by: Dr. Craig A. Maxwell
The horrible body aches and pains associated with fibromyalgia can make living everyday life almost impossible. Though there are now conventional treatments to ease some fibromyalgia symptoms, the side effects associated with these drugs are often just as bad as the disorder. On this page, you’ll learn a little more about this complex disorder and the steps you can take to heal naturally.
Fibromyalgia and Hormonal Imbalance
Many have lumped fibromyalgia into the autoimmune disease category and while the body aches and chronic pain associated with this disorder certainly mimic that of an autoimmune disease, fibromyalgia is a bit different. Though conventional medicine is not entirely sure what causes fibromyalgia, it is believed that the disorder is related to a combination of hormonal imbalance as well as neurotransmitter and enzyme irregularities.
Oftentimes, fibromyalgia has a sudden onset triggered by a traumatic event such as a car accident or caustic chemical inhalation. Some people may simply be predisposed to the disorder but never actually develop it for lack of the traumatizing event.
Symptoms of Fibromyalgia
The most common symptoms of fibromyalgia are:
- “All-Over” Body Pain – Patients with fibromyalgia experience throbbing, aching, stabbing, and burning pains deep in the muscle tissues all over the body, not just in one place.
- Extreme Fatigue – Fibromyalgia patients often feel a kind of exhaustion that is not relieved by rest or sleep.
- Brain Fog – This brain fog can make it difficult to concentrate on everyday tasks and may affect learning and cognition.
- Balance/Coordination Problems – Losing your balance easily often indicates the neurological problems associated with fibromyalgia.
- Digestive Disorders – More than 70% of fibromyalgia patients suffer from digestive complaints including constipation, diarrhea, and acid reflux.
- Headaches/Migraines – Trigger points in the shoulders and neck often trigger debilitating headaches.
- Itchy/Burning Skin – Fibromyalgia patients often notice red, hive-like bumps on their skin as though they have bad sunburn.
- Morning Stiffness – Waking up feeling worse than when you went to bed is a common complaint among those who suffer from fibromyalgia.
- Tense Muscles – Chronic muscle tension is another common indicator of fibromyalgia. It doesn’t matter how much you try to relax your muscles, they seem to always stay stiff and knotted up.
- Sleep Disturbances – It is often difficult for people with fibromyalgia to get enough deep, restorative sleep, which can make them wake up feeling as though they’ve been hit by a truck.
- Sensory Overload – Commonly associated with the developmental disorder, autism, sensory overload issues also plague fibromyalgia patients. You might find noises too loud or lights too bright. Certain touches and fabrics might cause irritability and unease.