Airing Pain 109: Fibromyalgia

[PainConcernProjects]

Fibromyalgia management’s revised recommendations, walking as self-management, and one person’s journey living with FM

Programme link: audioboom.com/posts/7133376...

Fibromyalgia (FM) affects around 2% of the UK population, with 80-90% of those being women, and being a widely misunderstood condition its exact causes are unknown. Widespread pain is the major symptom; but people with FM may also experience fatigue, difficulty sleeping, memory problems (“fibro-fog”), muscle stiffness, and many others.

In 2016, EULAR (European League Against Rheumatism) published its Revised Recommendations for the Management of Fibromyalgia. In this edition Paul Evans speaks to Dr Gareth Jones, reader in epidemiology at the University of Aberdeen who was part of the study group.

Paul also speaks to Dr Kathryn Martin and Fiona Rennie about their work with Walk With Ease, a programme that encourages walking as a self-management technique for arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions like FM. He even has a go himself!

We also hear from Diane about her experiences being diagnosed with FM and her journey using swimming, yoga, and mindfulness as self-management techniques.

Contributors:

• Diane – Person living with fibromyalgia

• Dr Gareth Jones - Reader of Epidemiology, Epidemiology Group, University of Aberdeen

• Dr Kathryn R Martin - Lecturer in Epidemiology, Epidemiology Group, University of Aberdeen, Walk With Ease Programme

• Fiona Rennie – Walk With Ease leader

More information:

• Fibromyalgia Action UK - fmauk.org

• Walk With Ease programme on Arthritis Research UK website - arthritisresearchuk.org/new...

• NHS Fibromyalgia - nhs.uk/conditions/Fibromyal...

[sneakyblonde]

I was just diagnosed as having low vitamin D.

My doctor prescribed it for me.

I did a bit of research and found low vitamin D can cause bone pain. Like the opposite of "growing pains". Who thinks of bone pain when you hurt all over ?

I saw several studies that found many Fibromyalgia patients are low in vitamin D. I suggest if you have pain, ask your doctor to do a vitamin D deficiency test. I think it could be worth while.

I hope this helps some of you with Fibromyalgia. I know anything that helps reduce your pain is worth a test.

Stay healthy,

Cindy