Studies show that losing weight and exercising help dial down the pain while improving daily function.
Or your thyroid, which regulates metabolism, could be dysfunctional. That can slow the body's ability to burn calories. Plus, the condition itself causes a metabolic slowdown. “Fibromyalgia patients have a 25% lower metabolism, on average, than someone without fibromyalgia of the same age and body weight,” Dr.
Obesity and fibromyalgia prevalence
According to several prevalence studies, obesity is common among patients with fibromyalgia. Around 32%–50% of patients with fibromyalgia are obese and further 28% are overweight according to studies.
Fibromyalgia hurts more when you're overweight. Having too much body fat and too little muscle also increases fatigue and worsens many other symptoms. Studies show that losing weight and exercising help dial down the pain while improving daily function.
Diet. Some experts say what you eat may play a role in fibromyalgia -- just not the same role for everyone. Certain foods and ingredients -- such as aspartame, MSG, caffeine, and tomatoes -- seem to worsen symptoms for some people.
Caffeine, heavy meals, and alcohol should be avoided before bedtime. Individuals should go to bed around the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, even on weekends or after a sleepless night. Exposure to light should be minimized before bedtime.
Magnesium
Not only is it credited with keeping the heart, kidneys and bones strong, it also helps us avoid muscle spasms, weakness and back pain, Dr. Teitelbaum says. Women with fibromyalgia may be deficient in magnesium, studies suggest. And magnesium may help relieve fibro pain and other symptoms.
Unfortunately, it's easy for chronic pain patients to gain weight. Chronic pain patients are often in too much pain to get up and cook a healthy meal or exercise, so the pounds can add up after years of battling chronic pain.
There is not significant research at this time to support that Fibromyalgia as a condition is the sole cause of weight gain. Fibromyalgia is a generalized pain condition. However, due to the pain associated with this condition along with fatigue, patients may find exercise and daily physical activity more difficult.
Your fibromyalgia may go away
But does FMS ever really go away? Recent research suggests that it may. If you've been suffering from FMS for two years or less and have relatively mild symptoms, you stand a good chance (up to 80%) of remission, meaning your symptoms will disappear.
For some people, tension and stress worsen fibromyalgia symptoms. Activities such as meditation and breathing exercises, taught in the pain management program at NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital, can help to reduce stress and fibromyalgia symptoms. Some people find that acupuncture also provides relief.
Water: It's important to drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and help flush toxins from your system. Green tea: This is rich in antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation. Ginger or turmeric tea: Both have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help manage fibromyalgia symptoms.
Exercise Regularly
Regular, low-intensity exercise, such as walking or warm-water exercise, is one of the best treatments for fibromyalgia. It helps decrease pain and stiffness, reduce stress, and may increase your sense of control over fibromyalgia. You may also sleep better.
The most helpful treatment approach for fibromyalgia is a combination of self-care, physical activity and cognitive-behavioral therapy. But medication may also be needed.
Well-known for supporting bone strength and bone health, vitamin D is also being studied for its use in treating other conditions, including fibromyalgia. Some studies have shown that people with fibromyalgia who have low vitamin D levels will have less pain when using a vitamin D supplement.
This antioxidant, used to convert food into energy, has shown some promise in treating fibromyalgia symptoms. One small study of people who took 300 mg daily of coenzyme Q10—also called CoQ10—for 40 days showed a marked easing of fatigue, morning tiredness, and pain.
Fibromyalgia tends to run in families, so genetic factors are likely to contribute to the disorder, but little is known for sure about the specific genes involved. Researchers believe that environmental (nongenetic) factors also play a role in a person's risk of developing the disorder.
Results: There were four parent stages of FM identified and labeled: 1) regional FM with classic symptoms; 2) generalized FM with increasing widespread pain and some additional symptoms; 3) FM with advanced and associated conditions, increasing widespread pain, increased sleep disturbances, and chemical sensitivity; ...
Poor sleep quality
Fibromyalgia can affect your sleep. You may often wake up tired, even when you have had plenty of sleep. This is because the condition can sometimes prevent you sleeping deeply enough to refresh you properly. You may hear this described as non-restorative sleep.
The drugs amitriptyline, duloxetine, milnacipran and pregabalin can relieve fibromyalgia pain in some people. They may cause side effects such as a dry mouth or nausea. Normal painkillers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen (paracetamol) aren't recommended for the treatment of fibromyalgia.
Nature of the pain: Words commonly used to describe fibromyalgia pain include aching, dull, numbing, burning, tingling, pins-and-needles, throbbing, pounding, shooting, sharp, stabbing, blinding, knife-like, needle-like, and others.
Although numerous studies have shown that fibromyalgia is not an autoimmune disease (conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, whereby the body attacks healthy tissues), reliable research concurs that this condition does weaken your immune system by causing various abnormalities and irregularities.