Your Fibro Support
Like Us on Facebook!
  • Fibro Relief Blog
  • Products
  • Recipes
  • Home
  • Sign Up - Share Your Tips
  • Archives

Fibromyalgia and Peripheral Neuropathy

5/4/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
It was of no surprise to me along with the degenerative disc diagnosis so came Peripheral Neuropathy.  After all, at least there is a connections here due to the fact both affect the central nervous system.  

What does concern me is an original statement from my neurologist when I was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia.  I had asked him, "So, feeling as I'm going down hill fast here, is this going to to get worse?" 

"It shouldn't," he replied.

Well, I can tell you there have been a whole host of symptoms that came upon me over the period of seven years that I would deem as "getting worse".  I've come to the conclusion that getting worse may be on the fibromyalgia side only.  After all, they don't know how it operates completely, and if you're a medical major you're not going to focus on other doctors specialties- just your own.  So maybe it wasn't going to get worse in the neurological sense.  

​Fibromyalgia and peripheral neuropathy are two conditions that affect the central nervous system, resulting in pain. Aside from muscle pain, fibromyalgia also involves sleep disturbance, mood changes, and memory issues. It is believed to be caused by a physical trauma or psychological stress, but the exact cause is still unknown. Fibromyalgia is often accompanied by other conditions, such as anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome, and depression.

Peripheral neuropathy refers to damage caused to the peripheral nerves, resulting in weakness and numbness. Peripheral neuropathy commonly occurs in the feet or hands.

The link between fibromyalgia and peripheral neuropathy

Fibromyalgia and peripheral neuropathy may share common symptoms, but stem from very different causes. The cause of fibromyalgia is not understood really, while neuropathy, on the other hand, can be caused by a host of different underlying issues.

Both fibromyalgia and neuropathy affect the central nervous system and cause extreme nerve pain. Both conditions are chronic and could also share similar treatment options. In fact, both can be managed through treatment, so working with your doctor on an appropriate treatment strategy for your fibromyalgia or peripheral neuropathy can help.

Unlike fibromyalgia, peripheral neuropathy can be prevented with proper management of the underlying causes (e.g., diabetes).

Fibromyalgia vs. peripheral neuropathy: U.S. prevalence

Roughly two to four percent of the U.S. population are affected by fibromyalgia. Estimates of U.S. prevalence were done based on the 1990 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines for the fibromyalgia diagnosis, accounting for roughly 10 million cases. It has since been argued that these estimates are too low, and the guidelines fail to capture many patients who could be living with the condition unknowingly.

Peripheral neuropathy affects 2.4 percent of the population, but the prevalence can get as high as eight percent in certain population groups. The most common type of neuropathy – diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy – may be present in 66 percent of type 1 diabetics and 59 percent in type 2 diabetics.

Fibromyalgia vs. peripheral neuropathy: Signs and symptoms

The key distinguishing symptom of fibromyalgia is tender points on the body. Other signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia include chronic muscle pain, muscle spasms or tightness, moderate or severe fatigue, decreased energy, insomnia, waking up feeling unrefreshed, stiffness upon waking or after staying in one position for too long, concentration problems, difficulty remembering and performing simple mental tasks (“fibro fog“), abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, constipation alternating with diarrhea (irritable bowel syndrome), tension or migraine headaches, as well as jaw and facial tenderness. With fibromyalgia comes sensitivity to odors, noises, bright lights, medications, certain foods, and cold. Fibromyalgia patients report feeling anxious or depressed, numbness or tingling in the face, arms, hands, legs, or feet, increase in urinary urgency or frequency (irritable bladder), reduced tolerance for exercise and muscle pain after exercise, and a feeling of swelling (without actual swelling) in the hands and feet.

Signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy depend on the affected nerve. Nerves are classified into sensory, motor, or autonomic. Sensory nerves receive sensations, motor nerves control muscle movement, and autonomic nerves control functions such as blood pressure, heart rate, bladder, and digestion.
Some symptoms that may arise in peripheral neuropathy include:
  • Gradual onset of numbness, tingling, or prickling from the hands and toes moving throughout the limbs
  • Sharp, jabbing, throbbing, freezing, or burning pain
  • Extreme sensitivity to touch
  • Lack of coordination, falls
  • Muscle weakness or paralysis

If the autonomic nerves are affected, a patient may experience heat intolerance and sweating, bowel, bladder, or digestive issues, as well as changes in blood pressure causing dizziness or lightheadedness.

Comparing fibromyalgia and peripheral neuropathy:

The cause of fibromyalgia is largely theorized, as it is not well understood. Researchers and doctors believe that a fibromyalgia patient experiences amplified pain as a result of abnormal sensory processing in the central nervous system. Much research has detected physiological abnormalities in fibromyalgia, including increased levels of substance P in the spinal cord, low levels of blood flow to the thalamus region of the brain, HPA axis hypofunction, low levels of serotonin and tryptophan, and abnormalities in cytokine function. Other fibromyalgia triggers include genetic factors and traumatic events or injuries.

Neuropathy can be due to many other conditions and ailments, and so there is no single cause. Peripheral neuropathy is associated with nerve damage, which may be caused  by alcoholism, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, exposure to poisons, medications, infections, inherited disorders, trauma or pressure on the nerves, tumors, vitamin deficiencies, bone marrow disorders, and other conditions, including diseases that affect the liver, kidneys, and thyroid.

Differentiating fibromyalgia and peripheral neuropathy: Risk factors and complications

Risk factors for fibromyalgia include sex – women are at a higher risk of fibromyalgia than men, a family history of fibromyalgia – a genetic component to the disease, and a rheumatic disease diagnosis.

One of fibromyalgia complications is poor ability to function due to lack of sleep, which worsens symptoms. Anxiety and depression, too, may be a result of fibromyalgia as it is not a well-understood condition. Living in pain can be frustrating when others simply don’t understand what you are going through, especially because there is no specific cure or treatment.

Risk factors for peripheral neuropathy include poorly controlled diabetes, alcohol abuse, vitamin deficiencies, infections like Lyme disease, autoimmune diseases, exposure to toxins, repetitive motions, a family history of neuropathy, as well as kidney, liver, or thyroid disease.

Complications resulting from peripheral neuropathy include burns and skin trauma, infection and falls due to loss of sensation – potentially leading to disability.

Fibromyalgia vs. peripheral neuropathy: Diagnosis and treatment

There isn’t a specific test for fibromyalgia, but doctors may use a form of testing that checks 18 specific trigger points that have been found to be present in majority of fibromyalgia patients. Not all doctors use trigger point exams anymore, but rather they narrow down on a fibromyalgia diagnosis if a person has experienced widespread pain for at least three months. Your doctor may also refer you for some blood work to rule out other conditions.

Treating fibromyalgia can be difficult as its exact cause is unknown. Therefore, the goal of fibromyalgia treatment is symptom management. A doctor may prescribe analgesics, or painkillers, to address fibromyalgia. However, there is a risk of developing addiction to these drugs, so doctors may recommend this option with caution. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can also be taken for pain management, but once again long-term use of these drugs can yield unwanted side effects. In some cases, antidepressants may be prescribed as well.

Some alternative and complementary therapies and treatments for fibromyalgia include massages, acupuncture, cognitive behavioral therapy, movement therapies, and chiropractic.

Peripheral neuropathy is diagnosed based on a review of the patient’s full medical history and a neurological examination. Tests that could help diagnose peripheral neuropathy include blood tests, imaging tests like MRI, nerve function tests, nerve biopsy, and skin biopsy. Not only do these tests help diagnose peripheral neuropathy, but they also rule out other potential causes for your symptoms, too.

Treatment for peripheral neuropathy implies addressing its underlying cause. This could involve managing diabetes, treating infections, or treating other diseases. Some medications that may be prescribed for neuropathy include pain relievers, anti-seizure medications, topical treatments, and antidepressants.

Other therapies that can aid in the peripheral neuropathy treatment include transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), plasma exchange and intravenous immune globulin, physical therapy, and surgery.

Patients may also be inclined to try acupuncture, alpha-lipoic acid, herbs, and amino acids as an alternative mode of peripheral neuropathy treatment.

It’s of utmost important to manage and control any underlying issues that might have contributed to the disorder. For example, cutting on your alcohol consumption or managing your diabetes. I know many of you many not be diagnosed with diabetes, but I'll bet if you have some form of neuropathy, your sugar tests are higher than normal.  


Fortis
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Wal-Mart.com USA, LLC
    Improve your mental health in the most convenient and affordable way with an online therapy at Talkspace.com!
    MyUS.com
    Good Sam Travel Assist
    Gaia
    Panda Planner

    Author

    Valerie utilizes an extensive amount of research producing this blog.  Categories are purposely set up in stages, rather than topics, so you can easily implement one step at a time. 

    Archives

    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012

    Categories

    All
    Alternative Therapies
    A New Beginning
    Apps
    Avoiding Flare Ups
    Breathing
    Cleaning
    Cultured Foods
    Dealing With Aftershocks
    Depression
    Diet
    Exercise
    Finding Relief
    Good Reads
    Great Flicks
    Grief
    Grounding
    Health Care
    Holiday Madness
    Insurance
    Intermittent Fasting
    In The Beginning
    Maintenance
    Medical
    Medical Information
    Meditation
    Memory
    Mental Well Being
    Minimalism
    Natural Body Cleansers
    Natural Products
    Paleo
    Prayer
    Recipes
    Resources
    Season Pick
    Sleep
    Social Security Disability
    Soup
    Stress
    Supplements
    Tapping
    Videos
    Welcome

Preview on Feedage: academic-learning-coach-home-ideas-blog Add to My Yahoo! Add to Google! Add to AOL! Add to MSN
Subscribe in NewsGator Online Add to Netvibes Subscribe in Pakeflakes Subscribe in Bloglines Add to Alesti RSS Reader
Add to Feedage.com Groups Add to Windows Live iPing-it Add to Feedage RSS Alerts Add To Fwicki