Fibromyalgia FAQs- 6 Need-to-Know Fibro Facts
What is Fibromyalgia: Spotting Fibro Fog
The top 6 questions expressed by fibromyalgia syndrome patients, and answers.
If you’ve been recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia, then consider yourself in good company. About one in fifty Americans suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms, including muscular pain, fatigue, depression, and sleep disorders. Fibro fog, the tendency to forget things almost instantaneously, is another common complaint among fibromyalgia patients.
Q: What is fibromyalgia syndrome?
A: Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is a condition closely related to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). With fibromyalgia, patients feel severe muscle aches and pain in specific points of the body, in addition to extreme exhaustion. Three to one, more women suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms than men do. Fibromyalgia sufferers describe pain symptoms as hurting all over, burning sensations, muscular twitches, and sometimes, skin ailments, such as dry and itchy skin rashes, or extreme sensitivity to touch. Also read Best Clothes for Fibromyalgia Pain- 6 Helpful Dressing Tips
Q: How do physicians diagnose fibromyalgia?
A: Generally, doctors use the process of elimination to determine a prognosis of fibromyalgia. That is because fibromyalgia is a sort of “invisible disease,” meaning a condition in which the causes are not observable by empirical evidence. Before diagnosing a patient with fibromyalgia, a doctor will conduct a few tests, including:
- Complete blood count (CBC) test
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) blood test
- Rheumatoid arthritis blood test
- Antinuclear antibody (ANA) blood test
- Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy
- Sleep electroencephalogram (EEG)
Since 2010, experts have isolated 19 specific pain points of the body that indicate fibromyalgia. Prior to testing for fibromyalgia, patients must have been experiencing similar symptoms for a consecutive 3 months.
Q: What factors influence fibro fog?
A: Fibromyalgia and forgetfulness just seem to go together. That’s because sufferers of fibromyalgia experience cognitive difficulties, often because of vitamin B12 deficiency. “Fibro fog” causes you to feel spaced out and tired. Sufferers experience frequent short-term memory loss. Not surprisingly, there is a high correlation between fibromyalgia and low vitamin B12 levels. Deficiencies in B12 result in chronic fatigue, depression, and memory loss, in addition to pernicious anemia and neurological damage. Related: 7 Reasons You Have Brain Fog…And What to do About It
Q: Does lack of exercise cause fibromyalgia?
A: Avoiding physical exercise, leading a sedentary lifestyle- these things didn’t give you fibromyalgia, but they can make it worse. Even moderate, light aerobic exercises benefit fibromyalgia patients by lifting depression, increasing blood flow to the brain, strengthening muscles, and increasing energy. Doctors recommend individuals with fibromyalgia to include gentle stretching routines and light aerobic workouts into their daily schedule. Tai Chi, yoga, and swimming are excellent workouts that increase flexibility without causing pain. Also, read Staying Fit with Fibromyalgia: 13 Pain-Free Workouts.
Q: Does fibromyalgia cause insomnia?
A: Sleep disorders, such as alpha-EEG anomaly, are common among fibromyalgia sufferers. In studies, fibromyalgia patients had difficulty achieving “stage 4” deep sleep, due to constant brain activity. As a result, participants woke up feeling exhausted, as if they had been up all night. Seldom do fibro patients wake up feeling refreshed or energized. Some possible explanations for lack of sleep in fibromyalgia patients include:
- Sleep apnea
- Restless leg syndrome
- Teeth grinding
- Tossing and turning
Q: Are there any dietary supplements that treat fibromyalgia?
A: Yes- in addition to vitamin B12, there are many natural ingredients that treat the many symptoms of fibromyalgia, including lack of energy, weak immune system, muscular soreness, cognitive problems, and emotional instabilities. Some supplements that reverse fibromyalgia symptoms are:
- Vitamin B12, either in vitamin B12 patch, pill, or intramuscular injections
- Vitamin D
- CoQ10
- Omega-3
- St. John’s Wort
- Magnesium Malate
- SAM-e
- Carnitine
- D-ribose
- 5-HTP
- DHEA
- NADH
- Rhodiola
- Theanine
Related reading:
15 Handy Household Tools for Chronic Pain Sufferers
100 Best Sites for Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Information
Sources:
Fibromyalgia Symptoms, Fibromyalgia Fatigue Treatment, Fibromyalgia Pregnancy
The Fibro Fact Page: Basic Brief Information about Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia Symptoms, Treatment of Fibromyalgia, FMS treatment
Fibromyalgia Network – Symptoms and Treatment Resource
Tags: causes of fibromyalgia, FAQs, fibro fog, fibrofog, fibromyalgia patients, fibromyalgia prognosis, fibromyalgia supplements, fibromyalgia treatment, muscle aches, pain management, supplements for energy, symptoms of fibromyalgia
August 10th, 2011 at 5:07 am
[...] Chronic fibromyalgia makes everyday a challenge. Painful limbs, achy joints, tiredness, and fibro fog make it hard (and sometimes impossible) to hold down a job, meet my family’s needs, and run a smooth household. Most days, you don’t accomplish everything you want, or need, to do. Tensions run high, both at work and at home. You try not to wear your pain symptoms on your sleeve, even though you battle with constant fatigue, anger, agony, and sadness. Some days, you would just like to give up. (See: Fibromyalgia FAQs- 6 Need-to-Know Fibro Facts) [...]