tired of hearing that just about everything relates to your gut health. However, some mainstream rheumatologists are now recommending probiotics as standard protocol for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Given the connection between this disease and Fibromyalgia, there’s (at the very least) no harm in trialling a probiotic to see if it offers any symptomatic relief.
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Get enough protein. When our muscles are sore, we may find that our exercise drops off and we lose some muscle mass. This can lead to a spiral of feeling sorer and weaker, sorer and weaker. Getting adequate protein will help to maintain your muscle mass and keep up your strength. This can be through vegan or animal sources, including red meat, fish, chicken, organic eggs, lentils, nuts, split peas and good quality protein powders. (maybe link protein powders to the FM brand Ash?
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Some experts suggest that getting enough magnesium, selenium, Vitamin C, Omega-3 fats, Vitamin D, zinc, iodine and B-complex vitamins may also help with Fibromyalgia.
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Eat plenty of anti-inflammatory nutrients. Omega-3 fats, turmeric, ginger and quercetin are all recognized as having anti-inflammatory qualities.
