All posts tagged: fibromyalgia

Contributor: Managing Your Fibromyalgia Skin Flares

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Fibromyalgia affects nearly 10 million Americans, making it a chronic and debilitating condition for many individuals. Chronic pain can be unmanageable at times, especially when new symptoms like skin problems arrive. As if the pain and fatigue weren’t enough to make you feel uncomfortable, when you add in the effect that fibromyalgia has on skin, it becomes even more challenging to live with this condition. Luckily, just as there are ways to control chronic pain and fatigue, you can learn to manage your skin flares more easily as well. Symptoms and Causes of Skin Flares You may wonder how or where these bumps and rashes originated from. However, if you have fibromyalgia, chances are that you are acquiring yet another symptom from this condition. These rashes can be raised and bumpy, also while developing skin sensitivity and tenderness with the rash. The itchiness from your rash may or may not come with pain and tenderness, but also can create a crawling sensation on your skin. It’s been studied that more than 3.3% of individuals with fibromyalgia experience some type …

A Look at “Zero to Hero” When You Feel Like a Zero

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I have been given this product as part of a product review through the Chronic Illness Bloggers network. Although the product was a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company. “You get to work from home! That’s so great!” Whenever people say that, I never know how to respond. Like, yeah, of course, it’s great to be home all the time… I guess. I forget what day of the week it is. I wear sweatpants. I shower when I want to shower. I work in the living room from my recliner or in the office, whichever is more comfortable. The television is on for “background noise.” I keep the cat and bunny from murdering each other. I also have very little human interaction other than Slack, Gchat, Facebook, or email. I’m a slave to the elements, meaning my Quell says, “Today’s weather may worsen your pain. Consider increased Quell use.” I’ve gotten that warning for the past two weeks straight. If it’s cold or raining, I stay …

Guest Post: Water Exercise for Chronic Pain Relief

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Chronic pain comes in many forms: aching in the joints, dull burning in the muscles, or shooting pains throughout the body. While some bodily pain after an injury or surgery is normal, pain that persists beyond average recovery time or that arises inexplicably is considered chronic. The National Institute of Health (NIH) defines chronic pain as “any pain lasting more than 12 weeks.” These pains can be sharp or dull, localized or felt throughout the body. The American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) widely recommends exercise therapy, or “active therapy,” to increase the range of motion, strength, and flexibility and to enhance the quality of life. Though resting the body may seem like a tempting option, doctors have come to recognize that inactivity typically exacerbates symptoms. Dr. Edward Laskowski, a rehabilitation specialist at the Mayo Clinic, explains, “[w]hen you rest, you become deconditioned — which may actually contribute to chronic pain.” Whether you suffer from fibromyalgia, arthritis, migraines, Crohn’s Disease, multiple sclerosis, or another physically debilitating illness, remaining active is paramount to managing pain. Exercise for …