Losing weight with fibromyalgia is especially difficult due to several aspects of the condition. At the same time, research shows that a large percentage of people with fibromyalgia are overweight, as well as studies showing that weight loss can help improve symptoms.
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.
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.
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a syndrome characterized primarily by chronic pain, fatigue, many times with significant weight gain, and sleep disturbance that affects approximately 3-8% of the general population (1–3).
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.
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.
Whether it's daily walks, stretching, swimming, yoga, tai chi, or Pilates, low-impact exercise programs can keep you fit in spite of your fibromyalgia -- and may help reduce your pain, as well.
People with fibromyalgia should generally avoid activities that involve fast, sudden movements and high impact activities, such as running and jumping, although some people may progress to this level of activity.
You should expect to manage fibromyalgia symptoms for a long time — maybe for the rest of your life. Some people with fibromyalgia experience fewer flare-ups with milder symptoms after they find treatments that work for them.
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.
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.
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.
The pain affects your joints and muscles and may range from mild to severe with areas of tenderness. Your pain may come and go, and it may move around. In addition to pain, fibromyalgia makes you extremely tired and decreases your ability to focus. It also affects your ability to get quality sleep.
Stress. It's one of the most common triggers of flare-ups. While you can't get rid of all stress from your life, you can limit it.
The pain ranges from mild to severe, with "flare ups" and times of improvement. The discomfort from fibromyalgia may feel like burning, soreness, stiffness, aching, or gnawing pain, often times with sore spots in certain parts of your muscles. The pain may feel like arthritis. But it doesn't damage muscles or bones.
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; ...
Physical and emotional stress are the most common triggers of fibromyalgia flares. Other triggers include lack of sleep, weather changes, and hormone imbalances.
Fibromyalgia (fi·bro·my·al·gi·a) is a condition that causes pain all over the body, also called widespread pain. Fibromyalgia also causes sleep problems, fatigue, and emotional and mental distress.
Abnormal pain messages
The central nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves) transmits information all over your body through a network of specialised cells. Changes in the way this system works may explain why fibromyalgia results in constant feelings of, and extreme sensitivity to, pain.
Fibromyalgia can occur at any age, though the average age at diagnosis is between 35 to 45 years. Most people experience symptoms of fibromyalgia earlier in life, however. Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes widespread pain and tenderness throughout the body, sleep problems, fatigue, and depression.