Everything You Need To Know To Help Your Loved One With Fibromyalgia
In the 90s fibromyalgia was a word most of us were just hearing. By now, you’ve seen commercials advertising medications to help manage it and you even have a friend or family member with it.
But what actually is fibromyalgia? For many people, it’s still a mystery.
May 12th is Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, and we want to help you support your loved ones by understanding this invisible illness. Today we’re going to talk about what it is, the complications it has on everyday life, treatment options, and getting support.
So, What Exactly is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a complex chronic pain condition when someone experiences widespread pain, tenderness, or sensitivity to touch. The pain can come and go and even show up in different areas of the body.1,2
In the early days of fibromyalgia, doctors diagnosed it based on the type of pain, where the pain is in the body, and how long it’s been there. In 2010 new, updated diagnostic criteria came out that allow doctors to include other symptoms such as:2
- Fatigue
- Sleep disorders
- Problems with cognitive function
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Migraines and headaches
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Environmental sensitivities
This updated diagnostic criteria is extremely important because it takes into consideration the complex nature of fibromyalgia and how it can affect other body systems. Many people with fibromyalgia live with the conditions listed above, and many more! The new criteria allows doctors to reach more people, give a name to their debilitating pain, and help them get the right treatment.
There is still a lot more work to be done to fully understand this condition and its possible causes. Let’s talk about what the latest research says.
What Causes It?
Fibromyalgia can affect any race or gender but it disproportionately affects women. It’s estimated that women make up 75-90% of the diagnosed population.2
Even after all these years, the cause of fibromyalgia is still unclear although new research suggests that there’s central nervous system involvement.1,2
So, what does that mean?
One theory is that people with fibromyalgia have an amplified pain response. Meaning your loved one’s brain is more sensitive to pain (and other sensations) than the average person.1,2
Another theory is that there is a pain processing disturbance – that the brain perceives pain that doesn’t have a physical cause.1,2
This is not to say that the pain isn’t real. It is!
The body does actually feel pain. It’s like the brain is sending the wrong signals to the body. The good news is that this pain can be managed.
We’ll go into this in more detail later.
First, let’s talk about the complications fibromyalgia can have on day-to-day life.
How Does Fibromyalgia Affect Daily Life?
We can’t bring awareness to fibromyalgia without discussing the significant problems it causes people. Symptoms of fibromyalgia can be mild to very severe, so everyone’s experience is different.
For many people, it significantly interferes with the most basic daily activities. Being unable to complete basic tasks is extremely frustrating – creating feelings of loneliness, isolation, and anger.
Living with fibromyalgia is like having an invisible illness because there are no apparent signs of it to other people. It’s easy for friends, family, and even doctors to dismiss symptoms they cannot see.
That’s why it’s so important to bring awareness to it. Understanding and supporting your loved one’s in their journey is crucial to their success.
People with fibromyalgia may have trouble:
- Staying on task at work
- Taking care of their kids
- Keeping up with housework and daily chores
- Participating in their favorite hobbies
- Socializing with friends and family
If you know someone with fibromyalgia, understand they have a valid reason to feel a range of emotions. They may feel cranky, anxious, stressed, or even depressed at times.
It’s important to know that there’ll be good days and bad. Simply knowing that they’re doing their best every day and validating this goes a long way.
Supporting a loved one in their treatment is also a great way to help. Right now there are many different treatment options. From prescribed medications to simple lifestyle changes to complementary alternative therapies.
How To Treat Fibromyalgia
Unfortunately, there is no cure for fibromyalgia but there are medications that can help reduce pain and improve sleep. Everybody’s response to medications is different so it’s important to talk with a doctor to see if prescription medication is a good fit for your loved one.
Medication isn’t the only option. Fibromyalgia can be managed with these lifestyle changes and therapies:
- Aerobic exercise: This includes walking, running, swimming, cycling, using an elliptical – anything that gets the heart rate up and oxygen to the body. It doesn’t have to be intense, start slow and work your way up to doing more.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This goal-oriented therapy has been proven to help people with chronic conditions by looking at the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to develop a plan to help address what’s bothering them.
- Alternative therapies: Yoga, massage, acupuncture, and myofascial release have been shown to help manage symptoms of pain disorders, increase mobility and create a more positive outlook.
- Take Breaks: It’s important for people to pace themselves and alternate between periods of rest and activity. Everyone should know their limits and take breaks. Pushing the body too much can leave people feeling more fatigued in the long run.
- Learn relaxation and deep breathing techniques: Being able to cope with stress can help reduce pain and even prevent symptoms from getting worse. Deep breathing techniques help bring oxygen to the body while creating a feeling of calm and relaxation.
- Improve nutrition: Food is medicine! Everyone should take a look at their diet, or even talk with a dietitian to see what foods can be cut out (and what foods can be added) to stay healthy.
- Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT): Pain Reprocessing Therapy is an evidence-based therapy that helps people take control of their pain. People learn to develop a new relationship with pain and learn the mind-body connection to pain. The great news? Most people that go through it have significant pain reduction in just a few weeks.
There are many things your loved one can do to help manage symptoms but it’ll probably take a little trial and error to see what works for them.
Caregivers Need Support Too
Now you know how to help your loved one but remember, fibromyalgia can have an impact on caregivers, friends, and family members. People with fibromyalgia struggle most when their ability to move and be independent is affected. This can lead to bouts of anger, mood swings, and tension.
If you’re a caregiver of someone with fibromyalgia it’s important to take care of yourself too. You have the best intentions and you truly want to help but caregiver burnout is real.
Here are some things you can do to take care of yourself:
- Take time for yourself
- Attend support groups
- Enlist help from other friends or family members
- Manage your own expectations of the situation
- Understand you’re living with a “new normal”
- Get support from a therapist
Both you and your loved one may need support during this time. Next, we’ll talk about getting support for your loved one.
Getting Your Loved One Support
Everyone with fibromyalgia needs the right people on their care team. It’s so complex that it may require a few different specialists to manage symptoms.
It’s essential to find a doctor that specializes in fibromyalgia or simply has a deep understanding of it. Most of the time this is a pain management specialist or rheumatologist. The most important thing is that they understand the condition, know how to treat it, and are empathetic.
Some people need emotional support by talking to a counselor who understands how to help people with chronic health conditions and pain. Supporting your loved one in this process can be incredibly helpful.
Living with fibromyalgia isn’t easy. It comes with a lot of physical pain, emotional pain, and a lack of understanding from the general population.
It’s essential to have a therapist who is committed to empowering you and your loved one to make the best decisions.
Marriage Help Colorado has therapists who can help people living with fibromyalgia and their caregivers. We understand that everyone’s situation is different so therapy is individualized to meet your goals.
We also offer Pain Reprocessing Therapy to help reduce pain and increase quality of life. We teach the brain to break the fear/pain cycle, learn pain-reducing techniques, and live with minimal pain — or no pain at all!
If you or someone you know needs support with fibromyalgia, we’re here to help.
Fill out our appointment request form and we’ll get back to you to see how we can help!
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