fibromyalgia arthritis
Read and learn more about fibromyalgia arthritis. For more, visit the Pain Q&A website FeelTheHurt.com
Q: What’s the difference between fibromyalgia and arthritis ?
And whats the best way to know which one you have, have a apt at Dr. in a couple weeks would just like to know if I should ask if I could possibly have fibromyalgia
I forgot to mention this question was for my wife who had been told she has arthritis but she has pain all over her body, so this is why I asked. Thanks for any help
A: fibro= muscle pains
arthritis, affects joints, there are specific tests for arthrititis,
fibro can have trigger points, but the other fibromyalgia all over, some people get no relief from most common treatments, lyrica is often Rx’d, other anti depressants, heat, physical therapy, exercise esp for fibro and arthritis, depends on cause of arthritis, if trauma, septic or other causes.
lyrica.com usually women are dx’d w fibro , wonder why?
Q: My wife as fibromyalgia and arthritis. Hot running water seems to give her relief?
Financially,we can only afford one of those new whirlpool bath tubs. How hard is it to remove the old tub myself? And how to you do it? Lots of answers please.
A: Rather than replace the bathtub you might want to look at a spa bath mat – much less expensive and convenient – see link
Q: Are there any natural supplements that help with arthritis and fibromyalgia pain?
I have recently been diagnosed with osteoarthritis and am being tested for fibromyalgia as well. Are there any natural supplements out there that really work?
A: There are actually a few that have helped many people (including my Mom, who also has Fibromyalgia). You could try D-Ribose, Magnesium, a good B Complex (B-50 is usually adequate), Malic Acid, Methionine, and/or TMG (Trimethylglycine).
I would personally suggest adding only one of these to your regiment every month or so, just to see how your body reacts to each one (so you can see which ones work well and which ones don’t help).
As far as joints, there are several natural supplements that help joint health, which may remove the cause of the pain. The most popular are Microlactin, Tart Cherries, Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM, Hyaluronic Acid, Danish Rose Hips (specifically Danish ones), and Bromelain.
The only thing to really watch out for is allergies. Glucosamine is typically from Shellfish and Microlactin is from milk. As long as you’re not allergic to those, you should have no problem. Good luck and I hope I helped!
Q: I have recently been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and arthritis in both of my knees, i am active duty military?
and my unit is still trying to deploy me, don’t get me wrong i originally joined bc i wanted to deploy however, i am in an excruciating amount of pain even in a more relaxed environment, i honestly believe that deploying me would be like throwing me to the wolves, does anyone have any suggestions as to what i should do?
A: i’m surprised you don’t get a medical discharge
please clarify–do you only have pain in your knees or is it widespread
i wouldn’t rush to tru fms meds
while it is a very real condition–it is highly over diagnosed by idiot docs who use it as a general label for pain
if you ahve 2 bad knees that can cause starin on teh rest of your body–and therefore widespread and faitigue–but that doens’t mean it is fibro
there are other treatments for arthritis (i assume its osteo since its only teh knees)
KIDS CAN GET ARTHRITS–ever hear of JRA juvenile rhemtoiod artritis…my knee and foot have been arthritc (osteo) since my teens form injuries–anyone who says that is not possible is ignornat
i ahve had fibro since i was 5—so you are not too young
Q: What is a very effective pain patch or ointment over the counter for arthritis and fibromyalgia. ?
I have both conditions, particularly in my legs and hips.
A: I would recommend Voltaren (Diclofenac) ointment as a good one to try out first – patients with arthritis often get good results with it, but perhaps less so for fibromyalgia.
Q: What food supplement products work best for the treatment of osteo-arthritis and fibromyalgia?
A: glucosomine chondroitin for arthritis, magnesium maleate for fibro.
Q: Has there ever been a study to link HPV and Fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis?
Those things are being diagnosed in women younger and younger. I was curious to know if anyone thought maybe HPV could be an underlying cause no one thought of.
A: No, there is no link. The only thing close would be if you had HPV and needed to have surgery to remove the cells and something went wrong; the physical and mental trauma could (but not likely) be enough to have someone get fibro. But there is no link to RA, you need to have a special RA factor in your blood to be diagnosed with that (some people with RA dont have a factor show up in results but still, there is no link.)
Q: Anyone else out there with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia have trouble sleeping some nights?
And are you taking medication for these medical problems?
A: Yes, either one of these diseases can cause you to not sleep well. I have been diagnosed with these diseases for about 20 years and I think the not being able to sleep is one of the worst affects of the disease. I think it had a large part in leading to my divorce. Because as you know if you don’t sleep, you become grumpy and irritable. Like one of the other people said, Ambien works well, but your doctor will not let you use it long. Sometimes I go as much as 4-6 days, without going to sleep.
And you would think you would get so tired you would fall asleep, but I don’t. I usually end up taking something (prescribed by my doctor, to relax me). Tylenol PM or Advil PM helps some nights. But mostly I have found that it is a side affect I have just had to live with. I pray you have better results, and that everything works out for you.
Talk to your reumatologist about it. I can’t take a lot of the medicines because of other health conditions. But, a reumatologist can help you better than your regular medical doctor. Godd Luck, I will keep you in my prayers, God Bless.
Q: Any home remedies for arthritis, fibromyalgia?
my mommy suffers from arthritis and i wish i could help her, are there any grandma’s on here that know some really good home remedies??
A: How many informative answers!
What I have to add is very few, although I retain that indispensable.
As the conventional teratment of this disease remains unsatisfactory, among the various alternative treatments used there are also the following:
1. S-adenosylmethionine(SAMe) that is used in the treatment of both osteoarthritis and depression and it is for oral use.
2. 5-hydroxy-tryptofan(5-HTP). It is a serotonin precursor that has been administered for the treatment of depression, migraine, headaches and obesity.
There is a study showing an improvement of the situation of the patients who had taken this medication in 30 days.
3. Capsaicin. It is containd in hot pepper and it is FDA approved for postherpetic neuralgia. It is for local use and is a topical analgesic and can be the costituent of plasters, as well.
4. blue-green algae. Their meccanism of action, is not completely known, yet.
If you need more information about the dosage forms, you have to read the complete articles and of course refer to your doctor.
What you have to take always into consideration, are the drug interactions among pharmaceutical and natural therapies.
All the best
Katerina
Q: will a chiropractor help with my fibromyalgia and reactive arthritis?
i got diagnosed with fibromyalgia and reactive arthritus yesterday. any help or advice from others effected by both these things greatly appreciated, thanks!
A: I have fibromyalgia, and found that osteopaths and chiropractors didn’t help. Other than my usual medication, (check out Fibromyalgia association website for a lot of helpful info) I have a regular holistic massage. Some people find acupuncture helps, but I didn’t, found it far too painful.
You have my sympathy, especially as a lot of people not only won’t have heard of fibromyalgia, but won’t understand how much it affects your daily life.
Q: Fibromyalgia/Arthritis, why does it hurt more in the evenings?
I hate it, I’m tired all the time
A: Okay. A friend of mine suffers from this too. From what her doctor has told her it’s like this: You’ve been moving your body all day, right? Well now here you are at the end of the day and like everyone else who’s been moving and working, your body is tired. Unlike everyone else though, your body’s nerve endings are on fire. That’s because they are more active than every thing else. What would normally be light stiffness and a light, dull ache to another person to you is agony. Selenium HAS been shown to be of some help in alleviating this problem, yet not completely though.
Q: Is it the Fibromyalgia, Tendinitis or could it be Arthritis?
Two years ago, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and previously had been treated for tendonitis through workers comp. for pain in my arms and hands. Currently, I am having pain while holding phones, steering, brushing my hair and doing common household cleaning tasks. In the winter months, my hips and toes ache but there is no indication of swelling. My doctor prescribed Predisone and said I may have some arthritis in the hips but no tests were run. For the toe pain, she indicated as there was no swelling it was muscular pain and to take Alive or Tyenol. I am at a loss as to what pain is making the arms, hands and toes ache. Is it all just the Fibromyalgia and does any have suggestions that might help?
Thank You to those that have taken the time to answer.
A: I have fibromyalgia as well. I would say that it is probably the FMS. I don’t know how much you know about FMS, but it can do crazy crazy things to you, and the symptoms for everyone are different.
Make sure you get all the tests done that you can to double check that it isn’t anything else and, if they can find nothing, you can then assume it is the FMS.
I also suggest that, if you have not already, you find a rheumatologist that specializes in FMS.
There is also www.healthboards.com that has an FMS board that I belong to. There are bunches and bunches of sweet ladies on there that have battled FMS for many years. They might be able to answer you better as they are very knowledgeable and have been through so much.
Also, here is a checklist (from that board) of every symptoms FMS CAN cause. FMS differs from person to person significantly, so symptoms can range from mild to severe and include any of the following:
GENERAL
____ Fatigue, made worse by physical exertion or stress
____ Activity level decreased to less than 50% of pre-illness activity level
____ Recurrent flu-like illness
____ Sore throat
____ Hoarseness
____ Tender or swollen lymph nodes (glands), especially in neck and underarms
____ Shortness of breath (air hunger) with little or no exertion
____ Frequent sighing
____ Tremor or trembling
____ Severe nasal allergies (new allergies or worsening of previous allergies)
____ Cough
____ Night sweats
____ Low-grade fevers
____ Feeling cold often
____ Feeling hot often
____ Cold extremities (hands and feet)
____ Low body temperature (below 97.6)
____ Low blood pressure (below 110/70)
____ Heart palpitations
____ Dryness of eyes and/or mouth
____ Increased thirst
____ Symptoms worsened by temperature changes
____ Symptoms worsened by air travel
____ Symptoms worsened by stress
PAIN
____ Headache
____ Tender points or trigger points
____ Muscle pain
____ Muscle twitching
____ Muscle weakness
____ Paralysis or severe weakness of an arm or leg
____ Joint pain
____ TMJ syndrome
____ Chest pain
GENERAL NEUROLOGICAL
____ Lightheadedness; feeling “spaced out”
____ Inability to think clearly (“brain fog”)
____ Seizures
____ Seizure-like episodes
____ Syncope (fainting) or blackouts
____ Sensation that you might faint
____ Vertigo or dizziness
____ Numbness or tingling sensations
____ Tinnitus (ringing in one or both ears)
____ Photophobia (sensitivity to light)
____ Noise intolerance
EQUILIBRIUM/PERCEPTION
____ Feeling spatially disoriented
____ Dysequilibrium (balance difficulty)
____ Staggering gait (clumsy walking; bumping into things)
____ Dropping things frequently
____ Difficulty judging distances (e.g. when driving; placing objects on surfaces)
____ “Not quite seeing” what you are looking at
SLEEP
____ Hypersomnia (excessive sleeping)
____ Sleep disturbance: unrefreshing or non-restorative sleep
____ Sleep disturbance: difficulty falling asleep
____ Sleep disturbance: difficulty staying asleep (frequent awakenings)
____ Sleep disturbance: vivid or disturbing dreams or nightmares
____ Altered sleep/wake schedule (alertness/energy best late at night)
MOOD/EMOTIONS
____ Depressed mood
____ Suicidal thoughts
____ Suicide attempts
____ Feeling worthless
____ Frequent crying
____ Feeling helpless and/or hopeless
____ Inability to enjoy previously enjoyed activities
____ Increased appetite
____ Decreased appetite
____ Anxiety or fear when there is no obvious cause
____ Panic attacks
____ Irritability; overreaction
____ Rage attacks: anger outbursts with little or no cause
____ Abrupt, unpredictable mood swings
____ Phobias (irrational fears)
____ Personality changes
EYES AND VISION
____ Eye pain
____ Changes in visual acuity (frequent changes in ability to see well)
____ Difficulty with accommodation (switching focus from one thing to another)
____ Blind spots in vision
SENSITIVITIES
____ Sensitivities to medications (unable to tolerate “normal” dosage)
____ Sensitivities to odors (e.g., cleaning products, exhaust fumes, colognes, hair sprays)
____ Sensitivities to foods
____ Alcohol intolerance
____ Alteration of taste, smell, and/or hearing
UROGENITAL
____ Frequent urination
____ Painful urination or bladder pain
____ Prostate pain
____ Impotence
____ Endometriosis
____ Worsening of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
____ Decreased libido (sex drive)
GASTROINTESTINAL
____ Stomach ache; abdominal cramps
____ Nausea
____ Vomiting
____ Esophageal reflux (heartburn)
____ Frequent diarrhea
____ Frequent constipation
____ Bloating; intestinal gas
____ Decreased appetite
____ Increased appetite
____ Food cravings
____ Weight gain (____ lbs)
____ Weight loss (____ lbs)
SKIN
____ Rashes or sores
____ Eczema or psoriasis
OTHER
____ Hair loss
____ Mitral valve prolapse
____ Cancer
____ Dental problems
____ Periodontal (gum) disease
____ Aphthous ulcers (canker sores)
COGNITIVE
____ Difficulty with simple calculations (e.g., balancing checkbook)
____ Word-finding difficulty
____ Using the wrong word
____ Difficulty expressing ideas in words
____ Difficulty moving your mouth to speak
____ Slowed speech
____ Stuttering; stammering
____ Impaired ability to concentrate
____ Easily distracted during a task
____ Difficulty paying attention
____ Difficulty following a conversation when background noise is present
____ Losing your train of thought in the middle of a sentence
____ Difficulty putting tasks or things in proper sequence
____ Losing track in the middle of a task (remembering what to do next)
____ Difficulty with short-term memory
____ Difficulty with long-term memory
____ Forgetting how to do routine things
____ Difficulty understanding what you read
____ Switching left and right
____ Transposition (reversal) of numbers, words and/or letters when you speak
____ Transposition (reversal) of numbers, words and/or letters when you write
____ Difficulty remembering names of objects
____ Difficulty remembering names of people
____ Difficulty recognizing faces
____ Difficulty following simple written instructions
____ Difficulty following complicated written instructions
____ Difficulty following simple oral (spoken) instructions
____ Difficulty following complicated oral (spoken) instructions
____ Poor judgment
____ Difficulty making decisions
____ Difficulty integrating information (putting ideas together to form a complete picture or concept)
____ Difficulty following directions while driving
____ Becoming lost in familiar locations when driving
____ Feeling too disoriented to drive
Q: Could I have fibromyalgia or arthritis?
I have these temporary pains within my hands, arms, legs, and feet, and they are very painful. I haven’t seen a doctor about that since I’ve been to a doctor about every other day to find out what was wrong with my stomach. My aunt and mom suggested it could be, so if you think so, please let me know what it’s like and if I might have it. Thanks!
A: Well it sounds like me before I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. There are some other symtoms that are very common to fibro that would help distinguish between fibro and arthritis. Fibro sufferrers have horrible headaches that last for hours or days at a time as well as depression and sleeping problems. Without at least 2 of these 3 symptoms I would have to lean towards arthritis but you really should see a doctor as they would likely perform tests to rule out other conditions before being able to make a diagnosis. It’s a frustrating diagnosis process but it is worth it to finally get answers.
Q: What foods causes arthritis and fibromyalgia?
A: There are no specific foods causing fibromyalgia and arthritis.
However, because there is a lot of inflammation in both cases, you would be well advised to avoid all pro-oxidants: processed carbohydrates (sugar, bread, ice-cream), coffee, alcohol.
Instead try to eat all seafood, fish, white meat, vegetables and plenty of water.
I found more advice on this site:
http://www.fibromyalgia-information-relief.com/fibromyalgia-treatment-longterm.html
Q: Can a chropractor help if you have arthritis or fibromyalgia?
A: cowboy isn’ta doctor either
chiropractersa rwe considerd to be doctors
may help if you have arthritis in teh spine–but otherwise no
real fms is a disorder of teh brain
