Is Fibromyalgia Actually A Central Nervous Disorder

Fibromyalgia is one of those illnesses that has probably been around for much longer than we think.

It is just now that this illness is starting to gain the attention that it needs.

More and more people are being diagnosed with this. In the past, many people were misdiagnosed as having rheumatoid arthritis or another similar illness that wreaks havoc on the body.

Now that we understand fibromyalgia more, one of the more common questions that people ask is if this is an illness that is associated with the central nervous system. This is a good question and the answer may surprise many people.

The Given Answer

If you were to ask a medical professional if fibromyalgia is something that is due to the central nervous, they will often state “not really”. Why is this?

Fibromyalgia is often categorized as a chronic pain condition that causes pain and tenderness throughout the body.

However, fibromyalgia is actually associated with the central nervous system. How is this?

Fibromyalgia is affected by the brain.
The illness affects the way in which the brain is processing the pain signals.
This is why the pain is often so hard for a person who has fibromyalgia, as their pain signals are firing constantly.
Much of the pain that a person is feeling is also coming from the spinal cord.

Thus, fibromyalgia does have an origin of being from the central nervous system.

The Old Answer

For those who were diagnosed with fibromyalgia years ago, they were more than likely told that it was a psychosomatic problem.

During this time, many medical professionals believed that fibromyalgia was caused by a mental factor or that it was aggravated by a mental problem.

These mental problems were something along with stress or internal conflicts. They would often want the person to treat the stress or inner conflict that they were having and they would then believe that the person was cured.

However, research and studies into this illness have ruled this out. Though, many medical professionals are quick to point out that stress can make some symptoms worse as this does affect the immune system.

What is interesting is that many years ago, this was a purely mental issue that doctors said only women get.

They believed this was due to the “fragile state of mind” that a woman has.

However, we know better now. While men are not as likely to get this issue, they can still develop fibromyalgia.

The old ideas are coming to an end, as we learn more and more about what makes this issue and how we can learn how to live with this and provide treatment.

Why These Findings are Important?

It is super valuable to know what we know now.

Now that we know that fibromyalgia is something that is stemming from the brain and the spine, we know what treatments may work and what will probably not work.

For those who are suffering from the pain and the fatigue, they are going to find their doctors have new ideas on how to treat these symptoms.

Some of the newer methods that are being seen now, that were not given as options thirty years ago include:

Physical therapy

Many people have found that physical therapy helps them to learn how to move through the pain, and how to gain greater strength in their body.

While this therapy is often associated with those who have had accidents, it is a great option for others who are dealing with fibromyalgia.

Massage

Massage therapy is a must for many fibromyalgia patients who find that this helps to ease the pain that they may be feeling.

In addition, it also helps to lower stress levels which many claims make their pain flare-up worse when they are highly stressed.

Yoga

This gentle exercise has been shown to help a patient to develop the muscles that they need to function and keep them limber.

Many people complain of having issues with walking due to having to sit for such a long period of time due to the pain that they are in.

Swim therapy

While it may not be a traditional therapy many of those who suffer from fibromyalgia are finding that walking in the water is doing a world of relief for their pain and allowing them to maintain their mobility.

It is worth looking into to see if a rehab center near you may be offering this cutting-edge therapy.

Do Mind Workouts Help?

One question that many people have when they do discover that fibromyalgia can be linked to the brain is whether those mind workouts that are seen could help?

It is important to note that the mind is not the issue. Fibromyalgia is not something that is going to go away with wishful thinking or strengthening your brainpower.

However, strengthening your brainpower may be something that you want to do either way.

The brain plays a role in the pain that is being felt. There are many people who claim that they can reach a meditative state in which their brain is no longer registered the pain. In this case, learning how to conditions one’s brain in this manner could prove helpful.

However, remember that meditation is something that you must work continuously to truly get the benefits of this.

For those who are still confused as to how fibromyalgia can be considered a central nervous disorder by some and not by others, they will need to talk with their doctor. As we learn more about fibromyalgia, this definition may change.

However, we must keep learning about this illness and what we can do in order to treat it effectively.

Every year, more and more people are diagnosed with this, and it is greatly impacting the quality of life that they once had.

Through proper knowledge, it can make a huge difference in how we approach treatment and dealing with this.

Fibromyalgia Cause