GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) – According to the Mayo Clinic, Fibromyalgia is defined as a disorder that essentially heightens pain sensations in the body due to misdiagnosis in the brain.
People who suffer from Fibromyalgia typically deal with widespread musculoskeletal pain.
According to doctors at Bon Secours, there’s nothing actually wrong with the body that creates the pain. It’s instead a misfire of nerves that causes the widespread pain.
“It is a disorder, of how the nerve transmission carries pain messages up to our brain and how they’re detected and then what it does, about it,” said Rheumatologist Mona Idrees.
Doctor Idrees said it’s caused because signals of touch on the body are transmitted to the brain several times over.
“It is often associated with other diseases of pain, such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus,” she added.
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms include widespread pain, fatigue, and cognitive difficulties.
Dr. Idrees said it’s caused because signals of touch on the body are transmitted to the brain several times over.
“It is often associated with other diseases of pain, such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus,” she added.
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms include widespread pain, fatigue and cognitive difficulties.
Dr. Idrees said while there is no cure for Fibromyalgia, there are no ways to treat the disease.
“Number one you have to have adequate sleep,” said Doctor Idrees.
She suggests six to eight solid hours of it.
Number two is exercise.
“I get the question from my Fibromyalgia patients, ‘how am I supposed to exercise if I’m in so much pain?’ I get that. I completely get that. I’m not telling you to push through it. But you’ve got to train your brain into giving it a little bit of painful activity.”
Dr. Idris said that trains your brain to handle a new level of pain that becomes your new norm.
“So it’s anything above that will be considered pain. Teaching your brain to think a little bit of pain is okay,” she said.
Number three is pharmacotherapy which includes drugs like Cymbalta or Lyrica.
“They’re used in conjunction with these other therapies. And essentially all of them, what they do is they try to filter and weaken those impulses to our brain,” said Doctor Ideeis.
She adds treatment drugs are not ideal just on their own.
“I certainly wouldn’t start somebody on that by themselves without the other modalities,” Doctor Idris said. “But it’s a combination.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control, other treatment methods include stress management techniques such as meditation, yoga, and message.
Dr. Idris said there are no sure ways to prevent getting Fibromyalgia, but there are ways to reduce the chances of getting it.
The CDC reports those methods to include eating nutritious foods, maintaining sleep, keeping active and minimizing stress.
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