You might have seen some conflicting specifics of fibromyalgia and autoimmune diseases. Many people will explain it’s regarded as an autoimmune disease, others will tell you it’s not. However, you must understand that physicians do not consider fibromyalgia to be an autoimmune disease.
The reason for this debilitating disease is not known and people who have other diseases could be more likely to become affected by using it. Diseases that make a person more susceptible to fibromyalgia are: ankylosing spondylitis, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Typically, the symptoms of fibromyalgia overlap with those in a few of these autoimmune diseases, which makes diagnosing a lot more difficult.
Why is Fibromyalgia not Considered an Autoimmune Disease?
At this point in time, fibromyalgia is not regarded as an autoimmune disease. Further research could change this, but that doesn’t seem likely at this time. Though some cases of fibromyalgia do involve a dysregulation from the defense mechanisms itself, this really is very different than the dysregulation brought on by an autoimmune disease. Right now, researchers have been unable to totally understand the nature of the dysregulation brought on by fibromyalgia.
Autoimmune Diseases Explained
As mentioned before, autoimmune diseases include ankylosing spondylitis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and others. Nowhere within this list are you going to find fibromyalgia autoimmune disease. So, though fibromyalgia does exhibit the signs and symptoms of the autoimmune disease/disorder, it is not considered to be one.
What are the Symptoms of an Autoimmune Disease?
There are lots of symptoms of an autoimmune disease- many of which are the same or almost the same in anyone who has fibromyalgia. Following are some of the symptoms that occur with autoimmune diseases that could also point to fibromyalgia.
- Extreme Fatigue- this is actually the degree of fatigue that is not helped through getting some rest.
- Joint and Muscle Pain- this can be a selection of pain, from general pain, to burning, to aching, general soreness within the muscles and aches/pains within the joints.
- Muscle Weakness- weak feeling in the muscles, in addition to lack of hand/arm or leg/thigh strength.
- Swollen Glands- especially those in the throat, in the armpits, and also the tops from the legs around the groin.
Greater Inclination towards Infections- frequent utis, colds, ear infections, yeast infections, sore throat and sinus troubles are common among both fibromyalgia patients and people patients with autoimmune disorders. Additionally, you’ll notice a much slower time to recover if you have an autoimmune disorder.
- Sleep Disturbances- issues with falling/staying asleep.
- Weight Gain/Loss- alterations in weight, usually inside a Ten to fifteen pound range.
- Low Blood Sugar- this suggests adrenal fatigue.
- Changes in Blood Pressure- you may have very high or very low blood pressure level, in conjunction with feelings of vertigo or dizziness, palpitations/fluctuations in heart rate, and/or fainting.
- Candida Yeast Infections- including sinus infections, bloating, thrush, or even vaginal candida albicans.
- Allergies- allergic/sensitive to certain chemicals, foods, and things within the environment.
- Digestive Problems- including heartburn, constipation, cramping, bloating, pain in the abdomen, excessive gas, as well as diarrhea is quite common.
- Depression/Anxiety- changes in both mood and emotions, excessively irritable, and even panic attacks.
- Memory Problems- this often manifests as what is known as “brain fog” where you can only vaguely remember things.
- Thyroid Problems- typically, the issue is hypothyroidism, though sometimes could be hyperthyroidism, and frequently doesn’t show up on a thyroid test. This could manifest itself as excessive hair loss along with a lowered body’s temperature.
- Headaches that keep occurring- this can be severe headaches or migraines.
- Low Grade Fevers- very common, some experience this each day.
- PMS- bloating, heavy bleeding, extreme cramps and an irregular cycle are quite common with both fibromyalgia as well as an autoimmune disease.
Common Fibromyalgia Symptoms
Pain All around the Body- this is aching, throbbing, stabbing/shooting, burning pain deep inside the muscles.
Fatigue- feeling completely drained of energy (can be one of probably the most debilitating from the symptoms).
Difficulty Sleeping- this includes both falling and staying asleep. You won’t be getting adequate sleep, so you feel quite missing out on sleep upon getting up.
Brain Fog- issues with focusing/concentrating on things, retaining information recently learned, etc.
Stiffness Upon Waking in the Mornings- muscles feel more sore in the early mornings and individuals feel more stiff than they usually are. Typically, gently stretching parts of your muscles and taking a warm shower/bath helps you to loosen them up.
Knotting, Cramping, Weakness in Muscles- regardless of how much you do to relax the muscles, they still feel very tense. The pain that’s brought on by fibromyalgia itself could be a source of muscle weakness.
Digestive Disorders- abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, nausea, diarrhea, gas, IBS, and more are very normal with fibromyalgia. Also, slow digestion and acid reflux are common.
Migraines/Headaches- these are generally present at least twice each week and are rated as severe pain- usually with a migraine component. The pain sensation is partially due to trigger points found in the head, neck, and shoulders.
Problems with Balance- typically, individuals suffering from fibromyalgia have trouble walking as well as their likelihood of falling down are increased.
Burning/Itching Skin- you might have itchy/red bumps or perhaps your skin may be completely clear and it burns like when you have been sunburned.
Compare Fibromyalgia and Autoimmunity
Though a few of the symptoms are very similar- as well as the identical in some cases- the study into fibromyalgia hasn’t found a link to autoimmunity.? There has been no inflammatory markers that have been elevated consistently, there has been no antibodies discovered, and scientific study has not observed the harm that’s typical of autoimmune activity within the body.
However, there has been a significant overlap that’s been observed between specific autoimmune conditions and fibromyalgia that shows the possibility that those who have autoimmunity are susceptible to developing fibromyalgia. These are:
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Hashimoto’s Autoimmune Thyroiditis
- Lupus
Why Do People Get Confused?
The fact that people misunderstand this is of ‘autoimmunity’ greatly contributes to the misunderstanding between the two. Additionally, it may be towards the similarities forwards and backwards.
For example: both fibromyalgia and autoimmune disorders have fatigue, pain, and several other common symptoms; both fibromyalgia and autoimmune disorders can be quite hard to diagnose and can take a long time to work through; a common poor knowledge of the two- even those who work in the medical community don’t always understand fibromyalgia and auto immune disorders, so they lump all of them together because on the surface, they appear exactly the same.
However, you must realise the difference between the two because though they appear to be exactly the same, the treatments are very different. You won’t want to be treated for one if you have the other- the treatment would not be successful.
