Stress is the most uncomfortable experience felt by every
individual from a variety of sources throughout the course their lives. For a normal individual, there is a good defense
mechanism which will cause the “fight or flight” against any kind of stress. But when you have a chronic illness, stress response
exacerbates all of your symptoms, often triggering a flare up. Fibromyalgia and stress must not be allowed to exist - the
stress will only make the syndrome worse.
Chronic stress will lower the appetite and immune system. It also disturbs one’s sleeping pattern and leaves you
exhausted and anxious. The negative impact of stress on fibromyalgia will worsen your life by increasing the sensitivity to pain,
causing sleeping disorders and anxiety. Because of this stress, muscles become permanently tensed and energy is burned at such a
rate that fatigue becomes a regular companion.
There is a mechanism behind such stress in fibromyalgia. Three hormones that are involved in the stress
response works in a feedback loop pattern where the last hormone acts to stop the release of the first hormone. This makes
sure that the stress response is switched off and not left on continuously once stimulated.
In one person with fibromyalgia, the release of the first hormone (corticotrophin releasing hormone) and the
second one (adrenal cortical stimulating hormone) is at an elevated level in response to stress. The third hormone cortisol, at
rest level seems to be higher than that of other normal people. This shows that high chronic stress levels, where the levels of
cortisol stay at a higher level than when at rest, make you more responsive to stress.
One person needing to relax from this type of stress after experiencing a flare up, followed a few tips given to
him by his physician:
• In a stressful situation, he followed cognitive behavioral therapy, which helped him to tackle negative
ways of thinking to enable him to respond more positively to such situations.
• Meditation: very useful to slow you down, clear the mind and help him to relax when things started to become
overwhelming.
• He started exercising, which helped him to get rid of all stressful emotions. When he started exercising on regular basis,
his body started releasing endorphins, the body's natural pain killers to ease the pain at a faster rate.
• He rested before he became exhausted. By doing so he could prevent himself from becoming over fatigued, a state in
which you are more likely to become stressed.
• Relaxation: learning to relax each muscle group made him more productive by allowing him to release the tension from his
body.
• He felt laughing is the best treatment for stress because it releases endorphins causing instant relaxation.
By following the advice given by his physician he was cured. So if you suffer from fibromyalgia and stress, try
out these tips with your physician’s approval.
Fact Prognosis - Long term follow-up
studies have shown that fibromyalgia is chronic, but the symptoms may wax and wane. The impact that fibromyalgia can have on
daily living activities, including the ability to work a full-time job, differs among patients. Overall, studies have shown that
fibromyalgia can be as disabling and life-impacting as rheumatoid arthritis. ~ Fibromyalgia
Network
