Habits of Someone with Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a disease commonly symptomized by widespread muscle tenderness and pain. This chronic pain condition now affects an estimated 10 million people in the United States alone and about another 3-4% of the entire global population.

Although the disease commonly affects more women than it does men and children, the disorder is now being seen in families and most commonly among siblings or mothers and their offspring. While the diagnosis is typically made when the affected individual is between the ages of 20 and 50, there are some habits that could lead to Fibromyalgia; these are the habits of people with Fibromyalgia that you should keep an eye out for the entire time.

Bad Habits that can Lead to Fibromyalgia

The very first thing you need to know is that Fibromyalgia is not a condition that is very well known, even in the medical profession circles. This means that we are not clear on:

  • The causes
  • The remedy
  • The early detection symptoms
  • How the symptoms are directly related to the causes

The scary thing is that the disease differs from person to person which makes it very difficult to narrow down exactly how this disease affects it’s patients worldwide. Because every affected person shows different symptoms and responds to different forms of medication, the best we can do is to come up with a list of typical habits of people with Fibromyalgia. That way we can try to narrow down some of the issues that might be disguising themselves as other conditions while their true nature reveals Fibromyalgia.

While it is true that every patient is different, there are some common habits that tend to lead to Fibromyalgia in a majority of the diagnosed patients. Here is a list of the habits that could put you at risk of getting affected by Fibromyalgia:

  • Stress: Living a stressful life without trying to find ways to relieve that stress could lead to more than just mental distress. It could end up negatively affecting your physical health. One way it does that is by making you susceptible to getting Fibromyalgia.
  • Smoking: This is a well known cause of a large array of ailments. Unfortunately, Fibromyalgia makes the cut and is part of the list of diseases that smoking can cause.
  • Dietary delinquency: Not maintaining a healthy diet is one of the biggest health concerns for almost 45% of the planet’s population. It is no surprise that it is also a known factor in the cause of Fibromyalgia.  

The fact that some of the most common symptoms of Fibromyalgia include issues such as:

  • Fatigue
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • Bad sleeping patterns
  • Headaches
  • Numbness
  • Stress
  • Anxiety

This means that this disease is very easy to confuse for other issues such as Arthritis and common place Joint Stiffness or just plain old exhaustion. But with the right diagnosis, you can easily manage it and learn how to live with it.

Habits of People with Fibromyalgia

As much as there are habits that can lead to the development of the disease, there are also habits that can help you cope with the disease. But before we look at those, let us identify the habits that could help you pinpoint people who might have Fibromyalgia in your family or circle:

Healthy Habits for People with Fibromyalgia

People who have already been diagnosed with this condition are typically advised to develop some habits that will help them cope with and manage it going forward. Apart from a strict regimen of medication and therapy, here are some habits for people with Fibromyalgia:

  • Keeping a symptom and activity diary: The fact of the matter is that your doctor probably doesn’t fully understand this condition. Which means he/she is still trying to study how it behaves through your diagnosis and treatment. The best way to help them do that and give them a comprehensive look into how the disease affects you as an individual is to keep an activities and symptom diary. You should also keep a journal detailing how effective the different forms of medication and habitual change is affecting your symptoms.
  • Prioritize your days: This disease comes in waves. At any given time you may find yourself more exhausted or fatigued than usual. This means that you should always learn to prioritize your days and get the most important things done as soon as you can before the symptoms kick into high gear.
  • Include aerobic activity into your daily routine: Activities that open up your lung capacity while giving you a chance to remain fit are an excellent way to relieve stress as well as stay healthy and fit. All of which help you minimize the effects of the symptoms brought about by Fibromyalgia.
  • See your doctor as often as you can: As we mentioned earlier, there isn’t a lot of available information on this disease and how it affects different people. Every single patient has their takes their own course. This means that you will need to see your doctor as often as possible so that they can also keep a log on how you are progressing and make any necessary medical adjustments to your treatment.

While it is very possible to manage and even contain this condition, there really is no cure for it. These habits for people with Fibromyalgia will help you cope better with the disease.