As recently as the early 2000s, some medical practitioners believed that widespread musculoskeletal pain, primarily affecting females, was “all in their head.” Today, brainimaging studies show the condition, recognized as fibromyalgia, is caused by an amplification of neural signaling, resulting in a hypersensitivity to pain.
Those with fibromyalgia have an exaggerated response to stimuli, yet the pain is very real, asserts Nehal Gandhi, M.D., of Rheumatology Care Specialists in Glen Mills and Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fibromyalgia also can cause fatigue, insomnia or disrupted sleep, frequent headaches, cognitive difficulties (often referred to as “fibro fog”), digestive problems (such as irritable bowel syndrome), numbness and tingling, and a host of other symptoms. It affects 2% to 4% of the U.S. population, up to 90% of them women.
Symptoms of fibromyalgia are similar to those of illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, thyroid problems, and Lyme disease. It’s crucial to rule out those other causes first, says Surjeet Dheer, D.O., F.A.C.R., who practices at the Newark and Dover offices of Infusion Solutions of Delaware, LLC. “It’s important to emphasize, though, that fibromyalgia is not an inflammatory or autoimmune disorder.”
While there are medications to treat fibromyalgia, both Gandhi and Dheer recommend starting with lifestyle changes. These include lowering stress with deep-breathing exercises and meditation; treating depression and anxiety with psychological counseling; and engaging in regular exercise, such as low-impact aerobics, yoga, tai chi, walking, swimming, and stretching. Some patients also benefit from acupuncture and therapeutic massage.
Dheer also recommends an evaluation for sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, to ensure that any other problems contributing to fatigue are addressed.
While there’s no cure for fibromyalgia, Gandhi offers words of reassurance: “Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition, but it can be managed effectively through lifestyle changes and medication so that you can live a normal, active life.”
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