Fibromyalgia
Acupuncture Awareness Week: 3rd – 7th March 2014
Today heralds the first day of Acupuncture Awareness Week and the chance to get better informed about the ancient practice of traditional acupuncture. With 2.3 million acupuncture treatments carried out each year, acupuncture is one of the most popular complementary therapies practised in the UK today. But many people only discover acupuncture as a last resort despite its widely recognised health benefits. Continue reading
Poor sleep increases pain in later life
Low quality sleep increases risk of widespread pain later in life says a UK study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
And anxiety, memory impairment and poor physical health among older adults may increase the risk of developing widespread pain too. Continue reading
Fibromyalgia and skin problems – new study
A study that looked at skin problems in people with fibromyalgia has found that no single diagnosis is over-represented, other than an increase in sweating.
Data from a group of 885 people with fibromyalgia from a tertiary referral centre was analysed. Problems identified included hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) in 270 (32%), burning sensation of the skin or mucous membranes in 29 (3.4%) and various unusual cutaneous sensations in 14 (1.7%). Pruritus without identified cause was noted by 28 patients (3.3%), with another 16 people (1.9%) reporting neurotic excoriations, prurigo nodules or lichen simplex chronicus. Some form of dermatitis other than neurodermatitis was found in 77 patients (9.1%). Continue reading
Metal allergy and fibromyalgia: small study has interesting results
Metal allergy is frequent in people with fibromyalgia, says a small study published in Neuro Endocrinology Letters.
A total of 15 women with fibromyalgia were tested for metal allergy and compared to 10 healthy age-matched women. All of the women with fibromyalgia were found to be allergic to at least one of the metals tested. The most frequent reactions were to nickel, followed by inorganic mercury, cadmium and lead. Some healthy women were allergic to inorganic mercury but most of the tests were negative. Continue reading
Vitamin D could reduce fibromyalgia pain
People with fibromyalgia may benefit from less pain through the use of vitamin D supplements, says a small study published in Pain.
Experts assessed 30 women with fibromyalgia who had low levels of calcifediol, a prehormone produced in the liver. Measuring calcifediol is a standard way of showing a person’s vitamin D status. Because low levels of calcifediol are common in people with fibromyalgia and severe pain, the team wanted to see if increasing the levels of calcifediol would help to alleviate pain. Continue reading
