Balance loss and body/space disorientation are common experiences in those with fibromyalgia.
In fibromyalgia, dizziness, poor balance, and falls are common complaints. For some people, they're a minor annoyance that crops up on occasion. In others, they can be severely debilitating and lead to regular injuries. Falling, and especially falling frequently, is a serious problem.
Previous studies have observed that fibromyalgia women display a reduced walking speed, which could be a consequence of decreases in stride length and cycle frequency, as well as bradykinesia (Auvinet et al., 2006; Heredia Jiménez et al., 2009).
Gait and balance are severely impaired in women with fibromyalgia, according to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Moreover, subjective complaints associated with the condition could be contributing to functional disability.
Other symptoms that people with fibromyalgia sometimes experience include: dizziness and clumsiness. feeling too hot or too cold – this is because you're not able to regulate your body temperature properly. restless legs syndrome (an overwhelming urge to move your legs)
Fibromyalgia can cause generalized weakness, affecting all your muscles at once, or weakness in a particular muscle. Your muscles may be easily exhausted and respond by trembling or twitching.
Muscle and joint symptoms may include: Morning stiffness. Muscle spasms or twitches (fasciculations)6. Muscle weakness, especially in the legs.
Losing your balance while walking, or feeling imbalanced, can result from: Vestibular problems. Abnormalities in your inner ear can cause a sensation of a floating or heavy head and unsteadiness in the dark. Nerve damage to your legs (peripheral neuropathy).
What is a balance disorder? A balance disorder is a condition that makes you feel unsteady or dizzy. If you are standing, sitting, or lying down, you might feel as if you are moving, spinning, or floating. If you are walking, you might suddenly feel as if you are tipping over.
Summary. An unsteady gait can be a temporary side effect of an injury or intoxication, or it can be a sign of a more serious underlying condition. An unsteady gait can be a result of issues with the musculoskeletal, vestibular, or nervous systems. It can also be a side effect of medication.
an overwhelming urge to move your legs (restless legs syndrome) tingling, numbness, prickling or burning sensations in your hands and feet (pins and needles, also known as paraesthesia) in women, unusually painful periods.
Symptoms of fibromyalgia in feet can include swelling, irritation, and inflammation of the tissues within one or both feet. Foot pain may be exacerbated by fibromyalgia, impacting your ability to walk, stand, or exercise. The exact cause of fibromyalgia foot pain is not understood.
The most common causes of imbalance without dizziness are related to dysfunction of the muscles, joints and peripheral nerves (proprioceptive system), or the central nervous system (brain). People with bilateral vestibulopathy have balance issues but no dizziness if the damage affects both ears at the same time.
Many people who have fibromyalgia also have tension headaches, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety and depression. While there is no cure for fibromyalgia, a variety of medications can help control symptoms. Exercise, relaxation and stress-reduction measures also may help.
Indeed, FM is 13 times more common following neck than lower extremity injuries (5, 6). Neurological symptoms such as paresthesias, blurred vision, numbness, and weakness are commonly reported by FM patients, with numbness present in up to 84% of individuals (1, 4, 7–9).
Orthostatic hypotension
If your morning dizziness sets in when you first sit up or get out of bed, you may be experiencing orthostatic (or postural) hypotension. This is a condition that is caused by inadequate blood flow to the brain and occurs when people get up too quickly after they have been sitting or lying down.
Certain conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, or problems with your vision, thyroid, nerves, or blood vessels can cause dizziness and other balance problems.
If you're suffering from fibromyalgia leg pain, you may experience throbbing, shooting, achy, or burning sensations in your legs. Often, you'll feel the pain at your fibro tender points, particularly inside of each knee and on the hip just behind your hipbone.
Some people with fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis /chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) use mobility aids such as canes, wheelchairs, scooters, and motorized grocery carts.
Symptoms of fibromyalgia
increased sensitivity to pain. muscle stiffness. difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, which can make you feel very tired (fatigue) problems with mental processes (known as "fibro-fog"), such as difficulty concentrating or remembering things.
Several medical conditions can make a person feel weak, shaky, and tired. They include dehydration, irregular heart beat, Parkinson's disease, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Treatment will depend on the condition a person has.
Researchers found that fibromyalgia, a condition involving widespread musculoskeletal pain, was more than three times as common in people who were later diagnosed with MS.