Fibromyalgia: Signs, Symptoms, and Remedies for this Debilitating Condition
REVIEWED AND EDITED BY DR. NITA SHARMA DAS, PHD, ND, PHDHM, B PHARM.
August 26, 2018 AND WRITTEN BY ETHAN HUFF.
Article Updated August 26, 2018
August 26, 2018 AND WRITTEN BY ETHAN HUFF.
Article Updated August 26, 2018
THIS ARTICLE IS COPYRIGHTED FOR NIGELLA--SATIVA.COM ONLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Sore muscles. Achy joints. Chronic fatigue. Persistent headaches. Disrupted sleep. Cognitive decline. These are among the many potential symptoms associated with chronic pain from which at least one in five adults worldwide now suffers. [1] Perhaps you're one of them, and in the process of trying to deal with your suffering, you've received an official diagnosis of fibromyalgia that's left you confused and unsure about the best remedial course of action to take in order to find real relief.
While fibromyalgia is generally classified as a neurosensory disorder characterized by abnormalities in central nervous system function, [2] the way its symptoms manifest from person to person tends to vary dramatically. This is a big reason why many physicians regard fibromyalgia as an "idiopathic" syndrome–idiopathic being a fancy way for the medical community to say that it has no explanation for a condition's inexplicable pathology. [3] It is precisely this uncertainty about what causes it or even what it truly is that makes fibromyalgia a tough cookie to crack. Many health practitioners use it as a default diagnosis of last resort when they have no other explanation for a given set of symptoms, which ends up leaving their patients with very little in the way of workable solutions beyond palliative pain management.
The silver lining in all of this is that independent science has made incredible leaps and bounds over the past several years in better pinpointing what triggers fibromyalgia symptoms in many people. However, certain involvement of dietary, hormonal and neurotransmitter factors modify pain sensation related to fibromyalgia. |
Hypersensitivity to pain: a hallmark of fibromyalgia
Despite the fact that it often presents itself alongside rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions, fibromyalgia itself does not appear to be a cause or source of inflammation. It does, however, appear to amplify preexisting inflammation as a consequence of the way that it causes the central nervous system to malfunction and overreact to various pain stimuli.
Studies suggest that fibromyalgia and its corresponding symptoms all stem from abnormal perturbations of the body's stress response system[4]. Put more simply, fibromyalgia seems to make other preexisting health conditions feel much worse than they otherwise would, and may even cause them to pathologically worsen–though the jury is still out as to how, and in what ways, it might do this.
Prolonged hypersensitivity to pain is another hallmark of fibromyalgia, the effects of which can be devastating for a person's quality of life. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of the brain reveal that fibromyalgia sufferers are exponentially more sensitive to mechanical stimulus, which trigger pain than their healthy counterparts. [5]
These neurochemical imbalances cause the brain to amplify pain through two different mechanisms: allodynia, or a heightened sensitivity to stimuli that are not normally painful; and hyperalgesia, an increased response by the body to painful stimuli. Both sensations make fibromyalgia borderline intolerable for living a normal, functional life. [6]
Despite the fact that it often presents itself alongside rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions, fibromyalgia itself does not appear to be a cause or source of inflammation. It does, however, appear to amplify preexisting inflammation as a consequence of the way that it causes the central nervous system to malfunction and overreact to various pain stimuli.
Studies suggest that fibromyalgia and its corresponding symptoms all stem from abnormal perturbations of the body's stress response system[4]. Put more simply, fibromyalgia seems to make other preexisting health conditions feel much worse than they otherwise would, and may even cause them to pathologically worsen–though the jury is still out as to how, and in what ways, it might do this.
Prolonged hypersensitivity to pain is another hallmark of fibromyalgia, the effects of which can be devastating for a person's quality of life. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of the brain reveal that fibromyalgia sufferers are exponentially more sensitive to mechanical stimulus, which trigger pain than their healthy counterparts. [5]
These neurochemical imbalances cause the brain to amplify pain through two different mechanisms: allodynia, or a heightened sensitivity to stimuli that are not normally painful; and hyperalgesia, an increased response by the body to painful stimuli. Both sensations make fibromyalgia borderline intolerable for living a normal, functional life. [6]
Are your hormones and neurotransmitters balanced?
Research further suggests that endocrine dysfunction may similarly play a role in provoking the onset of fibromyalgia symptoms. When the hormonal system become imbalanced due to persistent stress, chemical exposure, and other detrimental factors, the body's hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis can very quickly get thrown out of whack, resulting in hormone stores and production levels going awry.
One example of this is the high prevalence of growth hormone deficiency in patients with severe fibromyalgia. A lack of growth hormone is directly associated with increased levels of blood cytokines and resultant pain severity, which at least one study has shown can be corrected through treatment with growth hormone. [7]
The same is true for neurotransmitters in the brain, which need to be in proper balance in order for the body to function correctly. Deficiencies in necessary brain chemicals like serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, for instance, can result in feelings of moodiness and depression–symptoms that are known to dramatically worsen when an individual is stricken with fibromyalgia.
Research further suggests that endocrine dysfunction may similarly play a role in provoking the onset of fibromyalgia symptoms. When the hormonal system become imbalanced due to persistent stress, chemical exposure, and other detrimental factors, the body's hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis can very quickly get thrown out of whack, resulting in hormone stores and production levels going awry.
One example of this is the high prevalence of growth hormone deficiency in patients with severe fibromyalgia. A lack of growth hormone is directly associated with increased levels of blood cytokines and resultant pain severity, which at least one study has shown can be corrected through treatment with growth hormone. [7]
The same is true for neurotransmitters in the brain, which need to be in proper balance in order for the body to function correctly. Deficiencies in necessary brain chemicals like serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, for instance, can result in feelings of moodiness and depression–symptoms that are known to dramatically worsen when an individual is stricken with fibromyalgia.
Cipro: a deadly antibiotic trigger of fibromyalgia
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as many as 80 percent of all Americans are prescribed antibiotic drugs every year to treat everything from sore throats and urinary tract infections to strep throat and pneumonia. [8]. But the consequences of taking these powerful pharmaceuticals can be devastating, especially if fluoroquinolone antibiotics like Ciprofloxacin, also known as "Cipro," are involved.
A growing body of evidence points to Cipro as one of the primary culprits in onset fibromyalgia, the chemicals it contains having been shown to be highly destructive to human tissue. The adverse effects of taking Cipro mirror many of those associated with fibromyalgia: think the constant pain in joints and muscles, persistent tiredness, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), anxiety, brain fog, depression, and even death.
While Cipro just so happens to be the most prescribed of the "floxacin" family of antibiotics, its many "cousins" can procure similar damage. These include levofloxacin (Levaquin), norfloxacin (Noroxin), ofloxacin (Floxin), and trovafloxacin (Trovan), which together with Cipro represent the most widely prescribed antibiotics in the world by a significant margin [9]
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as many as 80 percent of all Americans are prescribed antibiotic drugs every year to treat everything from sore throats and urinary tract infections to strep throat and pneumonia. [8]. But the consequences of taking these powerful pharmaceuticals can be devastating, especially if fluoroquinolone antibiotics like Ciprofloxacin, also known as "Cipro," are involved.
A growing body of evidence points to Cipro as one of the primary culprits in onset fibromyalgia, the chemicals it contains having been shown to be highly destructive to human tissue. The adverse effects of taking Cipro mirror many of those associated with fibromyalgia: think the constant pain in joints and muscles, persistent tiredness, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), anxiety, brain fog, depression, and even death.
While Cipro just so happens to be the most prescribed of the "floxacin" family of antibiotics, its many "cousins" can procure similar damage. These include levofloxacin (Levaquin), norfloxacin (Noroxin), ofloxacin (Floxin), and trovafloxacin (Trovan), which together with Cipro represent the most widely prescribed antibiotics in the world by a significant margin [9]
Wheat gluten spurs fibromyalgia symptoms
Modern grains–and wheat in particular–are further implicated in the growing prevalence of fibromyalgia symptoms. A recent study published in the journal BMC Gastroenterology found that fibromyalgia patients who cut wheat out of their diets entirely generally see "remarkable improvement[s]" in "all outcome measures" associated with their symptoms.
By eliminating a dietary component that the study's researchers found provokes a "gluten-related autoimmune inflammatory process" within the GI (gastrointestinal) tract, patients suffering from severe irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other forms of chronic GI pain experienced dramatic improvements in their central nervous system function.
"The striking results of the present trial suggest that a triggering gluten-related autoimmune inflammatory process within the gastrointestinal tract may end up contributing to the onset or increasing the well-documented central nervous system sensitivity responsible for FMS disorder in some CD- or gluten-sensitive individuals," the paper revealed. [10]
Modern grains–and wheat in particular–are further implicated in the growing prevalence of fibromyalgia symptoms. A recent study published in the journal BMC Gastroenterology found that fibromyalgia patients who cut wheat out of their diets entirely generally see "remarkable improvement[s]" in "all outcome measures" associated with their symptoms.
By eliminating a dietary component that the study's researchers found provokes a "gluten-related autoimmune inflammatory process" within the GI (gastrointestinal) tract, patients suffering from severe irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other forms of chronic GI pain experienced dramatic improvements in their central nervous system function.
"The striking results of the present trial suggest that a triggering gluten-related autoimmune inflammatory process within the gastrointestinal tract may end up contributing to the onset or increasing the well-documented central nervous system sensitivity responsible for FMS disorder in some CD- or gluten-sensitive individuals," the paper revealed. [10]
Nutritional solutions for fibromyalgia
In addition to avoiding wheat gluten and antibiotics, there are many other ways that those who suffer from chronic pain can find relief:
Incorporate hormone-balancing nutrients into your daily routine. One of the easiest ways to minimize stress and spur healthy production of hormones in your body is to supplement with adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha and holy basil.[11]
Take Nigella sativa (black cumin). A powerful anti-inflammatory food, black cumin has been shown in numerous studies to help minimize the pain associated with headaches, osteoarthritis, and other . chronic distress. [12]
My sister, the influence behind this article never has migraines anymore due to her regular consumption of black seed oil. The oil I recommend is Perfect Press. The best black seed oil in the world. So take Nigella Sativa as it may help with fibromyalgia pain, like it did for my sister. By the way my sister has advanced fibro.
Get plenty of vitamin D. Making sure your vitamin D levels are in an optimal state can help to minimize the production of excess cytokines, a class of protein that's directly associated with disease-causing inflammation. Optimal vitamin D levels can also help to boost energy levels while staving off
fatigue. [13]
Don't forget your anti-inflammatory nutrients. Even if fibromyalgia doesn't cause inflammation, it's still conjoined to it like a Siamese twin. This means that anything that can help to balance it–omega-3 fatty acids, curcumin (turmeric), and boswellia serrata–is certain to be beneficial for fibromyalgia patients.
Exercise and rest. Taking all the best supplements and eating all the right foods will only benefit you to the extent that you also take care of your body by getting plenty of both exercise and sleep. Staying active will naturally help to keep your hormone levels in check, while resting will give your body time to repair and rejuvenate itself–both of which are critical for keeping pain under wraps.
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Disclaimer: Please not this article is not meant to provide treatment or medical advice. As always we suggest you check with your doctor before beginning any protocol or treatment.
References
- Goldberg, Daniel, McGee, Summer, "Pain as a global public health priority," BMC Public Health, 2011 Oct 6;11:770. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21978149
- Fibromyalgia Has Central Nervous System Origins. American Pain Society. http://americanpainsociety.org/about-us/press-room/fibromyalgia-clauw
- Hulens M, Dankaerts W, Stalmans I, Somers A, Vansant G, Rasschaert R, Bruyninckx F. Fibromyalgia and unexplained widespread pain: The idiopathic cerebrospinal pressure dysregulation hypothesis. Med Hypotheses. 2018 Jan;110:150-154. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2017.12.006. Epub 2017 Dec 5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29317060
- Crofford, Leslie, "Chronic Pain: Where the Body Meets the Brain," Transactions of the American Clinical and Climatological Association, 2015;126:167-83. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4530716/
- Jesus Pujol et.al. Mapping Brain Response to Pain in Fibromyalgia Patients Using Temporal Analysis of fMRI. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0005224. http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0005224
- Cassisi G. et.al. Pain in fibromyalgia and related conditions. Reumatismo. 2014 Jun 6;66(1):72-86. doi: 10.4081/reumatismo.2014.767. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24938199
- Cuatrecasas, G., et al., "Growth hormone treatment for sustained pain reduction and improvement in quality of life in severe fibromyalgia," Pain, 2012 Jul;153(7):1382-9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22465047
- "CDC: 4 out of 5 Americans prescribed antibiotics each year," CBS News, 11 April 2013. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-4-out-of-5-americans-prescribed-antibiotics-each-year/
- Uttley, Jason Alexander, "The Poisoning of America: The Rise of 'Mystery' Illnesses Including Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Gulf War Syndrome," ProHealth, 13 November 2002. http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?libid=8931
- Rodrigo, Luis, et al., "Clinical impact of a gluten-free diet on health-related quality of life in seven fibromyalgia syndrome patients with associated celiac disease," BMC Gastroenterology, 2013;13:157. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3835396/
- Axe, Josh, "7 Steps to Balance Hormones Naturally," Dr. Axe: Food is Medicine. https://draxe.com/10-ways-balance-hormones-naturally/
- Kooshki, Akram, et al., "Effect of Topical Application of NigellaSativa Oil and Oral Acetaminophen on Pain in Elderly with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Crossover Clinical Trial," Electronic Physician, 2016 Nov;8(11):3193-97. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5358924/
- Wepner, F., et al., "Effects of vitamin D on patients with fibromyalgia syndrome: a randomized placebo-controlled trial," Pain, 2014 Feb;155(2):261-8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24438771
FIBROMYALGIA: SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS AND NATURAL TREATMENTS INCLUDING BLACK SEED #NIGELLASATIVA
