Flare-ups can happen without warning and are mostly likely to occur if a person with fibromyalgia is stressed or under a lot of pressure. Stressful events, surgery, or accidents can make fibromyalgia symptoms worse.
Flare-ups can also be caused by a lack of sleep or doing too much or too little exercise. The main symptom of fibromyalgia is widespread pain. The condition causes pain, stiffness, and tenderness of the muscles, tendons, and joints. The individual symptoms differ from one person to another. Symptoms can vary in intensity and come and go. Someone with fibromyalgia may sometimes experience clumsiness, dizzy spells, feeling too hot or cold, painful periods, restless legs syndrome , and numbness or tingling in hands and feet.
Daily pain and sleep prevention can cause problems at home and work. The stress of coping with a condition can also lead to anxiety and depression. Doctors used to refer to tender or trigger points that cause flare-ups, but these are no longer widely used. The American College of Rheumatology has newer criteria to diagnose fibromyalgia. It is often easier to prevent a flare than treat one. Below are several lifestyle changes and tips that may help relieve symptoms and make fibromyalgia easier to live with day to day.
Triggers for fibromyalgia vary from person to person. Maintaining a log of activities, meals, sleep times and duration, and symptoms of fibromyalgia may help to identify particular triggers. Recording these activities might highlight patterns of what triggers a flare.
This might help a person with fibromyalgia find out how to better manage or avoid those triggers. Stress makes symptoms of fibromyalgia worse. Many people with fibromyalgia experience stress and feelings of depression, anxiety, and frustration. People may benefit from trying to avoid or limit exposure to stressful situations and making time to relax.
While techniques such as meditation or deep breathing may help manage stress, it is important that people with fibromyalgia do not avoid physical activity altogether. People with fibromyalgia who quit work or stop exercising do not do as well as those that stay active.
Options to assist with stress management are available and include cognitive behavioral therapy CBT , group therapy, and feedback from qualified health professionals. Fatigue is one of the main symptoms of fibromyalgia. It is essential that a person with fibromyalgia get enough sleep. Sleep hygiene practices that may help include going to bed and getting up at the same time every day and limiting napping during the day.
Sometimes, people with fibromyalgia experience restless legs syndrome and pain that can interfere with sleep. A doctor can recommend treatments for these problems, which may aid restful sleep. Regular physical activity can often decrease or improve symptoms of fibromyalgia. Although exercise may increase symptoms of pain at first, it may help prevent pain over time.
This mindset is crucial on days when your symptoms flare. Look at what's coming up on your calendar. Identify what's necessary and what's not. Focus your energy in the next few days on what's necessary. Prioritizing your tasks can help reduce your stress levels.
People who are overly stressed often have tense muscles, which tend to amplify fibromyalgia pain. Make a list of people who can help you on bad days. For instance, a family member may be willing to fix meals or run errands for a day.
You may be reluctant to be a burden, but your friends and family love you and want to help. Another option is to split chores up into smaller tasks that can be divided among everyone in the house.
If everybody helps a little with cooking and cleanup of a meal, for example, no one person gets worn out. Look for other community resources to help you complete necessary tasks when you're having a really difficult day. Short-term changes to try on a tough day might include online grocery shopping for pickup or delivery.
Consider public transportation or ride-hailing for an easier, less stressful way of getting where you need to go. Or, recruit neighborhood kids to help with yardwork. Set aside time for relaxation on your daily schedule.
Add more relaxation time on days when your fibromyalgia symptoms flare. Relaxation techniques include:. The more often you use coping strategies, the easier they become. Figure out what works for you and understand that may change from day to day. Be flexible and try another coping strategy if needed. If you have fibromyalgia, difficult days are inevitable.
But planning ahead can help you take control of the bad days so that fibromyalgia pain doesn't take control of you. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Sign up for free, and stay up-to-date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID, plus expert advice on managing your health.
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Physicians will often suggest making a journal of symptoms and potential triggers to identify any relationships. Moreover, use of the Hummingbird system has been shown in clinical studies to significantly improve fibromyalgia symptoms and may help to reduce fibromyalgia flare-ups as well. The Hummingbird is a non-invasive fibromyalgia treatment that gently activates the plantar surface of the foot front part of the foot with a comfortable, soothing vibration.
I find my overall wellness improved, with less life interruption because of pain and fatigue, and I credit the Hummingbird with some of that improvement. Fibromyalgia Flare-Ups. The next section describes the potential causes or triggers, of fibromyalgia flare-ups. What Causes Fibromyalgia Flare-Ups. There are many potential triggers of a fibromyalgia flare up which are listed below: Changes in weather: Changes in weather have been reported by fibromyalgia sufferers to bring on fibromyalgia flare-ups.
Increased exertion: Increasing physical activity beyond usual routines could bring on a fibromyalgia flare-up.
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