Perhaps you can relate to this: Intense Pain. Being pricked and prodded by confused doctors trying to determine the real cause of the pain. Having that pain misdiagnosed over and over and over again until someone finally stumbles across the cause…fibromyalgia.
Today, six to 12 million Americans (90 percent of them women) are living with fibromyalgia, an often misdiagnosed and misunderstood disorder characterized by chronic widespread pain. A recent study shows that some people have gone nearly a decade without a proper diagnosis.
What Causes Fibromyalgia?
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While there is a lot of ongoing speculation about exactly what triggers fibromyalgia, its causes have yet to be definitively identified and confirmed. Recent research has generally found that fibromyalgia is most likely a result of what scientists call central sensitization, or unusual response triggers in the nervous system with regard to pain.
"The current consensus is that fibromyalgia is not a problem with the muscles, joints, or tendons, but rather a problem with the central nervous system," says Dr. David Edelberg, founder of WholeHealth Chicago, a nationally recognized pioneer of integrative medicine, and author of numerous articles and editor of five books on integrative medicine, including the “The Triple Whammy Cure”.
According to Edelberg, the painful sensations that a fibromyalgia patient experiences are as real as any other pain, even though they’ve generally experienced no physical damage to the body.
This was clearly demonstrated when researchers did MRI imaging of patients with fibromyalgia. When they pressed on certain areas of the participants' bodies, they found dramatically increased activity in the pain center of the brain.
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Fibromyalgia's Physical and Emotional Triggers
So what causes the nervous system to malfunction in this way? Scientists aren't sure, but a number of conditions have been linked to the development of fibromyalgia. These include:
Infection. The Epstein-Barr virus, and the viruses that cause influenza, and hepatitis B and C have all been implicated in the development of fibromyalgia. "These viruses may have effects on the immune system. Additionally, there is a well-established connection between Lyme disease (caused by a bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi) and fibromyalgia: Some patients who have been treated for Lyme — and ostensibly recover from it — continue to experience the unusually high frequency of unprovoked pain that characterizes fibromyalgia.
Trauma. Though not typical, the development of fibromyalgia can be linked to physical injury, especially in the upper (cervical) spine. In other cases, it's associated with great emotional stress, like the death of a family member or the loss of a job. The possible link between these unrelated types of trauma are the changes that both physical injury and emotional stress can trigger in nervous system.
Fibromyalgia: Symptoms & Treatment
“There are numerous symptoms,” explains Dr. Edelberg. “These can include: fatigue, diffuse pain, depression, inability to sleep, dizziness, and light and sound sensitivity. If you have fibromyalgia, you may experience some — or all — of these symptoms in varying degrees. And because of that complexity, there's no one exact course of treatment."
Fortunately, as physicians and researchers have become more familiar with the subtleties of this disorder, they're now able to offer more effective treatment strategies, including key lifestyle recommendations as well as an array of targeted medications and other therapies. If you are experiencing what you think could be fibromyalgia, you should:
• Find the right doctor. Because fibromyalgia is a chronic condition, you will need to work closely, over the long term, with your doctor who is experienced in treating fibromyalgia. Start by pinpointing your exact symptoms so that together you can devise the best course of treatment for your particular issues
• Ask about medical options. Physicians typically prescribe a variety of medications, including muscle relaxants, antidepressants, analgesics, energizers, and sedatives — to deal with specific symptoms.
• Increase your activity level. Even though it may seem counterintuitive, every individual with fibromyalgia can benefit from regular exercise. In fact, a groundbreaking study from the University of Georgia — which reviewed 70 studies and involved more than 6,800 people — found that regular exercise consistently increased energy and lowered fatigue in adults of all ages, with varying health conditions, including fibromyalgia.
"Exercise stimulates the cardiovascular and central nervous systems and increases endorphins (those ‘feel-good' hormones that are natural pain killers),” explains Dr. Edelberg. “This in turn decreases fatigue and aids weight loss – and having a healthy body weight boosts self-image and decreases wear and tear on the body.”
Because it can be tough to exercise when you ache all over and feel exhausted, start slowly with gentle movements, such as walking, swimming, biking, or yoga; aim to work up to at least 30 minutes of activity three times a week.
• Focus on how you feel. "Anxiety and depression can coexist or be symptoms of fibromyalgia; both can contribute to fatigue and pain," says Dr. Edelberg. Talk to your doctor about how you're feeling; helpful treatments may include cognitive behavioral therapy and/or antidepressants.
• Consider natural remedies. Research shows that one in four people who suffer from chronic pain also have inadequate levels of vitamin D, an essential nutrient that the body can only manufacture with the assistance of sunlight. Taking a vitamin D supplement (most experts recommend 1,000 IUs daily) and spending about ten minutes in the sun every day may help, says Dr. Edelberg.
Some other important points to always remember when dealing with fibromyalgia:
• Remember that it’s NOT all in Your Head. What you feel and how you feel is valid and is worthy of recognition and treatment. A patients cannot find a path to diagnosis when family members and doctors aren’t listening. If anyone tries to tell you that your symptoms aren’t real, or refuses to listen and/or take your concerns seriously, seek support elsewhere until you find the respect and attention that you need and deserve.
• Don’t hide or try to ignore your symptoms. Talk to your doctor, your family and your partner about the legitimacy of your pain.
By Lorraine Jones, BDO Staff Writer
*HealthyWomen, the nation’s leading independent health information source for women, commissioned Edelman StrategyOne to conduct an online survey among 508 diagnosed, female fibromyalgia sufferers in the U.S. between May 5 and May 11, 2010.* The survey was sponsored by Forest Laboratories, Inc. Results from Women Expressing Fibromyalgia’s Effects on their Everyday Lives (WE FEEL), illuminate the private, prolonged, and often agonizing, physical and emotional struggles that women with fibromyalgia face. The survey also reveals constructive, concrete ways to help ease suffering, including an earlier diagnosis and access to information and support.
Visit www.healthywomen.org to learn more about living with fibromyalgia.
