Could fibromyalgia be a progressive disease? Despite being one of the major conditions affecting the muscles, joints, and bones, medical professionals around the world do not classify the chronic disorder as “progressive.” However, those who suffer from fibromyalgia believe that their symptoms have worsened over the years and this could be six fibromyalgia phases.
Fibromyalgia does not have a definitive cause, but possible causes may include:
- To be a woman
- Pre-existing conditions (for example, arthritis)
- Having a mood disorder (for example, anxiety or depression)
- Suffering physical or emotional abuse in the past (PTSD)
- Low levels or no physical activity
- Other family members also have the chronic condition
6 phases of fibromyalgia, a progressive disease
Whatever the cause, it is the fibromyalgia community that is experiencing the symptoms firsthand. In general, they have collectively come to the so-called fibromyalgia stages. Some believe there are fewer, while others are convinced there are more, but this originally compiled list includes six that, while not literally going to be the same for everyone, do, in general, happen one way or another like this. way.
These phases, do not be afraid, are to better understand how this disease usually progresses, which fortunately is not fatal and can be coped with in different ways. It is so that you can realize if it is the same thing that happens to you and open the panorama for you to be able to act accordingly. It does annoy and it does paralyze at times, but if you know your body well and are determined to carry the load, you’ll find ways to do it.
If when reading the following points you see that you are going through this and you did not know what was happening in your body, you can consider going to see your doctor about fibromyalgia and find out if what is happening to you is this or another disease of the same spectrum which may be autoimmune.
1. Unexplained pain, fatigue, and swelling
At first, it’s not so bad. Increased hypersensitivity and increased fatigue is something you can live with…for now. You start taking naps and you know that fixes it; you drink chamomile tea or whatever to try to improve sleep and digestion or use fragrance-free lotions to soothe your hot skin.
Sometimes those things help, but most of the time they don’t. You have responsibilities and commitments so you push yourself through pain and fatigue with or without pain medication because no one believes you are really having a hard time with your body.
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The point is that you know that something is happening to you: you did not exercise and it always seems that you are like after having done the heaviest exercise routine of your life; you feel like you have the flu all the time and no virus has caught you; you eat the same thing you have always eaten and always, but you always have a swollen belly. Everything is being different in the functioning of your body and demands to be investigated.
2. Realization that it is chronic
Your pain and fatigue are becoming an everyday problem now. You have gone to see your doctor to consult about all this and he ends up giving you something to remedy the pain and poor digestion, without giving you the much-desired diagnosis because you really want to know what the hell is happening to you.
Definitely stress or hormones can not be. This starts to smell bad after all your doctor visits are becoming a habit and not fruitful.
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You understand that the medical system really wasn’t as good as you thought, that you could even know more than them at this stage of your life because you had no choice but to investigate on your own, and after so much searching, you realize that yours could be something chronic called: fibromyalgia.
It is so that you have already discovered the magic word that you wanted so much that a certified doctor would tell you but that was not in his collection and that is fibromyalgia. You’re in luck after all, just a couple of years ago, it was worse: you’d almost have to tell your doctor about it, I think. Still, you can’t accept it because you barely know and you’re like, “This can’t be happening to me, it must be something else.”
3. Constantly hurt and always tired
It seems that as much as you want to be well, it is already part of your day to day to get up like this, and already with a possible diagnosis, which you learned on your own, or if you were luckier, due to the diagnosis of a medical professional, it seems that this goes really.
You are increasingly avoiding outings and events, family functions, and even hangouts with friends. You start to get lazy to even have fun and you start to fantasize more often about going to bed to rest. Joint pain and muscle aches make you wary of physical contact with anything or anyone else; other people are starting to notice too.
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You can’t open the jars as easily as before, your feet hurt much more and at this point, taking an analgesic or whatever for the pain is almost a constant if not, you don’t perform, although there are still good streaks in which you don’t need as much of remedies, however, you want to know what makes those streaks keep you more or less well and you don’t quite know it yet.
Your lack of sleep and poor concentration are seriously affecting your performance. If you are employed or self-employed, the worry of losing your job or not being able to provide for yourself (let alone your family) is creating more anxiety and depression. That is if you have no other option but to work to generate income, otherwise, if you have the option not to work, you may already be literally spending more time lying down.
4. Unrelenting pain feelings
If you still have a job, you start missing more. The combination of physical and emotional pain and stress is debilitating. You spend most of each day in bed. Every once in a while you will experience a miracle day, a window of time where fibromyalgia flare-ups are minimal or non-existent.
But the inflammation, depression, fatigue (and more) come back. Your friends start planning outings without you and some family members start picking on you for not wanting to do anything. They just don’t understand what you’re experiencing.
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It is during this stage of fibromyalgia that depression can really set in and last a long time if it is not controlled, therefore, at this stage it is suggested that you really have someone to hold on to and that they know about the disease, it can be family, partner, partner or friends who care about you, it is essential to keep you motivated to follow
5. It has cost you your education, job and relationships
If you’re an employee, you’re exploring how to get started with permanent disability admission and the stories of other fibromyalgia patients being denied add to your stress and anxiety. For years, you have been a mother and now, suddenly, the children have grown up and it is you who needs constant care.
You still have dreams and passions, but you are too tired and in too much physical and emotional pain to pursue anything. One advantage is that people who suffer from fibromyalgia can identify with you and the community continues to be of great help since they are able to understand you much more than your family, who do not experience what you feel firsthand. Besides, you can know that you can count on them and learn strategies to overcome obstacles.
6. Fibromyalgia is your lifestyle
You’ve been living with fibromyalgia for a long time, yet it’s something you never seem to get used to. The simplest daily tasks like getting dressed or brushing your teeth require a great deal of effort.
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Any anti-inflammatory drugs and other pain relievers are doing more harm than good, helping to remedy the situation, but leaving you plagued with unwanted side effects. Your true friends and family are incredible blessings, but you still feel like a burden. No specialist or medication seems to help. You don’t know what to do, but you know deep down that there are ways to solve it.
What things can help fibromyalgia symptoms?
The stages paint a bleak picture, but one of the best things you can do is find a strong and loving support system. That is going to be imminent to have it because the moral and emotional support is essential so that this can be bearable, which it can be.
Additionally, individuals with fibromyalgia are often prescribed an ever-increasing list of medications. Whether or not you agree to take them is your choice, of course. But, there are some effective alternative treatments that you might want to consider.
- Increase your magnesium levels to soothe muscle pain.
- Take melatonin to help improve sleep.
- Eat an anti-inflammatory diet to relieve joint pain. (Diet is very important and could go a long way in mitigating inflammation.)
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- Keep track of your fibromyalgia crises because no one knows your body better than you.
- Take care of your mental health because once you give up, it is harder to recover. Remember, this disease can be bearable and above all: it is not fatal.