Can Allergies Make Fibromyalgia Worse

Infection As One Possible Cause Of Fibromyalgia

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Excerpted from the book, Fibromyalgia: Up Close and Personal

All of us involved with Fibromyalgia, either by treating it or having it, have come to appreciate how complicated this condition is.

Fibromyalgia has different types and subsets. More than one factor may be involved in causing it. Causes may be recognized, but the exact mechanism of how Fibromyalgia develops from this cause is not fully known. Most importantly, there is more than one way to get Fibromyalgia it is an end point condition with multiple ways leading to it.

I have compiled a list of of fibromyalgia. This list is based on my experiences and understanding of the current literature. My opinions on these probable causes may not be shared by everyone. My list of probable causes is as follows:

Like trauma, infection is one of those causes of fibromyalgia that just screams for common sense.

Ive seen hundreds and hundreds of people whose basic story goes like this: I was fine, I got a virus, I developed fatigue and pain, and Ive never been the same since.

The logical thinking in this scenario is that fibromyalgia was not present before the viral infection. There may have been a hereditary predisposition or a vulnerability, but fibromyalgia was not present. The virus caused the condition to develop and it has been present since the virus and continues to be present. This is a straightforward infectious cause.

Final Tips: Beating Allergies At Their Own Game

A few final tips:

Nasal irrigation is becoming a more and more popular form of treatment for allergies, and for people who already have fibromyalgia, it can be a wonderful way to safely and naturally take control of things. These systems use saline solution to help clear the passageways and make it easier for you to breathe while also depleting some of the allergies that you have.

If your allergies are related to grass, pollen, ragweed, etc. be sure that you take a look at the weather forecast of the day, and plan accordingly. You should not participate in activities that require you to be outdoors for long periods of time if this is the typeof allergy that is bothering you.

If you do not already take vitamins, perhaps now is the time to start. Talk to your doctor who can provide you with recommended vitamins that will benefit you the most. These vitamins can give your body the boost that it needs to thrive even with allergies present, and eventually they can be all but eliminated thanks to the increased immune system.

If you do not want to perform the total nasal irrigation, saline solutions are also available at the drug store, and available without a prescription. These can quickly be used to provide you relief when allergies seem to be at their worst. These saline solutions can be purchased at low prices, and for most people they come in handy in those uncertain times.

What Type Of Weather Is Best

Only you can answer this question as each person experiences fibromyalgia in their own way.

Consider starting a daily journal. Record the temperature and conditions of the day, along with a few notes about your symptoms. This will help you pinpoint what type of weather is best for you. Does a thunderstorm make you ache? Are temperatures over 90 degrees too much to handle? Take everything into consideration.

In general, a temperate climate is most beneficial for anyone with fibromyalgia. This would include areas with low humidity and infrequent rain. While no city is going to be perfect 365 days out of the year, it is possible to find areas that experience very few days of extreme weather conditions.

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Try Eliminating Certain Foods

If a fibromyalgia patient has a lot of irritable bowel symptoms, Liptan often recommends they try an elimination challenge diet. They stop eating a certain food they suspect they’re sensitive to for six to eight weeks. Then they add it back to their diet and see how they feel. Liptan’s patients most often try eliminating dairy products or foods containing gluten.

“When you discover you’re sensitive to a food and then eliminate it from your diet, it can make a huge difference,” Liptan says. “Some people get a lot of benefit in terms of reduction of pain, but more often we see a reduction in fatigue and an improvement in irritable bowel symptoms like bloating and constipation.”

If you think you might have food sensitivities or allergies, talk with your doctor.

In some cases, they may refer you to an allergist for food allergy testing. You may also want to consult a dietitian to make sure you don’t miss out on essential nutrients when you eliminate certain foods from your diet.

Allergies: The Fibro Connection

An allergy occurs when the bodys attempt to fight off an infection but is unable to do it. The body tries to fight back, and the scratching throat, runny nose and eyes and other problems that come along with allergies result. When you are already in pain and have so much else going on with your body, the allergy occurs because the body is trying so hard to beat the infection, but it is unable to do this.

Of course when you are already in so much pain, allergies seem so much more intense, and the first thing that you want to do is grab something that will eliminate them. But, the problem is, it is not quite so simple when there are other conditions also weighing you down. Most people would simply go out and buy a medication for allergies, bit this might not be the right thing to do when you also have fibromyalgia.

Read Also: Can Seasonal Allergies Cause Shortness Of Breath

Things You Should Know Aboutallergy

• 09 Jul, 2020

Allergies can cause all kinds ofunpleasant, distracting symptoms, from digestive upsets and headachesto respiratory trouble and runny eyes. However, you may also haveexperienced another few hallmark symptoms of allergy problems:fatigue, drowsiness, and mental sluggishness.

If you have had noticeable troublegathering your thoughts, maintaining your alertness, or even stayingawake during the day, you need to understand how your allergies maycreate or aggravate your tiredness. Take heed of the following fourkey points about allergy-related fatigue.

1. Allergens Cause BiochemicallyBased Fatigue

An allergic reaction occurs when yourimmune system goes into battle by mistake, attacking a harmlesssubstance as if it were a virus or other germ. It does this byinstructing mast cells to produce antibodies for release into thebloodstream. These antibodies belong to a category known asimmunoglobulin E.

In addition to immunoglobulin E, theimmune system releases a substance called histamine. When both ofthese substances produce an inflammatory reaction in the body, youmay experience a sense of tiredness alongside other, more obviousallergic symptoms.

2. Allergic Sinusitis Can CauseBrain Fog

Individuals who feel dazed and unableto think well often describe their problem as brain fog. While brainfog may occur in association with many health problems, most notablyfibromyalgia, it can also occur as a side effect of a conditioncalled allergic sinusitis.

Scientists Spot Unexpected Player In Fibromyalgia

HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, May 16, 2019 — Fibromyalgia is a mysterious and misunderstood illness, but researchers may have uncovered at least one key to the disease’s origin: insulin resistance.

The new research compared a small group of people with fibromyalgia to two groups of healthy people and noted that a long-term measure of blood sugar levels was higher in the people with fibromyalgia. Insulin resistance develops when the body starts to struggle with breaking down sugar.

To see if treating those higher blood sugar levels might help, the researchers gave people who had blood sugar levels in the pre-diabetic range or higher a diabetes medication called metformin. People taking metformin reported significantly lower pain scores, according to the study.

“We combined metformin with standard drugs used for fibromyalgia and saw a much greater degree of pain relief,” said study author Dr. Miguel Pappolla. He is a professor of neurology at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

In fact, Pappolla said, the additional pain relief was so significant that the researchers actually called patients on different days to re-check their pain scores.

Because this is a preliminary finding, the researchers aren’t sure how insulin resistance might contribute to fibromyalgia or how metformin might reduce pain. “Metformin may have some analgesic activity on its own,” Pappolla said.

The findings were published online recently in the journal PLOS ONE.

PLOS ONE

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Effect Of Allergies On Fibromyalgia And Me/cfs

Some, but not all, studies suggest that a majority of people with FMS and ME/CFS have allergic and/or non-allergic rhinitis. The symptoms by themselves can lower your quality of life, and many allergy medications can make you tired or disrupt sleep.

When you have these symptoms on top of FMS or ME/CFS, a primary concern is that a stuffy nose, sneezing, and coughing can disrupt sleep. Poor sleep usually leads to an increase in pain, flu-like symptoms of ME/CFS and, of course, fatigue. It can lead to post-exertional malaise as well. Constant coughing or sneezing also is hard on your muscles and may trigger or increase pain symptoms.

It’s important to know that non-sedating antihistamines are available and can be equally as efficacious as their sedating counterparts. For example, fexofenadine does not cross the blood-brain barrier and provides 24-hour relief for many allergy symptoms. In contrast, when taken at equal potency, diphenhydramine makes most people feel quite tired.

Sleep That Doesnt Refresh Or Regenerate

Lack of restorative sleep contributes greatly to the exacerbation of fibromyalgia syndrome symptoms. People with fibromyalgia go to bed tired and tend to wake up tired as well. The effects of not having a good nights sleep add to the already painful ailment and make the fatigue that is part of fibromyalgia even worse. When you are tired, then it is more difficult to keep your mood up and to mentally stay on top of day-to-day activities. Fibro-fog and depression are aggravated by lack of sleep. The body fails to repair itself properly, making sore muscles even sorer.

Medications and alternative health strategies to deal with the pain that is usually at the core of the sleeplessness should be investigated in order to improve the quality of sleep you get. Some ideas that have worked for others may be included in your lifestyle and could prove to be helpful in getting that much-needed, restful and restorative sleep.

· Set regular sleep times. Go to bed at the same time at night and get up at the same time in the morning. Avoid staying in bed too long and napping throughout the day. This enhances circadian rhythm, which will help your body know when it is tired and needs to sleep.

· Exercise regularly, but stop at least three hours before bedtime.

· No alcohol for six hours before sleep and the same goes for caffeine.

· Make sure your sleeping environment is conducive to sound sleep: dark room, cool temperature, no television or computers or other stimuli.

Also Check: Can You Get Rid Of Pollen Allergies

Fibromyalgia And Social Security

Many people with fibromyalgia find themselves unable to work or resume a normal standard of living.

For such people, Social Security rulings in the United States dictate that so long as a medical or osteopathic doctor can determine that the disease causes medically determinable impairment , the condition will qualify as a disability for Social Security payments.

This means that a doctor should be able to confirm:

• a history of widespread pain
• a minimum of 11 tender points following examination
• repeated instances of at least six fibromyalgia symptoms
• evidence that other explanations or conditions have been ruled out.

The Social Security Administration requires medical documentation dating back 12 months related to the disease, and may conducts interviews with relatives, friends, neighbors, and past employers to confirm the diagnosis.

In some cases, the SSA may fund a consultation to confirm the debilitating nature of the disease.

Treating fibromyalgia flares can be tricky. Preventing a flare developing in the first place is less complicated than treating a flare.

Fibromyalgia has several symptoms, which means that no one treatment will fix them all. Also, a treatment that works for one person may not work for another.

Various treatments in different combinations may have to be tried before someone finds a plan that works for them. The treatment plan will often be a blend of medication and lifestyle changes.

Foods Likely To Make Symptoms Worse

The following foods may worsen symptoms by increasing inflammation, aggravating food sensitivities, or both.

• Sugar. Reducing or eliminating sugar can have a significant impact on health for two reasons. First, the medical literature has shown that eating foods high in sugar is linked to increased fibromyalgia pain.1

See The Ins and Outs of an Anti-Inflammatory Diet

See What Are Anti-Inflammatory Foods?

Recommended Reading: How To Treat Nickel Allergy

Differences Between Allergies And Non

The causes of these symptoms are where the differences come in.

• Allergies: When you have an allergic reaction, it’s because your body has an abnormal reaction to a normally harmless substance. This causes your body to release histamine, which is one of the things that causes your symptoms.
• Non-Allergic Rhinitis: This is a medical condition with an unknown cause that essentially mimics hay fever . Basically, a typically harmless substance irritates and inflames the tissues in your nose for unknown reasons. Unlike in allergic rhinitis, sensitization to an environmental allergen cannot be detected by blood or skin testing. Symptoms may be caused directly by irritation and inflammation, and non-allergic rhinitis can come in many forms.

Seasonal Allergies Are Making My Fibromyalgia Worse

kippy7

I’ve noticed a pattern since i was diagnosed with Fibro when it comes to seasonal allergies….It gets considerably worse.This time i didn’t even get out of the first round with this thing. I am prone Sinus inffections and it along with other allergy symptoms threw my body into what seems like a neverending flare up.

If you do suffer from Seasonal allergies,how does it affect your Fibro?Any suggestions would be great.I tried saline flush which didn’t work so well.I just started serrapeptase and i think its working with my sinus.The body pain though,oh the pain.

0 likes, 7 replies

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What Are The Symptoms Of Fibromyalgia

Each persons symptoms may vary. But chronic pain is the most common symptom. The pain most often affects the muscles and the points where muscles attach to bones. These are the ligaments and tendons.

Painmay start in one part of your body, such as your neck and shoulders. Any part of thebody can be affected. . The pain ranges from mild to severe. It may feel likeburning, soreness, stiffness, aching, or gnawing pain. You may have sore spots incertain parts of your muscles. It may feel like arthritis, but its not a condition thatgets worse. And it doesn’t damage muscles or bones.

Other common symptoms of fibromyalgia include:

• Medium to severe tiredness
• Less exercise endurance
• Painful menstrual periods
• Trouble thinking clearly

These symptoms can seem like other health conditions. Make sure to see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.

How To Treat Allergies

Many people reach for the over the counter antihistamines when they have allergies, and for people without fibromyalgia, these treatment usually provide great results. However, if you have fibromyalgia, reaching for these over the counter solutions might not be the best idea, and may actually make things worse for your condition.

There are many reasons why some doctors say this. First, you are probably already taking a number of medications to treat your pain and other fibromyalgia symptoms, and there is always the potential of a drug interaction or even a drug overdose with the wrong medication. In addition, there are many side effects that might be experienced when you are taking these over the counter medications that can make things far worse than you ever imagined.

So, what are you to do when allergies are bothering you and you need fast and effective relief? The best thing for an individual to do is talk to their doctor. He can provide personalized details and attention that ensure that you are able to find the right treatment for your needs without causing any additional troubles or worries.

The doctor will be able to do this by performing certain tests that will determine the type of allergies that you have, then the right course of action can be taken to eliminate allergies.

Recommended Reading: Can Allergies Cause Yellow Eye Discharge

Check On Your Supplements

Always tell your health care providers about any supplements you’re taking to treat your fibromyalgia. Some supplements, such as SAMe, can have significant side effects and may interact with medications, Vincent says.

In addition to checking on any possible interactions, your doctor should also be able to help you gauge any claims you might read about what supplements can, or cannot, do for your health.