Fibromyalgia often hurts worse in rainy weather, mainly due to falling barometric pressure, which causes tissues to expand and press on nerves, increasing pain; high humidity can worsen this by causing swelling, while reduced activity in damp weather also contributes to stiffness and heightened sensitivity. While research confirms links between pressure changes and chronic pain, the exact mechanisms for fibromyalgia are still being studied, but it involves tissues reacting to atmospheric shifts.
It's a popular theory that people can feel a storm coming in their joints. In fact, many patients suffering from chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia have reported an increase in pain right before it rains. Even though this phenomenon is common, there has been no research to back up these claims – until now.
6 ways to manage your fibromyalgia
Inflammation Triggers
Weather changes, particularly drops in barometric pressure and temperature, may stimulate inflammation in sensitive tissues. Inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia may flare up when the body's inflammatory response is triggered by environmental shifts.
Optimise your pain management plan; review pain management strategies such as planning, pacing, relaxation and flare-up management (see resources). Optimise your health, weight and physical conditioning to prepare for the physical changes brought on by pregnancy, and the physical demands of looking after your baby.
TNX-102 SL (Tonmya; Tonix Pharmaceuticals), cyclobenzaprine HCl sublingual tablets, has been approved by the FDA to treat fibromyalgia in adult patients, making it the first new treatment approved for the musculoskeletal and chronic pain disorder in over 15 years and the fourth treatment approved overall.
Fibromyalgia and pregnancy
Patients are advised to consider getting pregnant when the symptoms are less severe. A healthy diet along with regular moderate exercise helps regain strength and keeps symptoms at a manageable level.
In general, a temperate climate is most beneficial for anyone with fibromyalgia. This would include areas with low humidity and infrequent rain. While no city is going to be perfect 365 days out of the year, it is possible to find areas that experience very few days of extreme weather conditions.
Those autoimmune diseases include:
Some research suggests there might be an increased sensitivity in skin temperature nerve fibers, potentially affecting temperature perception6. This, combined with other factors in fibromyalgia, could contribute to feeling colder and experiencing worsened pain in chilly weather.
Heat therapy increases blood flow, which relaxes your muscle and reduces fibromyalgia pain and stiffness. You can use a heating pad, hot water bottle, or warm towel to apply heat to the affected areas. Alternatively, you can take a warm bath or shower to help relax the muscles and relieve pain.
Toothaches in those with fibromyalgia aren't always due to typical dental issues such as cavities or gum disease. Instead, fibromyalgia can cause orofacial pain that is unrelated to these common dental problems1.
In general, TENS unit placement for fibromyalgia (example here) features two electrodes on either side of the spine just at the tops of the shoulder blades, with another two on either side of the lower back. This placement targets widespread nerve pain that is characteristic of fibromyalgia.
Barometric pressure changes with the weather, and low pressure often brings clouds, wind, and storms. When barometric pressure is low, air puts less pressure on your body. This allows your tissues to expand more than usual, sometimes squeezing nearby nerves.
Fibromyalgia tender points tend to be symmetrical in the body. They are located both above and below the waist around the neck, chest, shoulders, hips, and knees. The tender point should cause pain in that exact area when the doctor presses on it with enough force to turn their fingernail white.
Managing barometric pressure headaches
Take over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, as directed by your healthcare provider.
Several rheumatic diseases can mimic fibromyalgia. These include sero-negative rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Lyme disease, polymyalgia rheumatica and lupus. They have symptoms of widespread pain along with joint involvement. Most rheumatic diseases are treated with medication and physical therapy.
Although numerous studies have shown that fibromyalgia is not an autoimmune disease, research does show that this condition does weaken your immune system by causing various abnormalities and irregularities.
The identification of pathophysiological subgroups within fibromyalgia may be operationalized through PET imaging by quantifying distinct neurobiological domains. A glial-driven inflammatory endotype may be characterized by elevated TSPO expression in regions implicated in pain modulation and affective regulation.
We would recommend the following mattress firmness ratings for those with fibromyalgia: Soft-medium mattresses – these mattresses lean more towards the softer end of the scale to give you extra comfort but still have enough firmness to offer support where it's needed.
There are 18 tender points that exists as nine symmetrical pairs (left and right), located at the:
Remember that the temperature on airplanes can be colder so make sure you pack additional layers so the cold doesn't cause a flare up. 3. Allow Yourself Time To Sleep – Lack of sleep increases fibromyalgia fatigue, which will make it harder to enjoy your holiday.
For those with this symptom, relaxing sleep masks, calming noise machines, and soothing pillow sprays are all lovely and thoughtful gifts. Sometimes though, the best gift – is simply a gift of your time. Often those with fibromyalgia could use a bit of extra help.
Fibromyalgia is known to run in families, suggesting that genetic factors contribute to the risk of developing this disease.
While fibromyalgia isn't exclusively linked to childhood trauma, there is evidence suggesting a connection between childhood traumatic events (CTEs) and fibromyalgia. A small 2018 study found that CTEs were significantly more common among individuals living with fibromyalgia.