This research is so important because researchers have found proof that inflammation is happening in Fibromyalgia. It opens many areas for treatments, for validating current treatments and hope for a cure. "Finding an objective neurochemical change in the brains of people who are used to being told that their problems are imaginary is pretty important," said Marco Loggia, associate director of the Center for Integrative Pain Neuroimaging at Harvard Medical School. Researchers compared the brain scans of people with fibromyalgia to a healthy control group, and found more inflammation in the immune cells of the brain in people with fibromyalgia. As Fibromyalgia, does not manifest any structural damage in any organ it is often difficult to prove. It causes chronic, widespread pain in muscles and soft tissues accompanied by fatigue and sleep disturbances. So this research provides proof that there are physiologic changes that can be found. The study used a test called positron emission tomography (PET) which images the brain. The study and report were quite complex but the findings can be summarized as follows: 1. This research shows that brain levels of the glial marker, TSPO, are elevated in the cortex of FM patients relative to healthy controls. This marker of glial activation was increased in several brain regions implicated in FM pathology from previous neuroimaging studies. 2. It also found an association between the TSPO PET signal and fatigue, a predominant FM symptom. Various studies have found that patients with Fibromyalgia had elevated levels of fractalkine and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (Backryd et al., 2017, Kadetoff et al., 2012, Kosek et al., 2015). Both are implicated in neuron-glial communication and have been associated with central sensitization and pain. But no study had clearly demonstrated that glial activation occurs in the brain of FM patients. Confirming this neuroimmune dysfunction in FM would open the exploration of glial modulation as a therapeutic option for this condition. Future studies will need to test whether glial modulation may be a viable therapeutic strategy for FM. Marco Loggia said the results could lead to better ways to see if fibromyalgia treatments, reduce the inflammation that they found. These findings may also be an important step in discovering the cause of Fibromyalgia. It could also help with developing new treatments as the study supports glial modulation as a potential therapeutic strategy for Fibromyalgia. So this report definitely brings comfort and hope to all of us with Fibro. FULL REPORT OF STUDY

Hi! this is all about my experiences with tramadol, both on it and coming off it. You can watch my video on this topic or read the transcript below it. Don't forget to read some of the comments where you will get a wider understanding of tramadol for fibromyalgia from many people. TRANSCRIPT: Tramadol is a centrally acting analgesic which is prescribed for moderately severe pain. It works in the brain to change both the perception of pain and the response to pain. It is not an opiod but it has some opiate like characteristics. When I started taking this medication it was explained to me that it needed to be taken at a regular time once a day and that I would probably have nausea at first for about a week and to make sure to take it with food. I did as prescribed and sure enough I had nausea for one week and then it subsided. I used Tramadol regularly for a long time and it did relieve the pain and helped me to lose a little weight but it also helped me to lose interest in life. The main reason I lost weight was that I had no interest in food or in cooking or in looking after myself. I became like a drug addict but did not realise it. One day after about a year my daughter said she felt like she had lost her mother - she cried and said I was behind a cloud and she could not get to me. This made me realise that I was just sitting on the lounge all day doing nothing and I decided to stop taking Tramadol. At this point I made a very foolish mistake and decided to go cold turkey. OMG I experienced 7 days of extremely bad withdrawal symptoms the worst of which was the muscle pains and irritability. There was also watering eyes and a runny nose like a bad flu, nausea and sweating and shaking all over. These are all known symptoms if you suddenly stop using this medication but obviously, because of the drug itself, I was not thinking right when I made the decision to just stop taking it without consulting my doctor. He would have told me to come off it slowly in increments. In retrospect I could see that the Tramadol was causing major drowsiness in me. When it was completely out of my system I realised that many of the symptoms I had started taking it for had gone - that is the nature of Fibromyalgia, I think, it changes all the time. Also I feel it is essential to remind you that when taking any medication, especially long term, that you should be made aware of the possible side effects. "When choosing between equally effective analgesics, relative safety is important. In the case of tramadol, adverse effects are common and sometimes serious. Tramadol binds weakly to opioid receptors, so at normal doses constipation and respiratory depression occur less frequently than with opioids. However, these effects can, and do, occur at higher doses. Tramadol is metabolised in the liver and excreted by the kidneys, so doses should be adjusted in patients with impaired liver or kidney function, and in the elderly." ~ NPSMEDICINEWISE Side effects associated with use of Tramadol, according to RxList, include the following: constipation nausea dizziness vertigo headache drowsiness vomiting agitation anxiety mood swings euphoria hallucinations nervousness muscle spasms or stiffness indigestion weakness itching diarrhea dry mouth sweating feeling unwell (malaise) menopausal symptoms rash urinary frequency urinary retention dilation of blood vessels visual disturbances abnormal gait amnesia cognitive dysfunction depression For a complete list please visit RxList If your medical doctor is using this medicine to treat your pain, your doctor or chemist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider or pharmacist first. Severe Interactions of Tramadol Include: Alvimopan Procarbazine Rasagiline Selegiline You might also be interested in reading my experiences with Cyclobenzaprine for Fibromyalgia and all the natural treatments I have tried. There are many interesting comments below that show people's differing experiences with tramadol for fibro. I hope you have time to read some of them.

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Stage 1 At the very start of fibromyalgia, you are going to feel mild pain and fatigue. You are going to feel tired all the time. Because of this tiredness, you might not be able to do your daily job perfectly. You are holding to your job but you are pretty sure that something is […]

Fibromyalgia pain as a result of inflammation in the cartilage that connects your ribs and breastbone is known as costochondritis. Learn more about diagnosis and treatment options.

If you've been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, you should be extra wary of misleading facts. Learn about these from your trusted source of upper cervical care.

Fibromyalgia Management: How to Live with the Pain and No Cure : Recent studies pour some light onto the cause of fibromyalgia. However, this information

Dysphagia is a therapeutic term that implies that a patient experiences issues gulping. There are many reasons / conditions that can cause dysphagia. Furthermore, somebody who experiences dysphagia frequently finds that it makes life exceptionally troublesome. Contingent upon their condition, gulping can be extremely excruciating, which makes eating and getting enough sustenance a test. What’s […]

A new topic on fibromyalgia that has been brought to my attention is adrenal fatigue. I first became aware of it after my husband read an article about it. I have also seen many articles about the topic over social media. With so much talk about adrenal fatigue in a week, I decided to do a little bit of research. I was shocked about what I found and how fibromyalgia and adrenal fatigue are related.

What Is Fibromyalgia? Imagine experiencing constant pain all over your body. Being so sensitive that you can’t bear to be touched. That’s what many sufferers of fibromyalgia have to deal with. Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by pain (myalgia) in the fibrous tissues (fibro) and muscles of the body. It affects the way in which the nervous system deals with pain, amplifying painful sensations. Since hypnosis is such a powerful tool for providing pain relief, it makes sense that you might use hypnosis for fibromyalgia. No one knows exactly what causes the disorder, but it can be triggered by

Learn five simple ways to save your energy and reduce stress. Use energy conservation strategies to prevent fibromyalgia flares and chronic fatigue crashes. Written by an occupational therapist.

The symptoms of fibromyalgia are found in so many other illnesses. That's why diagnosis is problematic. Here are 14 reasons why it may NOT be Fibromyalgia... Fibromyalgia has many, varied and fluctuating symptoms. It should be considered when a patient describes a history of widespread pain, with no evident cause, that lasts three months or more. As well as this chronic musculoskeletal pain, whichaffects the bones, ligaments, muscles, nerves and tendons they have fatigue and sleep problems and stiffness. These symptoms are usually accompanied by a number of other conditions such as sensitivity to chemicals, irritable bowel or restless legs and depression or anxiety. The symptoms can often start, or worsen, during a period of severe psychosocial or physical stress. Fibromyalgia presents a unique medical problem: Its symptoms are so common, that it is both underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed. Because there are no blood tests or scans to easily diagnose it, many physicians have trouble detecting the disorder. It can NOT be easily confirmed or ruled out with a simple blood test. It can't be seen on an X-ray or MRI. Instead, fibromyalgia appears to be linked to changes in how the brain and spinal cord process pain signals. Because there is no test for fibromyalgia, your doctor must rely solely on your group of symptoms to make a diagnosis and rule out other conditions. The key symptoms of fibromyalgia are also commonly found in many other illnesses, and a thorough examination and investigation needs to be undertaken in order to ensure there is not another pathological cause for the symptoms – particularly if there are any ‘red flags’ in the patient’s history suggestive of another serious pathology (Table 1). Table 1. Red flags Older age at new symptom onset Weight loss Night pain Focal pain Fever or sweats Neurological features History of malignancy Doctors need to rule out: arthritis lupus multiple sclerosis chronic fatigue syndrome polymyalgia rheumatica hypothyroidism depression polymyositis hyperparathyroidism adrenal insufficiency myasthenia gravis cushing’s syndrome sjogren's syndrome Infection: chronic viral infection, HIV, hepatitis, Lyme disease So if a doctor asks you about your mood, or skin rashes, or sends you for a blood test of your antibodies or an MRI they are just doing their job. They are ruling out these 14 conditions which have similar symptoms to Fibromyalgia. It is important to do so because these 14 conditions have specific treatments. Symptoms NOT usually found in Fibromyalgia include: arthritis: swelling and redness, loss of motion in joints lupus: butterfly-shaped rash across cheeks and nose, anemia, abnormal blood clotting multiple sclerosis: brain lesions on an MRI chronic fatigue syndrome: profound fatigue that is more intense than pain, sore thoat polymyalgia rheumatica: average age of onset is 70, elevated levels of inflammatory proteins in blood. hypothyroidism: thyroid autoantibodies are common depression: polymyositis: muscle weakness in proximal muscles: upper arms, thighs. hyperparathyroidism: presence of hypercalcemia adrenal insufficiency: severe exhaustion, not typically associated with chronic widespread pain. myasthenia gravis: neurologic signs characteristic of specific disease. cushing’s syndrome: characteristic facial and skin signs of Cushing’s syndrome sjogren's syndrome: dry eyes and dry mouth, presence of anti bodies specific to Sjogren's Infection: chronic viral infection, HIV, hepatitis, Lyme disease Getting a Diagnosis I suggest that you keep a diary of your symptoms. This should make it easier to talk to your doctor or specialist. Especially if you have memory problems, writing things down will provide the doctor with the information that they need to make a correct diagnosis. When you go to a consultation go with: a list of questions a list of current medications a brief medical history including your parents main conditions a list of your symptoms When writing the list of your symptoms try and remember what were your first symptoms and what year they started and then the next symptoms and the year etc. as many doctors ask these questions. More clues for fibromyalgia diagnosis (from MayoClinic) People who have fibromyalgia also often wake up tired, even after they've slept continuously for more than eight hours. Brief periods of physical or mental exertion may leave them exhausted. They may also have problems with short-term memory and the ability to concentrate. If you have these problems, your doctor may ask you to rank how severely they affect your day-to-day activities. Fibromyalgia often coexists with other health problems, so your doctor may also ask if you experience: Irritable bowel syndrome Headaches Jaw pain Anxiety or depression Frequent or painful urination Remember that all ongoing pain should be evaluated. I am saying this because after a while of not getting a diagnosis you may start to question whether the pain is all in your head. Lee Good has 20+ years of experience helping people with chronic illness to understand research information and is recognized as a leader in patient advocacy. She is the WEGO winner, 2018/19 for building the best patient community around Fibromyalgia and editor at Fibro Blogger Directory, which is a community of fibromyalgia bloggers. RESOURCES: Fibromyalgia: Understand the diagnosis process MayoClinic Diagnostic challenges: Australian Family Physician Musculoskeletal Pain: Cleveland Clinic

Stage 1 At the very start of fibromyalgia, you are going to feel mild pain and fatigue. You are going to feel tired all the time. Because of this tiredness, you might not be able to do your daily job perfectly. You are holding to your job but you are pretty sure that something is […]

Finally, Spanish courts have done something for fibromyalgia suffers, Spanish courts have considered fibromyalgia a state of Permanent Disability. I hope other countries like USA and UK also adopt such thing. The ruling was made on the basis of a woman (an operator in a chemical company) suffering from major anxiety, cervical pain and degenerative […]

Which is your favorite?

I share all of my top fibromyalgia treatments for 2024 as a long time fibromyalgia fighters and advocate -

Foods to eat -- and avoid -- if you suffer from widespread pain and fatigue.

Putting on weight is not always about bad food or poor eating habits. It’s sometimes because of the reactions and of medicines that cause issues. Mostly, people with Fibromyalgia are unable to take much care of their daily routine and put on so much weight.

Dysphagia is a therapeutic term that implies that a patient experiences issues gulping. There are many reasons / conditions that can cause dysphagia. Furthermore, somebody who experiences dysphagia frequently finds that it makes life exceptionally troublesome. Contingent upon their condition, gulping can be extremely excruciating, which makes eating and getting enough sustenance a test. What’s […]

The answer might surprise you! The name does not fit the illness and fibromyaliga is NOT solely a pain symptom. We'll bust some myths for you.

Listening to music can reduce pain, improve functional mobility, increase sleep quality, and reduce depression in people with fibromyalgia. It is a truth universally acknowledged that we may not al…

Here Is Everything You Should Know About Fibromyalgia

Study examines the eyes of fibromyalgia patients with interesting results.

Can you relate?

"Why do I lie all the time? Why not tell the truth?"

Dysphagia is a therapeutic term that implies that a patient experiences issues gulping. There are many reasons / conditions that can cause dysphagia. Furthermore, somebody who experiences dysphagia frequently finds that it makes life exceptionally troublesome. Contingent upon their condition, gulping can be extremely excruciating, which makes eating and getting enough sustenance a test. What’s […]

Nutritional foods for managing fibromyalgia symptoms. The food and drinks that are good, bad, and the worse for fibromyalgia.

Which is your favorite?

I share all of my top fibromyalgia treatments for 2024 as a long time fibromyalgia fighters and advocate -

"They think I'm just being rude..."

You can take action to better manage the side effects of life with chronic pain. Steps you can take include diet, exercising, and counseling.

What is Fibromyalgia? Living with fibromyalgia is tough. It invades all parts of your body and affects your quality of life. The major symptom is pain,

Today is Fibromyalgia Awareness Day. But I actually started working on this list back in March after a reader wrote me asking for help in living with fibromylagia. Many of the accou…

One of the hazards of fibromyalgia is liver toxicity. Not from the fibromyalgia itself, but from the medications we take. This includes prescription and

My top 6 causes for fibromyalgia flares, and what I do to avoid them. #fibromyalgia #fibroflare #chronicillness

I share all of my top fibromyalgia treatments for 2024 as a long time fibromyalgia fighters and advocate -

Learn how to use this specific pacing strategy to get things done and prevent fibromyalgia flares at the same time!

We are raising awareness of fibromyalgia in May and some of the fibro bloggers, in our facebook group, are sharing their quotes about fibromyalgia so that others can understand more about what is it like living with it. Bethan Catherine Jones 'Just because I'm smiling doesn't mean I'm pain free. I live in pain 24/7 but I refuse to let it stop me' Manage Bettina Bier 'Just because I don't look sick doesn't mean i'm not. I still have all my fifty shades of fibro. If you would risk to take a closer look you would see it.' Manage Julie Ryan That I hate missing out on things. So, when I cancel, know that I really didn't want to. I really want to be there with my friends and family. Sue Ingebretson A fibromyalgia diagnosis isn't the finish line, it's the starting gate. Once you know you have it, the journey begins to figure out what's the best way to approach healing for YOU. Rachel Barclift Living with Fibromyalgia is challenging, however I would rather spend my life in positivity and light than negativity and darkness. Manage Lynne Said Fibromyalgia doesn't sit comfortably on the conventional medical path, so when my doctor didn't have the answers my mistake was believing there was nothing else I could do, I was stuck, until I realised that there were many other paths back to health and I took them and so can you. Manage Carol Homer "Focus on what you can do, not what you can't. Forget about the unwritten social rules that dictate how your life should look. Adjust your perspective, be your own advocate and write your own story. You owe it to yourself to keep going for those brighter days." Manage Jennifer Passmore "Life, even without a chronic illness, is simply a constant learning process, and with chronic pain, we are always learning what we can do to improve our quality of life. We’re not going to let the pain defeat us, because we’re going to come out the other side of this, fighting. Not one person’s battle is the same as another, and we’re all fighting something different. Because, that is truly what we are, fighters, each and every one of us." Manage Terri Sutula "I realized early on in this process that I have a choice; I can be bitter about my circumstances, or I can let it make me a better person. I choose better." Manage Mandy Farmer "Don't leave me out of your plans. I may have to say 'no' but please don't give up on me." Manage Alisha Nurse When I say I’m okay, it doesn’t mean I’m not in pain. It just means I’m managing. I’m rarely pain free. Manage Active Now Nikki Albert Pace when you're having a good day and a bad day. Remember coping is a process, not an end game. And remember we can have a life it is just a different looking one; perhaps more mellow and a slower pace but a life nevertheless.

Dysphagia is a therapeutic term that implies that a patient experiences issues gulping. There are many reasons / conditions that can cause dysphagia. Furthermore, somebody who experiences dysphagia frequently finds that it makes life exceptionally troublesome. Contingent upon their condition, gulping can be extremely excruciating, which makes eating and getting enough sustenance a test. What’s […]