FOR ALL SUFFERERS OF FIBROMYALGIA. Hope you will find this helpful.

[Roselil]

the symptoms in FM

The Gist

Three nerves that transmit pain signals to the spinal cord have been found to be overactive in FM

Nerves should calm down and adjust to repeated stimulation but in a process called windup the pain nerves that get activated in FM stay activated. They also respond more quickly to a stimulus and are apt to fire off spontaneously more.

Twitchy nerves leading from deeply embedded mechanoreceptors around the spinal column could explain some of the upper body pain common in FM and the problems with bending, moving etc.

Two neurotransmitter associated with pain, substance P and glutamate have been found elevated in FM patient’s brains

The brain exerts enormous influence over the amount of pain we feel through a pain inhibition process which can reach all the way down the spinal cord to the spinal cord’s dorsal horns.

When one part of the body is exposed to pain our sensitivity to pain in other parts of the body actually reduces. This process – called controlled pain modulation – is due to a pain inhibition process which begins in the brain.

This process has been shown many times not to be working well in many but not all people with FM. Interestingly, although it’s not clear why, the low heart rate variability found in FM is associated with reduced pain inhibition. Mestinon is one drug that has proved helpful for some people with ME/CFS.

Pain signals are believed to need to pass through a series of checkpoints or gates in order to make to the brain. Those gates are believed to be opened wider than usual in FM.

Some researchers, though, that the pain inhibition process in FM is working just fine. They believe its signals are being over-ridden by a constant stream of pain signals emanating from the body.

Brain scans show more problems. Blood flows to various parts of the brain are altered. The pain processing areas of the brain are hyperactive. Even when the brain is resting it still maintains it’s tight connection to those areas.

The authors believe that widespread neuroinflammation could explain all the symptoms in FM.

With so many validated issues in just the brain and nervous system’s of FM patients it seems incredible that any doctor worth his or her salt could dismiss this disease.

[desquinn Partner Volunteer FMAUK Trustee]

It's this quoted from somewhere? What's the source?

[Roselil in reply to desquinn]

It was sent to me via an email. I will now try and find it again to give you the source.

[Roselil in reply to desquinn]

The email I received was from HEALTH RISING, COMMITTED TO BREAKTHROUGHS IN ME/CFS AND FIBROMYALGIA from which I quoted their abbreviated section.

[desquinn Partner Volunteer FMAUK Trustee]

This is the source healthrising.org/blog/2020/...

Lots of mays and coulds as well as some info that is already well known it's a good article but need to read the original Australian article.

[Roselil in reply to desquinn]

I personally found it very helpful, especially when they mentioned low pulse rate, as mine is always very, very low indeed.

[Entela15]

This is very interesting. Did you get this from a website or article?

[Dizzytwo Moderator in reply to Entela15]

Hi there, if you scroll back a little you will find the link desquinn added

[Buzzybee23]

Morning all

I was given an ebook from MSK, it talks about the brain and nervous system.

Ill dig it out is the admin would like a copy

[Cat00]

My heart rates quite high around 87 at rest....what does that mean in relation to the article!? I always thought that people with a low heart rate live longer....

[Roselil in reply to Cat00]

maybe you are still young, Cat00. I am elderly now, but have had low pulse rate ever since I can remember.

[Cat00]

I'm 43, my husbands heart rate is half of mine even though I'm the one at the gym everyday, drives me crazy! Although apparently men generally have lower hearts than women anyway...

[Roselil in reply to Cat00]

Dear CatOO, well you are half my age! My husband's heart-rate is generally quite high but then he does not have Fibromyalgia nor M.E. he does however have another illness.

[Ms_Shell]

And yet it is still considered a "Unicorn!"

Too many 'doctors' are still prepared to classify us as '3L' - "Lazy, Looney, or Liars.'

All this research, and all these sufferers, and it is STILL a matter of whether a given doctor "Believes in," Fibro! Astonishing!

It's fascinating research, though. I remember learning about the 'Gateway Theory' - or perhaps 'broken Gateway Theory;' of transmission of pain signals in Chronic Pain Sufferers, during a 'Management Course 20 years ago. It's very interesting to see it pop up again ...

Thank-you 🙂

[leione in reply to Ms_Shell]

In the US, there is a company called EpicGenetics and they have a blood test that is the first to verify FM. They did mine 20 years after I was originally diagnosed and it came back positive for FM. I had a few doubter doctors too. So there.

[Ms_Shell in reply to leione]

And how long to between 'things going wrong/pain/flares' and your original diagnosis?

Interesting that the 'research' comes from Oz - where I live; and it's also where I heard about the "Gateway Theory" here 20 years ago!

[Pbyllis]

Very interesting thanks.🌷

[Julesubu]

Yes I have heard many theories around the causes. I know my esr which relates to inflammation was always very high when I first had fibro diagnosed. I do think the signals being affected in switching off are probably part of it. Whenever I have a bad fall my pain and stiffness worsens permanently not just just while healing. My last fall was 8 months ago and now still getting nerve pain in my elbow where I landed.

Had to stop a lot of my pain killers due to ulcers and strange reactions so really struggling with it all now.