Some people with fibromyalgia wake up with puffiness in their hands and feet or around their eyes. Again, science can't say for sure why. The puffiness is generally believed to be the result of excess fluid, not inflammation. (Some cases of fibromyalgia may involve inflammation, though.)
Common clinical features of fibromyalgia that may be influenced by neurogenic inflammation include cutaneous manifestations, local soft tissue swelling and fluid retention, reticular skin discoloration and livedo reticularis, and increased levels of fibronectin, which is a tissue marker of endothelial activation.
Areas called "tender points" can feel painful with even mild to moderate pressure. Many patients with fibromyalgia feel that their joints are swollen, although there is no visible inflammation of the joints (as would be found in forms of arthritis).
Fibromyalgia is not an inflammatory condition. It is caused by abnormal sensory processing in the central nervous system. People with fibromyalgia may be extremely sensitive to pain and other unpleasant sensations.
Fibromyalgia can cause widespread pain, fatigue, and stiffness. Symptoms tend to occur in periods of flares. Physical and emotional stress are the most common triggers of fibromyalgia flares. Other triggers include lack of sleep, weather changes, and hormone imbalances.
Fibromyalgia can make you extremely sensitive to pain all over your body, and you may find that even the slightest touch is painful. If you hurt yourself, such as stubbing your toe, the pain may continue for much longer than it normally would.
Other researchers believe fibromyalgia is caused by a lack of deep sleep. It is during stage 4 sleep that muscles recover from the prior day's activity, and the body refreshes itself. Sleep studies show that as people with fibromyalgia enter stage 4 sleep, they become more aroused and stay in a lighter form of sleep.
Fibromyalgia is often triggered by an event that causes physical stress or emotional (psychological) stress. Possible triggers include: a serious injury, such as after a car accident. an infection, such as Epstein-Barr virus or Lyme disease.
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. Many drugs prescribed for fibromyalgia work to turn down “pain volume” in the central nervous system (CNS).
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.
The pain may be worse in the morning and evening. Sometimes, the pain may last all day long. The pain may get worse with activity, cold or damp weather, anxiety, and stress. This condition is more often diagnosed in people between the ages of 20 and 50.
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 is known as an “invisible disease.” You can't see brain fog, digestive issues, muscle weakness; sensitivity to light, noise, and odors. But they are part of our “new normal” and while we may not look sick, we absolutely know we are.
4. Don't overdo it on good days. But don't “make up” for lost time on days that you're pain- and fatigue-free. “Trying to do too much when you feel great can trigger a flare,” says David Edelberg, M.D., a Chicago integrative-medicine specialist and author of The Triple Whammy Cure (Atria).
Biofeedback, deep breathing, meditation, self-hypnosis, or even just distracting yourself with a good book or some soothing music can help take your mind off the pain and make coping with a flare more manageable, say experts at the National Fibromyalgia Association.
As a result, patients with fibromyalgia may lose their ability to walk faster or their capacity to maintain balance while standing as their gait changes, according to a study published in Frontiers in Human Science. They may also have difficulty moving about due to pain and stiffness.
Abstract. Current pharmacological treatments of Fibromyalgia (FM) are merely symptom palliative, as clinical trials have so far failed to provide overall benefits without associated harms.
What does fibromyalgia leg pain feel like? 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.
The FDA approved a laser therapy device called FibroLux to treat fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is characterized by joint and muscle pain. FibroLux can reduce pain by delivering light to cells, increasing energy production, and healing cells.