Saturday, March 23, 2024

How To Overcome Fibromyalgia Fatigue

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Do You Have Fibromyalgia

Foods to Fight Fibromyalgia Fatigue.

Fibromyalgia is characterized by a constant dull ache throughout your body and can be accompanied by fatigue, problems getting to sleep, and a lack of concentration. You may have fibromyalgia if you:

  • Constantly feel dull, achy pain throughout your body.
  • Wake up tired even after sleeping for many hours
  • Have a hard time focusing on mental tasks

If youre experiencing these symptoms, you should see a doctor confirm your diagnosis. Sometimes fibromyalgia appears after physical or psychological trauma, including surgery, a car crash, giving birth, or a death in the family. Other times, fibromyalgia appears gradually.

Much is still unknown about fibromyalgia, which can be frustrating. Experts think this condition happens because of mixed-up pain signals in your brain. In other words, chemicals related to pain increase, and your pain receptors overreact to them. Now that you understand the condition a little bit better, lets look at six natural ways to overcome fibromyalgia and soothe the symptoms.

Upturning The Downward Spiral Of Chronic Pain

In the beginning, I felt crushed, overwhelmed, like I was barely surviving with unknown overall pain. Whether you call it giving up or giving in, I decided soon after my diagnosis to silence my inner thoughts in the hopes that my physical pain would silence as well. I quieted my doubts, welcomed the numbness, ignored the so-called imaginary pain that kept me from accomplishing a simple task.

But, like a medication that is taken to reduce the feeling of pain or discomfort, this approach didnt work long-term. The pain, the issues, and the fears kept coming back. This is when I learned that it is important to speak out. At first, I tried speaking about these issues, but it just made me feel uncomfortable, so I started writing poems and stories for myself. Writing is what I love to do and it helps me express my emotions and to get to know myself better. With time, I learned to speak my truth, which made me feel lighter and less overwhelmed. I am still working on speaking openly about this condition and I admit that I prefer to help others express their own feelings.

Think Of Three Words: Cats Chocolate And Coffee

I actually got the idea of cats, chocolate, and coffee, from a friend going through breast cancer, says Rachel M., 46, of Houston, Texas. She calls it the 3 Cs and I know its kind of a joke but it really does help to cuddle up with my dog, a bag of Doves, and a hot cup of coffee. Its not just about comfort either. Studies have shown that petting an animal reduces stress, dark chocolate is an anti-inflammatory, and coffee can obviously give an energy boost.

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Do Your Employees Take More Risks With Valuable Data Because Theyve Become Desensitised To Security Guidance Spot The Symptoms Before Its Too Late Says Phil Muncaster Guest Writer At Eset

IT security is often regarded as the Department of No and sometimes its easy to see why. In a world of escalating cyber-risk, expanding attack surfaces and a fast-growing cybercrime economy, security teams are understandably keen to limit the damage their employees could cause. After all, it takes just one misplaced click to unleash a potentially devastating ransomware compromise. But when the burden on employees becomes too high, they may react in unexpected ways, which actually increases cyber-risk in the organisation.

This is known as security fatigue and it in a worst-case scenario it can lead to reckless and impulsive behavior quite the opposite of what IT teams want. To tackle it, security needs to work more seamlessly, limiting the number of decisions users need to make and rebalancing protection and productivity for a world of hybrid working.

What is security fatigue and how bad is it?

Humans are often thought of as the weakest link in the corporate security chain. Thats why IT security departments are so keen to mitigate the risk from negligent insiders. On the one hand, theyre right to. An estimated 67% of companies experienced between 21 and over 40 insider incidents in 2021, up from 60% in 2020 and costing them an average of over US$15m to remediate.

What are the top symptoms of security fatigue?

Unfortunately, this could have a seriously destabilising impact on corporate security. Among the tell-tale signs of security fatigue are employees who:

Moving Beyond Diagnosis To Find The Causes

Fatigue is one of the most prominent symptoms of fibromyalgia. Here

I learned firsthand the struggle to understand fatigue-related disorders when a personal encounter with debilitating fatigue around age 50 forced me to see them differently than most physicians. After years of intense night call as an OB/GYN and keeping some pretty poor health habits, I was gradually propelled into chronic misery and had to give up my practice as a result.

I experienced the full range of symptoms common to chronic fatigue syndrome. And like most sufferers, I struggled between a diagnosis of CFS and fibromyalgia, but ultimately chose fibromyalgia because of pain issues. Later, after a tick bite with a bulls eye rash, I concluded that I had been suffering from chronic Lyme disease all along.

Now, after more than a decade of research and trial and error with nearly every possible conventional and alternative treatment, Im finally well again. In the process, Ive also come to the conclusion that all three of these illnesses chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and chronic Lyme are variations of the same fundamental problem: Loss of energy that can be sourced to mitochondrial dysfunction and disrupted communications within the body.

The list of possible coinfections includes mycoplasma, bartonella, babesia, anaplasma, ehrlichia, and rickettsia, but new microbes are being added to the list on a regular basis. In addition, most everyone with chronic Lyme disease is also found to have reactivation of EBV and a variety of other viruses.

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Sprinkle Turmeric On Your Food

My doctor recommended it and now I have to have turmeric every day, Ami says, adding that she puts the pungent yellow spice in sauces and drinks or takes capsules. Its a proven anti-inflammatory and its a way to add flavor to food in a healthy way, she says. Read more about the benefits of turmeric.

Exercise But Not Too Much

People with fibromyalgia often have a love-hate relationship with exercise. Staying active is a powerful way to reduce daily pain but its often the last thing you want to do when youre feeling achy and exhausted. I have a health care background and one of the best tips Ive learned is that movement actually helps decrease pain signals but its been really hard learning how to self-regulate my activity, says Amy R., 29, of Buffalo, New York. I cant overdo it or it will make my fibro pain worse. Plus, how much I can push myself or not can change on any given day so I need to be aware of that. By making sure I spread it out, and making sure I get up regularly to move, Ive been able to manage.

Her favorite activity? Walking. If I can walk outside I get the extra benefit of the sunshine, which is great for vitamin D levels.

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Eliminate Food Sensitivities And Allergens

More and more research is pointing to a link between food allergies and sensitivities and chronic fatigue syndrome. Allergies to certain foods, pollen, metals and other environmental chemicals may be causing the rising number of individuals with CFS.

According to a study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, IBS, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue are linked, and researchers were surprised. In a study of 84 patients that had been referred for unexplained digestive problems, nearly all patients qualified for a diagnosis of IBS, 85 percent had chronic fatigue syndrome and 71 percent had fibromyalgia. The common denominator, researchers in this study believe, is poor digestion and food sensitivities.

Gluten & Other Common Intolerances

For example, one of todays most common food sensitivities is agluten sensitivity. Lactose intolerance, a casein allergy and an intolerance of other common allergens also may be at the root of chronic fatigue. Other common allergens include tree nuts, peanuts, dairy, soy, shellfish and yeast.

I suggestion is to consider taking an IgG test to help you determine the foods that you are sensitive to then you can eliminate them from your diet. By getting rid of your personal known allergens, symptoms of IBS, ADHD, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis and chronic fatigue can potentially be relieved.

Candida Imbalance

Casein

H. Pylori

How To Overcome Fibromyalgia When Nothing Else Works

Fibromyalgia, (Have Pain, Fatigue, Brain Fog & Memory Loss), 4 Steps to Success!

Fibromyalgia is a disorder that affects nearly 4 million people in the United States alone1. This syndrome includes symptoms like pain, achiness all over the body, tenderness at certain points of the body, generalized fatigue, and even brain fog2.

Fortunately, there are many natural methods that can help your body heal itself including some lesser known, yet powerful therapies. So, if you want to support your body against fibromyalgia with natural methods, my approach is as follows:

  • First, go see your physician to get a proper diagnosis, and to make sure you dont have life threatening conditions.
  • Then look into dietary and lifestyle changes that show evidence of being able to help fibromyalgia.
  • If those dont help enough, you can look to nutritional supplements that show evidence of benefit.
  • Finally, if nothing else works there are specific amino acid protocols and lab tests that you can use to help balance your neurotransmitters . For many people, this is at root of their problem with fibromyalgia.

Overall, the beauty of natural health techniques is that they involve little to no risk. Because of this, you can try a variety of these techniques, to see if any of them can help your individual case. Best of all, you can do much of this yourself with little to no cost.

Also Check: Cure For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 2017

Increase Your Vitamin B Intake

According to a study published in the Journal of Royal Society of Medicine, researchers found a direct link between reduced vitamin B levels and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Vitamin B6

The study focused on B-6, riboflavin and thiamine, and researchers believe that B6 is particularly important. Vitamin B6 rich foods include wild tuna and salmon, bananas, grass-fed beef, sweet potatoes, turkey, hazelnuts, garlic and cooked spinach.

Vitamin B6 helps to prevent and relieve fatigue, and it supports a healthy immune system. As stated above, some researchers believe that certain viruses play a role in CFS, therefore increasing B6 levels can be a helpful treatment. B6 helps supports T-cell functioning, allowing them to more adeptly fight infections.

Importance of Methylation

Methylation is the term given to the process in the body where methyl compounds are used in the critical functions of the body immune function, energy production, mood, inflammation, nerve function, detoxification, and even DNA all of which are challenges in chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Methylation helps you process toxins, make hormones, and even helps in the production of neurotransmitters such as melatonin. How well your body can methylate effects all of these important areas. Poor methylation can lead to a variety of chronic conditions including certain types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, allergies, digestive upset, mood and psychiatric disorders, and chronic fatigue.

Vitamin B12

Help Others See What You Feel

Because fibro fog and fatigue aren’t obvious, it can be hard for friends and loved ones to understand what you’re dealing with.

Let the people in your life know that you have a disease that affects your muscles and causes pain, fatigue, and thinking problems. It might help to say researchers are pretty sure that certain areas of the brain don’t process nerve signals correctly, leading to a wide range of symptoms.

When you ask for help — and it’s OK to do that — be specific about what you need.

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Telehealth Consult With A Pain Expert

Pain recovery begins with a thorough understanding of you. You will complete a full-person health assessment to help us understand your medical history and pain presentation. A Lin pain recovery provider will review your assessment, complete a comprehensive health overview & offer recommendations for your next steps.

If You Think Youve Tried Everything For Managing Fibro You Might Find New Advice Worth Testing Here

7 Ways to Kick Fatigue

Fibromyalgia is the best fake disease ever. I get to lie in bed all day, I get to see my doctor every month, I get to take handfuls of meds that cost a lot and seem to do very little, I dont have to socialize, and I get to mooch off loved ones instead of working! says Shelley of Houston, Texas, who has fibromyalgia, Lyme disease, and chronic fatigue syndrome, and blogs at Chronic Mom. Arent I just the luckiest person in the world?!

Shes joking, obviously, but it comes from a place of real pain, of feeling like no one from friends to her doctors really understands what her illness is, much less how it feels to live with fibromyalgia every day. People sometimes think that because she doesnt look sick then she must be exaggerating her symptoms. Even worse, shes been accused of making up or faking her disease all together.

Shes hardly the only fibro patient who feels this way.

Fibromyalgia might be the most common disease youve never heard of unless youre living with it, that is. The chronic illness, characterized by widespread pain throughout the body, affects more than 10 million people in the United States alone and three to six percent of the worlds population, according to the National Fibromyalgia Association. Up to 90 percent of patients are women. All of which is to say that if you have fibro, youre most definitely not alone.

Read Also: How To Tell If You Have Chronic Fatigue

Keep Practicing And Tinkering

For tasks on which you are having difficulty pacing, Dr. Mirgain advises to think about how long you can do the activity without fatigue and how long you will need to rest before becoming active again . With those set time limits, practice! Once youve mastered a task, you can consider slowly increasing the activity time and decreasing rest time.

How Is Fibromyalgia Diagnosed

There isnt a test that definitively diagnoses fibromyalgia. The diagnosis of fibromyalgia is clinical based on your symptoms and physical exam. Basic blood tests are recommended to exclude other causes of fatigue such as anemia or thyroid disease. The diagnosis relies on your family and medical history combined with your symptoms.

People with fibromyalgia tend to be deeply sensitive to pain that wouldnt bother most people. Your provider may assess the number of tender points, or areas, on your body that are highly sensitive to touch. For a diagnosis, widespread pain should be present for three months along with fatigue and other symptoms such as memory and concentration difficulties, poor sleep, symptoms of depression and irritability syndrome.

Also Check: Does Lyme Disease Cause Fatigue

Treatment For Fibromyalgia: The Big Picture

Theres not necessarily a straightforward or universal way to treat fibromyalgia, as the condition affects each patient differently and many fibro patients are also managing other co-occurring diseases at the same time, such as different kinds of arthritis. Many treatment options are available to address fibromyalgias various symptoms, so treatment for fibromyalgia should be multifactorial, individualized, and based on what specific issues and symptoms are affecting you most.

Not everyone gets the same fibromyalgia treatment, says Dr. Hackshaw. We figure it out based on the symptoms that are most concerning for that patient. He adds that doctors aim to use medications that treat multiple symptoms instead of prescribing multiple medications. The key is that you need to find your magic combination that works for you, says Stackelhouse.

Treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome And Fibromyalgia

How Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Are Related

Theres no standard treatment for ME/CFS or fibromyalgia. Most people end up with multiple types of treatment. It can take a lot of trial and error to come up with a good treatment regimen.

Types of treatment include:

Topical pain relievers like BioFreeze and Tiger Balm are commonly used, as well.

Therapies

Some therapies are controversial when it comes to ME/CFS. Two historically common ones are:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy: A type of talk therapy that addresses negative thoughts and habits and how to replace them with healthier behaviors.
  • Graded exercise therapy : Controlled exercise that attempts to build exercise tolerance.

These treatments used to be recommended as first-line treatments, despite little evidence showing them to be effective. A major flaw in this treatment approach is that it doesnât address known physiological abnormalities of the disease.

In fact, the theory behind these treatments holds that ME/CFS involves false beliefs, being out of shape, and having an irrational aversion to exercise. These beliefs are not supported by research or the experiences of people with ME/CFS.

Some studies estimated CBT and GET to benefit about 20% of people who tried them. Other estimates put it as low as 10%.

Supplements

Also Check: Sore Throat And Chronic Fatigue

Take A Yoga Or Meditation Class

Aquatic exercise such as swimming or water aerobics has a double effect on those with fibromyalgia. First of all, the exercise of any form can have a positive effect on fibromyalgia symptoms. Exercise can relieve muscle stiffness, but also tire out the body physically so that you can get to sleep more easily. Moreover, pool exercises have been shown to help sufferers because the warm water can have a soothing effect on pain by increasing blood flow throughout the body.

Consider swimming in a heated pool regularly or taking a water aerobics class to have fun while getting both good exercise and pain relief.

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