When you have a fibromyalgia diagnosis, you are very likely to have neurological problems associated with other fibromyalgia symptoms. Your fibromyalgia symptoms can be wide spread across many body locations, but they do seem to follow a similar pattern in many patients. As you will read below in a study out of Seattle that neurologic symptoms do appear to correlate with the signs and symptoms found in many fibromyalgia patients.
Pain in not the only symptoms of Fibromyalgia, you may find that you suffer from other neurological symptoms such as:
Bladder problems
Blurred vision that glasses don’t help
Clumsiness
Cold hands and feet
Dizziness or Fainting
Facial Numbness
Frequent Headaches
Irritable bowel syndrome
Muscle weakness
Nausea and/or vomiting spells
Numbness and tingling in your hands and feet
Sore Throat or Hoarseness
Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome
Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome is a hypersensitivity to chemicals, odors, loud noise, light, temperature changes, and affects around 2/3rds of fibromyalgia patients. Chemical sensitivity symptoms can include headaches, nausea, vomiting, headaches, dizziness, and fainting. Chemical sensitivity symptoms can mimic fibromyalgia symptoms as well. Many fibromyalgia patients have found relief from their neurological symptoms by examining the link between their reaction to certain chemicals and conditions. Keep in mind that fibromyalgia syndrome already impacts your life, narrowing your chemical reactions may make a big impact on your health, but you still need to live. Shutting yourself away from the world is not the answer. If you do find that chemical sensitivity is affecting you in ways that are causing neurological problems it is wise to contact your health care provider to determine an appropriate plan of action, so that you may live your life as fully as possible.
Neurologic Symptoms Associated With Fibromyalgia Syndrome
In a controlled study group of one hundred and sixty-six fibromyalgia patients, and sixty-six pain free control patients conducted by Dr. Nathaniel F. Watson from the University of Washington Medicine Sleep Institute in Harborview Seattle, showed significantly more neurologic symptoms than were seen in the overall control group.
Fibromyalgia Neurologic Symptoms that were studies showed:
70% of fibromyalgia patients displayed photo phobia or light sensitivity 63% of the group showed signs of poor balance 50% displayed some weakness and tingling in their arms or legs.
Upon further research the study found that there were considerable correlations between the neurologic symptoms, and the neurologic signs.
Example: Poor balance correlated in the test study with defined weakness in the arms or legs. These findings lead to the recommendation by Watson who ran the study to advice; “careful neurological examinations in all fibromyalgia patients, particularly those with neurological complaints.”
SOURCE: Arthritis and Rheumatism, September 2009.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE58L40T20090922
Living with fibromyalgia on a daily basis can be both a physical and physiological challenging. The symptoms of fibromyalgia are so varied from patient to patient that is makes it difficult for diagnosis and even more difficult to cure. The syndromes main components of joint pain , fatigue, tender points, muscle pain, and difficulty concentrating are the main components of the syndrome that drive individuals to the doctor looking for answers. Many time people are discouraged as they walk away from the doctor’s office with a name for their condition, but no cure, and no real answers.
Treating fibromyalgia can become a one person crusade that may take years of your life to really get a handle on the symptoms, and how to treat them yourself. There are newer medications that are now being developed and used, as more men and women seek medical attention for a disease just 6-10 years back was thought to be physiological. Luckily newer technology is confirming that it is not in your head, and brain scans can prove it. Now, that’s all good, but it still comes down to the fact that there is no one size fits all fibromyalgia treatment plan. So, what can you do?
Let’s take a look to day at diets, particularly “A Gluten Free Diet”; can it help ease the symptoms of fibromyalgia? Gluten intolerance is becoming more prevalent with the advent of more, and more highly processed foods. How do you know if you are gluten intolerant. That is a whole article in itself. I highly recommend “Living Gluten free for dummies” this is an excellent resource book. This will explain gluten allergy symtoms, and suggest a plan of action to determine how to remove gluten from your diet, and thus eliminating your gluten allergy.
It is clinically proven that diets play a big role in many health problems, and conditions. Food allergies are abundant, and with more processed foods there are more people suffering from food allergies than ever. It is amazing what we put into our bodies that we do not even realize, and much of it is killing us slowly and for many painfully. Gluten allergies have been connected clinically to fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, IBS, constipation, asthma, acne, and much more.
Where Can You Find Gluten?
In the diet Gluten is a fusion of the proteins gliadin and glutenin. It can be found in grains: barleycorn, corn, rye, and other grain compounds. It is very pre
Gluten is a protein compound found in wheat which is commonly found in grains as corn, rye and barleycorn. Gluten is cannot be completely removed from wheat and other grains, so when you buy something that is “gluten free”, but this is a misnomer, because as stated the FDA deems that if a certain percentage is removed it can still be labeled “Gluten Free”. If you have gluten allergy that little bit may still be toxic to your system. Gluten is make are bread sticky giving a nice chewy texture that is why bread dough is sticky and gummy in nature.
There are some fibromyalgia suffers that have “tagged” their fibromyalgia symptoms to poor digestion or an allergy to gluten. When using gluten free products which have become more prevalent on grocery store shelves be aware that you are as stated above not buying a 100% gluten free product. Removing food additives and highly processed foods should be high priority for everyone. What we are consuming on a daily basis is a poisonous concoction that is creating an unhealthy and toxic environment in our bodily system. Is gluten the cause of your fibromyalgia symptoms? No one can say; you will have to remove gluten from your diet for at least 60 days and then add it back slowly to see if you have a fibromyalgia flare up. If a flare up does occur it would be very beneficial to contact a dietician to learn how to live gluten free.
Naturally Gluten Free
You can discover more natural gluten free diet options that are very beneficial and helpful when you are trying to uncover the cause of your fibromyalgia symptoms. poo , poo are great resources for discovering how to incorporate this specialized diet into your everyday living.
Fibromyalgia Syndrome is one of the most frequent rheumatic causes of chronic pain worldwide. As doctors and health care practitioners become more aware of the many attributes of fibromyalgia syndrome, it becoming more apparent that fibromyalgia back back pain it is a leading symptom in 75 % of of sufferers. It is one of the top patient requests, followed by treatment for the chronic fatigue of the syndrome. The list can be exhaustive, here is short list of the most frequent symptoms.
Fibromyalgia symptoms can include:
Chronic Fatigue
Sleep Disturbances
Sore Muscles
Stiffness
Flu Like Symptoms
All Over Body Aches
Fibromyalgia Back Pain
Tender Points
Myofascial Pain
Headaches
Depression
Irritable Bowl Syndrome
Arthritis
And More…….
Tender point pain in fibromyalgia differs from myofascial pain in that the pain is spread to different areas, verses myofascial pain which is more localized in the lower back.
Tender point pain can be treated with local injections, as well as “spray and stretching” technique. You will need a prescription, as this involves a vapor coolants spray called ethyl chloride or fluori-methane. The vapor coolant is used to chill the muscles before stretching, and physical activity.
Fibromyalgia suffers can become overwhelmed by back pain that they become consummed, and begin going from doctor, to doctor on an never ending doctor merry- go -round.
There is no doubt that this is a difficult, and painful condition that at this time offers no known cure. Research continues and hope always looms as more more, and more patients are diagnosed with this debilitating condition.
For many finding a name, or a diagnosis for a condition that is “hidden” inside an individual, and does not produce outward symptoms can be very difficult.There are no x-rays to be taken, or a single lab test that will conclusively prove that you are indeed suffering as much as you profess.
Fibromyalgia has really only come into main stream medicine in the last 10-20 years. Unfortunately, even as awareness grows, it can be difficult if you are not lucky enough to find a doctor who is familiar with this chronic condition, and the large expanse of symptoms it can produce. As the condition and symptoms can vary vastly from person to person, makes a diagnosis even more difficult.
You will also find that there are many doctors out there who do not have the time or patience to diagnose fibromyalgia properly. Be prepared for those that simply deny that Fibromyalgia is a real condition. They see mostly women, who are depressed, in pain, who’s lives are out of control, appear to need to much care, and they will put the label “nut case” on you, and pass judgment before you leave their office.
In 1990 the College Of Rheumatology AEC developed the criteria for diagnosis. It involves evaluating 11 symptom variables that include sleep disturbances, stress levels, and headaches. The medical community defines a diagnosis if you have had widespread pain for more than a three month period, and demonstrates 11 or more tender points with a physical exam, and then a diagnosis of fibromyalgia can be concluded.
Luckily for some suffers you will find a doctor, or therapeutic care giver who due to past experience with other fibromyalgia patients can use a physical exam, and the oral report of the patient to determine a correct diagnosis.
What Is The Best Specialists For Treating Fibromyalgia?
Many times it is not one doctor or one specialist that can help treat your fibromyalgia. It may take a team of specialists to help you manage your fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia Treatment Specialists
Rheumatologists
Family Physicians
OB-Gyn
Gastroenterologist
Psychologists
Neurologists
Doctor of Osteopathy D.O.
Immunologists
Pain Management Specialist
Dietitian
Acupuncturists
Massage Therapists
Physical Therapist
Occupational Therapists
Finding the right care giver is a very important aspect of caring for yourself, and managing this chronic condition.
Your Doctor will ask a series of questions about your level of pain, how it affects you, what relieves your pain, your other symptoms, and then they will do a physial exam to detect any outward abnormalities. They will palpate the 18 tender points as discussed earlier. If you display 11 postive tender points out of the 18 that are documented by the American College Of Rheumatology along with other symptoms a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia may be made.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder that is generally characterized by widespread pain, and severs pain sensitivity that can affect your quality of life. It is a real condition, but as painful and debilitating as it is, it is not a life threatening disease.
There are many people will not have all the symptoms at once, but the norm is experiencing multiple symptoms and a variety of other chronic conditions at the same time.
Fibromyalgia How Do You Cope?