Did it becomes clear that fibromyalgia and diabetes occur almost 4 times more often than you’d ever dream of expecting? Research has shown that keeping a good rein on the glucose levels of diabetics actually greatly reduces the risk of the individual developing fibromyalgia at some stage in their lives.
A 2003 study done in the journal Rheumatology International, showed that around 15 to 18 percent of diabetic patients also have fibromyalgia. This means that there’s a link between the two.
The Link between Fibromyalgia and Diabetes
The interesting aspect of the study done in Rheumatology International was that whenever it found a connection between the two, the bond was much stronger in the individuals who had type 1 diabetes compared to those that had type 2 diabetes- though the association between fibromyalgia and diabetes was higher in individuals with type 2.
The reason this association is really interesting is because type 1 diabetes is considered to occur because of an autoimmune disease, although the trigger is not exactly known. Because of the autoimmunity associated with type 1 diabetes and the fact that it’s strongly related to fibromyalgia- around Four times from the population- suggests that people who support that autoimmunity causes fibromyalgia might be headed within the right direction. Of course, before this is officially established, more research must be done.
Another quite interesting connection between diabetes and fibromyalgia is that controlling blood sugar levels is directly connected with the probability of developing fibromyalgia. The larger a diabetic patient’s hemoglobin A1C levels are, the larger their probability of suffering from fibromyalgia. The hemoglobin A1C levels would be the way of measuring how well the blood glucose is being controlled.
Also interesting to note would be that the high blood sugar levels are connected with an increase in the severity of fibromyalgia symptoms in the individuals with both disorders. The symptoms that are substantially increased in anyone who has poor charge of their blood sugar levels include: fatigue, headaches, the number of tender points, and disturbances in sleep.
Diagnosis of Fibromyalgia and Diabetes
Reaching a diagnosis of fibromyalgia in those patients who are already coping with diabetes can be quite difficult. This is because diabetes can in fact mimic all or any of the symptoms which are associated directly with fibromyalgia. Due to the fact that there is no test that can truly demonstrate the presence of fibromyalgia, the only method to truly reach an analysis is through true clinical testing from the symptoms.
Those who are suffering from diabetes- especially female patients- should be aware that fibromyalgia actually occurs for a price of four times more in those who have diabetes than is seen in the general public. Because of this, those symptoms that are associated with diabetes try not to get better when blood sugar levels are under control, should be checked out more closely simply because they could point to fibromyalgia.
One of the most common causes of confusion between your symptoms in diabetes and fibromyalgia is that the sensory symptoms, for example shooting nerve pain, tenderness, and general pain, is typically experienced in both conditions. However, a study conducted this year in Germany showed that the distribution from the symptoms was actually different. This research took phone following seven symptoms:
- Prickling Pain
- Burning Pain
- Numbness
- Waxing/Waning pain (known as attacks)
- Pain to normalcy, everyday stimuli
- Pressure Points
- Pain to Hot Object (referred to as thermal)
This study showed that the way the symptoms were grouped was related directly to the disease that was accountable for them. Following is exactly what was discovered for these mixtures of symptoms.
- Attacks and pressure points were 3 times more prone to be caused by fibromyalgia than diabetes.
- Thermal and pressure points were two times as likely to be caused by fibromyalgia as diabetes.
- Prickling and numbness were 3 times more likely to be caused by diabetes instead of fibromyalgia.
- Attacks and numbness were two times as likely to be brought on by diabetes as fibromyalgia.
- Burning, pressure, and attacks showed a slight improvement in cause, favoring fibromyalgia because the cause over diabetes.
The outcomes of this study suggested that although it is true that exact symptoms could be related to either from the disorders, taking a listing of all of the symptoms could help to determine what the exact cause is dependant on how they are manufactured, as well as the timing and harshness of them. Attacks of pain that are occurring at the same time that the pressure points are most sensitive are 3 times more prone to be caused by fibromyalgia than the attacks of pain which are occurring at the same time that numbness is.
Treatment of Fibromyalgia and Diabetes
The separate treatments for fibromyalgia and diabetes are quite different. However, treating one can (and frequently does) improve the manifesting the signs of the other one. This is especially true where controlling blood sugar levels has a major impact on the fibromyalgia symptoms- managing your diabetes correctly actually reduces pain levels, the quantity of disturbances in sleep, and fatigue associated with fibromyalgia.
Additionally, as it is with most other concerns, being active is a terrific way to lessen the effects and symptoms of both fibromyalgia and diabetes. Exercise actually reduces the necessity of insulin and keeps you against reaching the extremes of glucose levels. Additionally, it serves to defend against heart disease and stroke which are common one of the population struggling with diabetes. With regards to fibromyalgia, exercise serves to reduce pain, increase sleep, and results in improvements in mood.
Aerobic exercise actually has many different benefits in regard to a variety of diseases, that does not getting involved in it actually means that you miss a really large and incredibly important bit of any regimen of treatment. Experts recommend that you do about 15-20 minutes of light aerobic activity for a minimum of three times each week.
Both fibromyalgia and diabetes actually appear to be related more so than other diseases/disorders. It has been proven that fibromyalgia occurs around 4 times more regularly in anyone who has diabetes than it does within the general population. Researchers will work diligently to uncover this link. In the meantime, individuals struggling with both conditions should remember that treating each of them together is the greatest way to ensure maximum recovery.
