The primary cause of fibromyalgia pain is the depletion and decreased efficiency of stress-coping hormones like serotonin. This lowers the threshold and magnifies pain. This lower threshold causes pain that would normally be well-managed to be more pronounced. Pain due to a low pain threshold is known as allydonia. There are numerous triggers for fueling […]
Low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia, is notorious for exacerbating fibromyalgia symptoms such as headaches, fibro fog, excess fatigue, and depression. Dozens of studies have already shown that those with depression have insufficient glucose-insulin regulation. Further studies showed that there was a relationship between hypoglycemia and “fibro fog,” which is decreased mental acuity that […]
Recent research out of the United Kingdom has a lead to a new blood test that could help diagnose one of the most difficult and elusive pain conditions, fibromyalgia. This notoriously complex condition is characterized by symptoms of widespread musculoskeletal pain, poor quality sleep, fatigue, stiffness, and a list of other debilitating symptoms that worsen […]
Studies have found that four out of five teens who have juvenile fibromyalgia continue to have pains and other fibro symptoms well into adulthood. The symptoms continually get worse over years, to the point where about half of these kids become practically disabled by mid to late 20’s. The study author, Susmita Kashikar-Zuck is the […]
For many of you, even thinking about adding another item to the calendar can cause a bit of panic. Life is chaotic, and we often feel too stressed out or busy to worry about helping anyone else, especially when you are struggling too. This is especially true for people with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. […]
You all probably know by now that there is a great deal of speculation about the causes of fibromyalgia, and the origin of symptoms. The biggest problem is that the symptoms “move” about the body and come and go as they please. However, of interesting note is that about ¼ of patients with fibromyalgia report […]
A new study published in the journal, Arthritis Care & Research, reported results that showed the “construct of invalidation” that is perceived by fibromyalgia patients have a significantly active negative social response, as well as a notable lack of positive social responses in these patients. Invalidation in fibromyalgia patients was found to play a role […]
On top of the kidneys, there are pea-sized glands called the adrenals. They secrete the hormones necessary for us to cope with everyday stress. They help our bodies prepare for any form of threat and allow us to be resilient when the stress proves to be minimal. Many people with fibromyalgia also suffer from […]
For an in depth look at food allergies, testing and treating allergies see the chapter on Allergies in my book, Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Food allergies are a big problem in my fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients. Most of these allergies are unknown and unrecognized by the patients. I have […]
I talk a lot about fibromyalgia on my blog, and that is because it is much more common than the other disease I treat, chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME). Patients with fibromyalgia generally battle a lot more fatigue than those with other autoimmune, arthritic, or rheumatic diseases. There are a lot of symptoms that go […]
There is constant ongoing research in the diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) first developed classification criteria back in 1990 to try to narrow down the often vague and widespread symptoms of fibromyalgia. The criteria were re-done in 2010, but these criteria showed significantly less people with fibromyalgia than the […]
As most of you already know, fibromyalgia is an exceedingly complicated disorder with a long list of symptoms that involve nearly every system in the body. The urinary system is no exception. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) and disorders are yet another piece of the puzzle that may need to solve in order to get you […]
Some of the hallmarks of fibromyalgia are fatigue, feeling un-refreshed in the morning, and chronic widespread pain that affects muscles and joints. Recent research out of the United Kingdom found that non-restorative sleep is tied to these fibromyalgia symptoms. This was especially prevalent in adults over the age of 50. Additionally, it was found that […]
May 12th is National Fibromyalgia Day. Please Join Me For A Special Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia Teleconference It has been 25 years since the American College of Rheumatology first proposed the criteria for diagnosing fibromyalgia. Since then fibromyalgia has been recognized and accepted as a legitimate illness by the American Medical Association, FDA, insurances companies, […]
“My mornings were awful, just awful. It would take me forever to get going and I still had no energy. I didn’t care whether I got dressed out of my pajamas or not, and that was so unlike me because I was a social person and I liked to go out to lunch with friends […]
