Fibromyalgia: The Pain That Society Does Not Understand

Fibromyalgia was recognized as a disease by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1992. Today , fibromyalgia affects 4% of the world’s population, and almost 90% are women.

It is known as the “invisible disease” because it affects all the soft tissues of the musculoskeletal system and cannot be diagnosed by medical tests. Fibromyalgia can not be seen. It leaves no marks on the skin and does not produce wounds that others can see and identify. It is a lonely, desperate disease.

At the time of writing, the etiology of this disease is still unknown. But what we do know is that more people are diagnosed each year. The disease therefore deserves all the global attention it can receive, which would include the relevance of its biopsychosocial effect.

So today we want to give you some basic guidelines, so that you can confront the disease with strength. You can do a lot to improve your quality of life.

When people can not get out of bed because they feel “burning needles” that cause their joints to hurt, they do not fake and do not try to find an excuse to avoid going to work. People who suffer from fibromyalgia know that the environment is difficult to understand. It results in a feeling of being invisible in a world that only believes in what it can see.

The main problem with FM (fibromyalgia) is the controversy over whether its source is psychological or organic. These are the main conclusions that experts have suggested:

It is necessary to first clarify that there is no medical evidence linking fibromyalgia with mental illness.

However, some authors mention that around 47% of patients suffer from anxiety, but we must remember that this psychological dimension can be one’s own response to the pain from the disease itself.

According to a study published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatology , people with fibromyalgia experience increased sensitivity to everyday sensory stimuli.

Using magnetic resonance imaging, researchers have discovered that regions of the brain involved with the senses suffer from higher overstimulation than usual when exposed to visual, tactile, olfactory or acoustic stimuli.

People with fibromyalgia have a larger amount of blood vessels in their sensory nerve fibers so any stimuli or changes in temperature result in severe pain.

One thing to keep in mind is that all the emotional factors will increase the feeling of pain in these nerve fibers. A stressful situation will result in overstimulation and pain. In turn, the feeling of pain and chronic fatigue will plunge the person into helplessness and even depression.

Therefore, we fall into a vicious circle where an illness of organic source is amplified by the psychological factor. Therefore , it is worth focusing on the emotional dimension to dampen or at least “control” the etiological source.

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Chronic pain is part of our social reality, where fibromyalgia is an extreme example. Now that we know that factors such as stress and grief can increase the feeling of suffering, it is important to introduce some basic strategies that can help us.

First, we must be aware that the same strategies will not help everyone. You need to find the strategies that work for you according to yourself and your needs. To do this, you need to test and select the ones that produce the most relief for you.

• Understand your illness. This means having contact with specialists, doctors and psychologists. You need multidisciplinary treatment so that you can “understand” your illness. This will make you feel safer and more prepared.
• Establish positive attitudes in your life. We know it’s not easy, but instead of reacting to pain, it’s better to accept and treat it – not to get depressed. Do not hesitate to talk to people suffering from the same disease, do not isolate yourself and do not harbor resentment towards people around you.
• Look for activities that allow you to deal with stress and anxiety: there are very suitable relaxation techniques that can help. Yoga can also be very beneficial.
• Never lose control of your life; do not let the pain control you. To do this, establish moments of relaxation every day, no matter how short they may be. Take a walk and do not avoid social contact.

• Pay attention to your emotions, your thinking and your language. What you think and feel has a direct influence on the disease. If you say things like, “I can’t get up,” “This has no solution,” or “I have no strength,” it will increase your suffering.

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