​Seniors Matter(s): Fibromyalgia!

Fibromyalgia (Myalgia Encephalomyelitis)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)

What a complex world we live in! I write this article for the many seniors (mostly women, as noted below) who may have suffered unknowingly from this, and as a trigger for seniors to keep an eye on their offspring.

This is a chronic (long-lasting) disorder that causes pain and tenderness throughout the body, as well as fatigue and trouble sleeping. Scientists do not fully understand what causes it, but people with the disorder have a heightened sensitivity to pain. I had heard of it many years ago and thought it close to chronic fatigue syndrome.

It can affect people of any age, even children, but it usually starts in middle age, and the chance of having it increases as over one-million Canadians are estimated to suffer from FM, with women affected four times more often than men.

Although FM is on the rise, research is surfacing to support both the theories and treatments behind this multifactorial syndrome. It occurs in people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Then a family member started dealing with it.

I took A WHOLE NEW INTEREST IN IT. Funny how that works.

I found that (ME/CFS) are both considered central sensitivity syndromes, with both involving fatigue, pain, and cognitive dysfunction.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (also called myalgia encephalomyelitis or ME/CFS) is more often tied to immune-system abnormalities than fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is generally more painful than ME/CFS, and often fatigue takes a backseat to debilitating muscle pain. 

In chronic fatigue syndrome, people have an overwhelming lack of energy, but also can experience some pain. It greatly affects day-to-day activities. Pain, fatigue, and lack of sleep that occur in fibromyalgia can impair the ability to function or concentrate. Patients may also feel frustrated due to their condition, and this can lead to anxiety or depression.

Fibromyalgia tends to run in families, and some scientists believe that certain genes could make you more likely to develop it. However, the disorder also occurs in people with no family history of it. The cause of fibromyalgia is not known, but studies show that people with the disorder have a heightened sensitivity to pain, so they feel pain when others do not.

Brain imaging studies and other research have uncovered evidence of altered signalling in neural pathways that transmit and receive pain in people with fibromyalgia. These changes may also contribute to the fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive problems that many people with the disorder experience, making daily life challenging.

There is no cure for fibromyalgia, but doctors and other health-care providers can help manage and treat the symptoms. Treatment typically involves a combination of exercise or other movement therapies, psychological and behavioural therapy, and medications.

Fibromyalgia’s tender points tend to be symmetrical in the body. They are located both above and below the waist around the neck, chest, shoulders, hips, and knees. The tender point should cause pain in that exact area when the doctor presses on it with enough force to turn their fingernail white.

The good news is that we can do something about it.

The diagnosis of FM is based on a person’s symptoms and physical exam findings. There are no conventional blood tests or X-rays used, just the 1990 College of Rheumatology’s (CR) established guidelines, which are still used today.

Current data suggests central sensitization, in which neurons in the spinal cord become hypersensitive due to inflammation and cell damage, may be involved in the way FM patients process pain. As a result, certain chemicals in the foods eaten may trigger further inflammation or a release of neurotransmitters that may exacerbate this sensitivity.

If you have other diseases, especially rheumatic diseases, mood disorders, or conditions that cause pain, you may be more likely to have fibromyalgia.

Brain imaging and studies have shown that fibromyalgia is a disorder of the central nervous system. There does seem to be a common link with things, such as arthritis, a traumatic event, and mental health and well-being.

Fibromyalgia isn’t caused by damage or an injury to the body. But it does increase the sensitivity of your nerve endings, which means you could feel pain from a small amount of pressure or minor knocks.

Studies have shown that parts of the brain that register pain react differently if you have fibromyalgia. This means you feel pain when other people just feel uncomfortable or stiff. People with fibromyalgia often don’t get enough deep sleep. Research shows that lack of good quality sleep can make pain worse, and maybe even cause pain.

Pain, unhappiness, depression, and stress can all make you sleep badly.

Symptoms often start after an illness, accident, or a time of emotional stress and anxiety. When you’re low or depressed, your pain can also feel worse. At the same time, your pain can make you feel more stressed.

Unlike conditions, such as arthritis, the pain you feel with fibromyalgia isn’t caused by visible inflammation or damage to your body. This doesn’t mean the symptoms of fibromyalgia are unreal or ‘all in your mind.’ However, anxiety, physical or mental trauma, and sleep disturbance are all thought to play a part in the condition.

Because fibromyalgia’s symptoms vary from person to person, it’s difficult to predict how long the condition will last and the impact it will have one’s life.

There are also many things you can for yourself that can change the way your condition impacts upon your life:
 

• A well-rounded diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain, healthy fats, low dairy fat and lean protein such as chicken or fish (Mediterranean diet?)
• Physiotherapy can help relieve the pain of fibromyalgia

Physiotherapists are trained specialists who can help a person stay active and independent. They will share best exercises to strengthen muscles, without hurting or putting the body under too much strain. They can share how something as simple as improving posture can help pain. They may also advise you on relaxation techniques which can be just as important as exercise when dealing with fibromyalgia.

Pain is never just a physical experience, especially if it lasts a long time. Pain can affect moods and behaviour.

Psychological approaches to pain management try to address the emotional effects of pain and the things that can make pain worse. They help look at how your pain affects thoughts and habits, and how emotions can affect pain. Therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which is a talking therapy, try to reduce the overwhelming effect of problems such as stress, unhappiness, and pain.

Keeping active is an important part of the treatment for fibromyalgia and can prevent other health problems. Symptoms and general health can be improved by a combination of aerobic exercise and movements that improve flexibility and strength.

It is a challenging way of life for someone always running on empty, and one I wouldn’t wish on anyone. The pain, extreme tiredness and lack of sleep severely affect a person’s ability to work or do daily activities. Standing or sitting for long periods of time, inability to lift, carry, push, and grasp things, add to the frustration.

Minimizing stress, exercising regularly, taking hot baths, taking “me “time daily, “just say no!”, sleeping as needed, and joining a support group, can hopefully help make life better.

Related to ME/CFS is one’s temporomandibular joint (jaw)

Since every fibromyalgia patient has Temporomandibular dysfunction, I am going to look at the importance of teeth, mouth size (yes length, width, and height) which all affect one’s breathing and swallowing.

In conclusion, while ME/CFS makes day-to-day living a challenge, the good news is that you can recover from myalgia encephalomyelitis.

The outlook for patients with fibromyalgia is generally quite good. It is important to note that fibromyalgia is not an organ-threatening illness. Those patients with an approach to treatment that involves optimal understanding of the condition, as well as sleep improvement, stress reduction, and exercise, tend to do best.

Recovery from CFS is more common than assumed with 40 per cent of CFS patients reporting symptom improvement after several years. There are periods of flare-ups followed by periods where symptoms are minimal. It is unlikely that they will ever permanently disappear. However, fibromyalgia is not life-threatening and does not reduce life expectancy.

‘Till next time, stay safe!