Living with Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is very similar to a chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Symptoms include muscle aches and pains, and some have categorized a CFS as a “central” pain syndrome. Some have suggested that fibromyalgia is an inherited disease which might be present at birth and gets worse as people grow older. The symptoms may include the inability to withstand illness, surgery, or stress of any kind.

Even clothing can give the patients lots of pain. The pains are stabbing-like and burning. So wearing fabrics that are soft, such as silk, satin, fleece, flannel, and stretchy knits will help a great deal. Elastic or tight socks are not suitable for people with fibromyalgia.

It is recommended that fibromyalgia patients should eat nutritious meals, though sometimes it is hard to prepare good and nutritious meals when you are tired. Additionally, the achy muscles need to be stretched out.

For diet – eat lots of fruits and vegetables since they are good sources for antioxidants. Apples have lots of malic acid and dark green vegetables have lots of calcium – these should be included in most of the patients’ meals. Antioxidants can reduce oxidative stress in the human tissues when the body generates free radicals (reactive chemicals). Excessive free radicals in the body can be very harmful to our tissues. Medical researchers discovered that imbalances in antioxidants can cause pain, especially in the muscle, and patients will feel more fatigue as well. Medical doctors suggest that patients should reduce the amount of consumption of preserved food, since some of these may contain chemicals and preservatives that are harmful to our body.

For exercise – moderate exercise only and avoid intense type of exercise. You should know your own limitations in doing such exercise. Doing warm-ups or stretches prior to exercise will help to reduce injuries during exercise.