Living with Fibromyalgia – How Can I Live with Fibromyalgia Pain?

 

Click Here to Find Out the Holistic Guide to Combat Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia

Living with Fibromyalgia

 

Fibromyalgia is a chronic and painful condition that is extremely hard to diagnose. The main symptoms are constant pain and stiffness in the musculoskeletal parts of the body, soft tissue tenderness and sleep disturbances leading to extreme tiredness. The pain is mostly felt in the neck, back, pelvic girdle and hands, though any other parts of the body may be affected.

 

This disease is very hard to diagnose because so many of the symptoms are similar to other problems like chronic fatigue, rheumatism and arthritis. Doctors must rely a great deal on their patients’ description of symptoms.

 

Diagnosis: Fibromyalgia Test

 

There is a manual standardized test that can be given to discover if there is pain at specified points of the body. If 11 out of 18 of these specified points are tender, and the patient has had pain in all four quadrants of the body for at least three months then Fibromyalgia is certainly suspected.

 

A compounding problem is that these symptoms can come and go from week to week. Numbness, tingling and burning may also be present and the pain can be affected by emotional stress, trauma and also by weather conditions such as humidity and cold. Too little or too much activity can also play a part in the amount of pain experienced.

 

Sometimes fibromyalgia can be triggered by an illness or injury, but it is also thought to be genetic. New research has shown that it may be caused by an interpretive defect of the central nervous system that causes abnormal pain perception.

 

Treating Fibromyalgia Symptoms

 

Once the condition has been diagnosed, there is much the patient can do to relieve the symptoms. Certainly the advice of a medical health-care provider should be sought and followed, but there are many alternative treatments that offer relief from the symptoms and most doctors agree that sufferers of fibromyalgia should put into place a multi-faceted treatment regimen that includes nutrition, exercise, dietary supplements, acupuncture, aroma-therapy, relaxation techniques and even the use of hot-cold therapies and humor to aid in pain relief.  

 

Over the counter pain relief medication such as ibuprofen can be used, while low doses of anti-depressants from the doctor can certainly help the sufferer to get better sleep. Lidocaine injections into tender pain points may also be needed for relief. Gentle exercise and stretching will prevent the muscles from wasting away and is also beneficial in reducing pain and stiffness

 

Fibromyalgia Help and Support

 

Because living with a chronic illness such as FM can be so debilitating, sufferers need emotional support as well as physical. Joining a fibromyalgia support group can provide helpful insights into the disease, while counselling sessions with a trained professional can open communication with friends and family who often cannot understand the extensive disabilities caused by fibromyalgia.

 

If you are a fibromyalgia sufferer, it is important to keep a hopeful attitude even in the face of debilitating pain, because this disease does tend to improve over time and there are always new and different treatments being discovered.  

 

The Difficulties of Living with Fibromyalgia

 

It's not easy to live with fibromyalgia.  It is not easy due to the fact that, like myself, you have no knowledge about how you are going to feel when you wake up in the morning.  One day there's pain beyond belief and the next you can feel as if you are walking on clouds, no pain and a day full of activity.  

 

My day normally starts with about 20 minutes of trying to stretch out my muscles and have them functioning normally again.  Then I have to pick up my little girl from her bed, and that can be a painful experience.  After that it's time to change her diaper, and that is also a huge problem for me as my fingers normally are not working properly.  Fortunately, my daughter has learned already to be patient with me.   After about half an hour it's time to try out clothes and see if it's going to be a good day or a bad one.  A bad day is a no tight clothes day.  Then it's breakfast time but normally I can't eat breakfast due to stomach problems also caused by my fibromyalgia. 

 

Then the day goes on.  If I have the strength, I will try to go out and do the shopping and also take out my kids.   The worse thing about fibromyalgia is that one gets so tired.  The pain can be so hard that nothing works and even if you have had a good night's sleep, you can wake up feeling as if you have never slept at all.  It takes control over every little thing you like to do.  One day I have all the strength I can ever use and the next day I have no strength at all. 

 

Fibromyalgia takes all the good in you, and makes you feel horrible if you do more than your body can take.   I remember once I was at a dance, felt pretty good that evening and had no pain whatsoever.  The day after the dance I could not get out of bed, I had to call for help.  I have also had to have home assistant, and help with almost everything for some periods of my illness.  It's been so bad that I haven't even been able to take my kids out to play.  

 

The weather is also a big problem for almost everyone with fibromyalgia. For me that means that when the temperature is between 0-15 degrees Celsius, I'm in severe pain.  Those days, I can do hardly anything, and that means for me about 6 months a year.   There are a few things that you, who don't have this illness can do:

 

1.   Remember that even if someone has fibromyalgia, it doesn't mean you can see it.  We have no evidence on our bodies that prove our illness and too often we get to hear that we are lazy, and "How can you be ill, it doesn't show".  Those words hurt.  Because we have often had to fight a battle with our doctors to make them realize that we have fibromyalgia and prove it to far too many people.  

 

2.   Also think about the fact that sometimes even a soft touch can hurt, so don't pat us on the back saying "you'll get better!".  It's an illness that is there for life.  

 

3.   Don't make demands on us, because what we can do today, we might not be able to do tomorrow. 

 

This is just a little about fibromyalgia and I will probably write much more about it.

 

Watch this video - Living with Fibromyalgia - Fibromyalgia ruined my life...how I manage

 

Living with Fibromyalgia - Where to Find Special Fibromyalgia Support Groups

 

When dealing with something like fibromyalgia, it is important to have a support system of some sort in place. Finding support for a unique condition like that, though, is sometimes difficult. If you know where to look, though, and you know how to research the organizations, you soon discover where to find special fibromyalgia support groups. Here are a few tips that may help you in your search so that you can share your experience, share the experience of others, and learn how to get support through supporting others.

 

A great place to start your search for where to find special fibromyalgia support groups is online. The internet is a wealth of knowledge and many of these support groups add to that by having their own websites. The best way to find them is to start with a search engine.

 

Finding a fibromyalgia support group is really no different than finding anything else online. Start by searching for fibromyalgia and a location. You will, in most every case, get back several responses that fit your search. So, your next step then would be to make a decision on which support group best works for you.

 

The internet will not only tell you where to find special fibromyalgia support groups, but also how to get in contact with them. Once you have found a group online that seems to fit your need and schedule, you should contact them. Talking to a representative of the group can often give you a feel for whether or not it is going to be a good fit for you.

 

The internet is not the only place suited to help you with where to find special fibromyalgia support groups. Another fantastic resource for you is the local hospitals. If you call the hospital and ask, most all of them will have support groups for all sorts of conditions and situations. They should be able to give you information on special fibromyalgia support groups that will fit your schedule. They should be able to tell you when the groups meet, where they meet, and how to get into contact with them.

 

So, if you are not “computer savvy” and still needs to know where to find special fibromyalgia support groups, then contact your local hospital and they should be able to help you. If not, they should be able to direct you to another organization that certainly can.

 

Finally, if all else fails, then you can find where to find special fibromyalgia support groups by contacting Fibro-Friends. This is a group that supports and advocates for those who have fibromyalgia. They can help you find support groups, organizations, and other contacts in your area so that you do not have to be alone.

 

Knowing where to find special fibromyalgia support groups can be a big part of dealing with it. By going online, through your local hospital, or talking to Fibro-Friends, you can get the support system you need to deal with this condition day in and day out.

 

This article is from the Get Your Health Back – Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Freedom. It consists of a strategy filled with guides on sleep, pain, depression, anxiety, diet, exercise and fitness plans, diet plans and packed with 369 healthy and delicious recipes

 

To find out more about this program, visit the website - Get Your Health Back – Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Freedom

 

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms and Treatment – What Causes CFS?

Click Here to Find Out the Holistic Guide to Combat Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms and Treatment - Things to Know about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

You usually meet the summer with a feeling of complete exhaustion and insomnia; you feel like going on holidays, having rest, mustering your strengths and thus preparing for a new academic year or work. Probably you can attribute yourself to people who can’t turn their thoughts from work problems to something more pleasant. You are likely to suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome.

Businessmen often complain that even at home, that they can’t stop thinking about work.  These thoughts are still spinning in their head even when the man is trying to fall asleep. As a result, he can’t fall asleep for a long time and this is the way insomnia develops.

Constant insomnia, a long working day (more than 8 hours) are a great stress for our body. And finally, it starts sounding the alarm, reminding us about its needs with different indispositions starting from fatigue, tension, high irritability, headache and more serious disorders.

Recently conducted research identified professions mostly subject to the “burnout” phenomenon. These people always have to communicate with others.  The four most risky occupations include:  teacher, psychologist, actor, manager, etc. 

Students also form a separate group of risk.  As they have to burn up the midnight oil, cramming for their exams or completing their college term papers. During the day they have to balance between studies and work.

Every person has his/ her own ways of relieving tension, having rest from pressure at work. Scientists define these methods as “ecological” and “non – ecological “.

“Non – ecological “ways of entertaining include drinking, smoking, drugs, overeating and gambling. These   methods are called “non – ecological “because a person who does not know other forms relaxation can get addicted to them.

Many people agree that far more “ecological” ways of rest after the work are walking, meeting with friends or spending time in the family circle, watching TV, taking a soothing hot bath or shower and so on. To find time for rest you should be able to manage your time effectively. If you work all day long and on coming home, continue doing it (it does not matter in thoughts or really), your efficiency will gradually decline.

All the time you are “boiling” in your own problems and you find it impossible to forget about them and then have an objective look at them. So, you are to plan your time so that you have some leisure during work and after it.   It does not matter what you do during the rest. The point is to free your head from work issues at that moment.

If you can’t get rid of thoughts about your work during the rest, try to arrange with “a responsible part of yourself “, dealing with these problems that it will give you a little time – off.  And then you will return to them at the appointed time. In this case you will have a more efficient control of your state. Your problems will not be solved just because you are thinking about them all the night.

If you manage to find some easy methods of relaxation and rest, you will avoid “burnout” effect and you will feel better. You can use any methods of trance and relaxation during the day, plunging into relaxed state for several minutes.  This way you will relieve yourself from stress, prepare for responsible appointment, tuning yourself for certain feelings such as calmness, self- confidence, vitality, burst of energy and high spirits.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms and Treatment - Chronic Fatigue vs. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Fatigue is an ongoing part of life for many individuals today.  Lack of sleep for busy parents, students, and others trying to find ways to fit all of their “to do’s” into one twenty-four hours period is simply something that modern man learns to deal with.  However, for some people, fatigue cannot be remedied by a good night’s sleep.

Chronic fatigue can be an early warning sign that something has gone awry with one or more bodily systems.  Diseases and disorders such as depression, diabetes, hypothyroidism, and even certain cancers count fatigue as a primary symptom.  For individuals who suffer from one of these diseases, fatigue is a result of the disease or disorder – fatigue is caused by the disease.  For an even smaller group of individuals, chronic fatigue is an illness unto itself.

Unlike Chronic Fatigue, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) IS the illness, not merely a symptom.  Although characterized by, and having extreme fatigue as its hallmark symptom, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome includes many other frustrating symptoms. 

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferers find that they can include multiple mysterious symptoms such as flu-like symptoms and unexplained brain fog among their woes.  For some individuals, the symptoms become incredibly disabling.  Many individuals cannot function normally – at least for a period of time.

Because the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are non-specific, medical professionals have difficulty diagnosing the illness.  Even more frustrating for sufferers, many medical professionals continue to hold the belief that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is not a valid illness but is a psychosomatic disorder instead. 

Even with this built in prejudice, it is still wise for an individual who believes he or she suffers from CFS to undergo a complete medical examination to rule out one of the underlying medical conditions mentioned above before receiving treatment for CFS. 

Individuals who suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are not merely depressed, overtired, or crazy.  Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a valid medical illness. 

Research into the causes, and ultimately cure, of CFS is still in its infancy, but medical professionals have determined that CFS does in fact exist and that sufferers may be able to find relief – if not yet a cure.  With continued research and medical intervention, CFS sufferers may one day realize a life without symptoms.

To find out more about chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms and treatment, watch this video - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Causes and Treatment

This article is from the Get Your Health Back – Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Freedom. It consists of a strategy filled with guides on sleep, pain, depression, anxiety, diet, exercise and fitness plans, diet plans and packed with 369 healthy and delicious recipes

To find out more about this program, visit the website - Get Your Health Back – Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Freedom