The Link Between Inflammation and Fibromyalgia
Hello KMPM Readers!!!
Many of you have probably heard this term, “fibromyalgia” before. As well as many of you including myself, are having a hard time understanding just what exactly is Fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is the second most common condition affecting about less than 2% of the population, mostly women that affects our bones and muscles. And there is no known cure. In the medical world, the word “Fibromyalgia” is used as an umbrella term for the most part. Meaning it could be any number of things that are causing your condition. Fibromyalgia used to be referred to as, fibrositis, which means that it was once considered an inflammatory type disease. Its name has since been changed due to the lack of evidence and information that truly proves that it is an inflammatory disease. Doctors didn’t think that it was an inflammatory type disease because it does not show as a typical inflammatory disease would. Joints aren’t typically swollen or hot, and typical tests used to check inflammatory markers only showed normal to slightly elevated levels in those with Fibromyalgia. There is no known test that can tell you whether or not you have Fibromyalgia because its symptoms are so similar to a very vast array of other medical conditions. It being linked to any type of inflammatory disease has yet not been ruled out completely.
The main causes of fibromyalgia are still widely unknown. However research has shown greater links to people who have any one of the following issues:
you are a woman has a greater link or subject to symptoms of fibromyalgia
anxiety or depression
arthritis
if you have gone through any type of physical and/or emotional damage or abused or PTSD
if you rarely exercise
If another family member has it, you have a greater chance of suffering from it also
Studies have shown that a molecule within our bodies called, cytokines, which are a broad category of small proteins that are important in cell signaling, they are more prevalent in those with fibromyalgia than those who haven’t been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. This piece of information suggests and supports the hypothesis that this condition involves an immune dysregulation. Other suggestions are that the fascia, the thin sheath of fibrous tissue that encloses a muscle or other organs, could be inflamed. Or that the inflammation within the body from fibromyalgia is due to stress.
Symptoms of fibromyalgia are again vast and similar to many other conditions. Their most common symptoms include but not limited to:
ache all over
muscle pain, burning, tingling, twitching, and tightness
low pain threshold or tender points
draining fatigue
trouble concentrating or remembering
insomnia or trouble sleeping
anxiety and or depression
belly pain, bloating, queasiness, constipation, diarrhea (IBS)
headaches
dry mouth, nose and ears
sensitivity to cold, heat, light and sound
peeing more often
numbness or tingling in face, arms, hands, feet, legs
Fibromyalgia has been said to feel similar to osteoarthritis, bursitis, and or tendinitis.
Though there is no cure, there are many ways in which you can manage your fibromyalgia symptoms. Depending on the severity of your symptoms your doctor might prescribe medications such as anti-depressants, pain relievers, muscle relaxers and or medications to help you sleep. Alternative ways to relieve pain could be manual therapies such as Myofascial release therapy, or foam rolling, aquatic therapy may help to balance the amount of cytokines in the body which helps to decrease inflammation and then pain. In combination with these modalities, it is recommended that those with fibromyalgia participate in low-impact exercises such as yoga, tai-chi, pilates and walking to help alleviate pain and symptoms. Last but not least, it is said we can control the majority of these symptoms with simply changing the foods we choose to consume. Changing our diets from the standard American diet to an anti-inflammatory type diet has many benefits with helping fibromyalgia pain suffers to reduce their symptoms and their pain.
Foods that we want to avoid if we suffer from any fibromyalgia pain and or symptoms:
Sugar
Carbs- refined carbs such as cookies, bread, pasta, white rice·
processed foods
unhealthy fats- vegetable oils, corn, safflower and peanut oils·
Fried foods
Alcohol
Gluten
Red meats
Tomatoes, white potatoes, green peppers, and goji berries
Dairy
Eggs
Caffeine
These are the foods we want to then consume to reap their wonderful benefits in aiding us in alleviating our stubborn fibromyalgia pain. Eat these:·
Tuna, salmon, mackerel, sardines, bass, anchovies
Fresh and frozen fruit
Apples
Apricots
Bananas
Berries
Cantaloupe
Grapes
Kiwi
Oranges
Papaya
Pineapple
Avocados
Flaxseed and olive oils
Almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts
Spinach, kale, swiss chard, collard greens, and broccoli
Cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, onions, sweet potatoes
Ginger, turmeric
Green tea, water
Buckwheat, millet, quinoa
Flaxseeds and chia seeds
Keep in mind, there is NO SINGLE diet for people with fibromyalgia. This is just simply a suggestion. I amazes me that for the most part, we are our solution and we are our own problem. We can drastically change our lives by the simple choices we make, daily. The types of food, the types of exercises or lack there of that we choose to participate in. I know that sometimes we can’t help the things that we are either born with or are subject too but what we can change or control rather is how we allow those defining moments to define us. You are in control of so much, do not forget that. For those of you who might suffer with fibromyalgia pain, I hope that this weeks article has helped in some way. :)