Resources & Links

The “common wisdom” of the medical world so far is to think of Fibromyalgia as a problem with how the brain perceives pain, specifically, that it is too sensitive. Studies that show differences in energy production in the actual muscle tissues have been ignored and other studies that were not done rigorously have been used to support the idea that there is “nothing wrong” with the actual muscles. There is no explanation by the medical establishment as to why there are so many other body systems affected such as sleep, brain and cognition, depression, anxiety, gut and bladder and pelvic problems, although it is acknowledged that these other problems tend to co-exist with a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia.

Surely it would make sense to explore a unifying theory that might explain why ALL of these things are interrelated.

The fact is that there are a LOT of symptoms you can get from Fibromyalgia because most of the cells in your body are actually having difficulty making enough energy. No wonder patients feel so tired they could cry! Running on empty is not easy when there just isn’t any gas in the tank. When viewed from this perspective, the multiple symptoms make sense. And the fact that Fibromyalgia patients push through the fatigue and the pain and try to function normally for as long as they do is truly remarkable and they should be respected for their fortitude and resilience! The problem for most of us is that we just never know when to actually complain because we have so long ago forgotten what normal is as we have so gradually become tired and in pain and all the rest. We just accept that life is hard. But life should not be so hard!

Your muscles need energy to contract, but they also need energy to relax again. When energy is hard to come by, parts of muscles remain stuck in contraction, using up energy, working all the time and creating pain and areas of hardness and tenderness in the muscles. This is why Fibromyalgia patients have a lot of pain in arms and legs and neck and back and, well, just about everywhere. It can even hurt just to receive a hug!

Injuries tend not to heal as easily when there is not enough energy available. This is why some people will attribute their shoulder pain or back pain to an injury or an accident and everything seems to go downhill from there but the doctors wonder why they never get better in the expected way. This helps to lead to attitudes of “psychosomatic” problems among healthcare providers because they can’t otherwise make sense of the whole picture.

When your brain doesn’t have enough energy, it just doesn’t work as well. The part of your brain that uses the most energy is the frontal lobes, which help you to focus, remember things, make decisions and control your emotions. No surprise that when this isn’t working up to speed you experience lack of concentration, poorer memory, and symptoms like anxiety and depression.

Your gut can get into trouble without enough energy to work all the cells that have to absorb and digest your food. Recurrent and alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation, gas, bloating, cramping, are common in Fibromyalgia patients, who are often given a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome.

Your uterus is a big muscle. Fibromyalgia patients frequently have sustained contractions and bad cramping with menstruation. Many Fibromyalgia patients also suffer from chronic pelvic pain syndromes.

Your bladder is also a muscle, although not the same kind of muscle as in your arms and legs. Nonetheless, bladder spasms and irritable bladder symptoms are common and many Fibromyalgia patients are given a diagnosis of interstitial cystitis.