Myofascial pain syndrome does not have to be in all 4 quadrants of the body and is considered a disorder of trigger points in muscles or fascia. Fascia is the covering that surrounds all muscles. So what is a trigger point? A trigger point is a taut band of muscle tissue that when pressed upon with any amount of pressure, pain occurs not only at the site of the trigger point but also at the site that is further away from the trigger point. This site that is further away is often referred to as the zone of pain referral.  For some fibromyalgia sufferers these 2 syndromes can coexist.

• Excessive fatigue any time of day or all day long

• Sleep disturbance – can not get or stay in that deep sleep or what is called REM sleep

• Generalized achy type pain all over the body
• No motivation to perform the simplest tasks or activities

• Muscle pain (typically described as muscle aches)

• Headaches (typically described as tension type headaches)

• Multi-joint pain without swelling or redness (most commonly in the shoulders, hips, knees and ankles)

• Mental fogginess (just like the fibro fog associated with fibromyalgia syndrome
• Impaired memory or concentration (which can overlap with the mental fogginess and/or lack of quality sleep)

• Sore throat (no one is really sure why, but this seems to be a common complaint of sufferers)

• Gastro-intestinal problems (this can be either a combination of constipation, diarrhea or just continuous stomach upset)

Outside of the United States, chronic fatigue syndrome is typically known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or ME.  In the past, this syndrome has been known as chronic Epstein-Barr virus (CEBV).

Typically, people affected with CFS will trudge through their day at work or school, but when it comes to their home or social life, the condition gets the best of them and they nix any thought of working around the house or going out socially.

Like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue can affect any age however, it typically affects women much more so than men.  This disorder does not improve with bed rest and often people say that it will worsen with physical or mental activity.  There is no clear cause of what happens in our bodies to trigger this response.  Just like there is no clear reason why the condition can hang on for so long in some people.

Pro-inflammatory foods to avoid:

• red meats from corn-fed, antibiotic/hormone laden animals
• saturated fats such as lard and meat fats
• fried foods
• partially hydrogenated (trans fats) found in margarines, chips, candies, cereals and baked goods
• cooking oils that are exclusively corn, safflower, sunflower or soy based
• soft drinks (both regular and diet varieties)
• excess sugar (both from heavily processed sources, such as candy and from naturally occurring sources such as fruit juices)

Anti-inflammatory foods and dietary supplements to include in your fibromyalgia diet:

• foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, especially cold water, wild-caught fish be cautious of the farm raised fish. Consider adding an Omega-3 supplements
• raw nuts and seeds (especially pecans, almonds, walnuts and flaxseeds)
• homemade soups made with poultry or meat bones (some experts believe that boiling the bones releases glucosamine and chondroitin into the soup which, when ingested becomes bioavailable in the body. This can help reduce inflammation and help repair some soft tissues)
• dark green vegetables (especially kale, seaweed and greens)
• antioxidants in supplement form (especially vitamins C and E, and quercetin)
• zinc taken in supplement form which assists healing and reduces inflammation
• extra virgin organic olive oil, expeller pressed grapeseed and avocado oils

• Colder or cooler weather. When we think of colder weather, we think of temperatures in the 20s and 30s.  However, it seems that people are affected anytime there is a dip in the temperature.  I have seen this occur numerous times in the warmer months even when the temperatures fall from the 70° or 80° range, to temperatures in the 60s.
• Damp and/or humid weather
• Increased physical activity.  When a fibromyalgia sufferer is feeling better, they typically try to increase their workload.   There are two reasons why they will increase their work loads.  First, because they need to catch-up on work that has piled up.  Secondly, they want to do more because they are feeling better (such as extra errands, more housework or staying out later than usual).  Unfortunately, by “over doing it” because they are feeling better, their symptoms return.
• Altered nutrition especially a decrease in food intake.  Usually because the fibro sufferer is in too much pain so they don’t want to eat or feel like eating. Also, if that sufferer has IBS, they too will not want to eat.
• Lack of sleep (especially deep sleep).
• Increased stress or traumatic events. This is probably the most common one I hear and typically one of the biggest factors.  Fibromyalgia sufferers are like migraine sufferers, their symptoms seem to increase after the stressful or traumatic event or events take place and not during.  

Our bodies are bombarded by numerous toxins daily such as environmental pollution, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoke (even second hand smoke), artificial additives in our foods and medications to name a few.  Our body can not detoxify all of them, so some of these toxins get stored in our bodies, typically in the liver.  A detox program is intended to help eliminate some of these toxins that are already stored in us.  A detox program also helps to restore the natural balance of the gastrointestinal tract (GI).  Detox programs usually clean out the liver, GI and/or digestive tract.

Proper colon health and maintenance is very important but many people don’t realize it.  Common complaints associated with the GI tract are:

• Gas

• Abdominal bloating

• Indigestion

• Irregular bowel movements

• Bad breath

• Skin and hair problems

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is involved in digestion, absorption of nutrients and proper immune system maintenance.   Many other factors can have a negative impact on the GI tract such as foods that are high in fat (including fast foods), foods that are high in sugar (which can lead to an increase in the bad bacteria that is in the tract), medications, stress or even food allergies or sensitivities.  All of these can lead to a disruption of the function of the GI tract which can contribute to the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) which is common in many fibromyalgia sufferers.

One of the standards used by most physicians to diagnose fibromyalgia comes from the American College of Rheumatology that was developed in 1990.  It is defined in the following way:

1.  Widespread pain for at least three months, defined by the presence of all of the following:

• Pain on the left and right sides of the body
• Pain above and below the waist
• Pain in the axial skeleton (which means around or on the spine)
• Pain upon palpation in 11 of 18 tender point sites with a force of 4-kg which is about the same amount of pressure as pressing on your finger nail hard (or soft) enough to blanch it.  An instrument that is sometimes used is called a pressure algometer or dolorimeter.

Some of the more frequent signs associated with the fibromyalgia are:
• Wide spread pain throughout the body in all four quadrants. This pain is usually muscle pain but people do report joint pain
• Pain lasting more than 3 months straight without any relief
• Chronic fatigue
• Decreased sleep patterns
• Irritable bowels called Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Lack of concentration often referred to as Fibro Fog
• Jaw pain
• Depression
• Sensitivity to touch – touching the skin can actually hurt
• Weight gain
• Eye sight change
• Swelling in the hands or feet
• Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
• Anxiety
• Depression

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Welcome to my fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue blog.  I am excited to share new information with you about both fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue.  I will be posting a combination of videos and text.  In addition, subscribing to my “newsletter,” you will have access to more information that will not be available in these blog posts.