Does Fibromyalgia Progressively Get Worse?|Preventing Fibromyalgia from Worsening?

Time and again, there have been various notions and arguments presented on the subject of fibromyalgia being a progressive disorder or not. Though this is a much-debated topic, yet opinions from researchers, medical experts and neurologists around the world state that fibromyalgia does get worse with time in some cases with all the pain inducing symptoms.

While the causes of this neurological disorder are ambiguous, it definitely poses a threat before the doctors to align the mode of treatment. Generally, not being a progressive disease, fibromyalgia is a condition that does not have a very predictable course of development.

Understanding Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a rare disease that tends to cause very unlikely symptoms. While Fibromyalgia is not considered a progressive illness, it can worsen in some patients. Flare-ups are common and symptoms of Fibromyalgia, such as hair loss, fatigue, depression, can take a toll over person’s physical and mental health. In some cases, the treatments do help in reducing the intensity of flare-ups of Fibromyalgia, while in others, they can become less and further in frequency. There are scenarios where patients do reach a point saying that they have their fibromyalgia cured. The correct medical term here is remission. Fibromyalgia can recur with symptoms recurring in patients who were totally symptom free for a particular period of time.

Does Fibromyalgia Progressively Get Worse?

Does Fibromyalgia Progressively Get Worse? What Makes Fibromyalgia Get Worse With Time?

Coming back to where we started from, whether fibromyalgia is a progressive disorder or not. Medical world does not classify fibromyalgia as a progressive disorder, but the recurring symptoms and their continued appearance gives a feeling that fibromyalgia is a progressive disease with its symptoms getting worse over time, at least in some patients. Not following a proper diet, leading a sedentary life, poor sleeping habits all this contributes to progression or worsening of fibromyalgia. Emotional health can also suffer tremendously during fibromyalgia. While those regular pangs of anxiety are common, it can change to depression over time if nothing is done about it. Getting proper sleep, exercising daily and indulging in a balanced diet are vital to make you feel better and help in recovery from fibromyalgia and to prevent it from progressing.

While your body might not be deteriorating completely, in general, your quality of life on a daily basis gets affected due to fibromyalgia. With flare-ups of fibromyalgia coming and going, you will definitely feel helpless in doing daily tasks and you feel like giving up very often. With the Fibromyalgia symptoms changing every day, limitations are bound to come in your life, but, instead of feeling gloomy and bleak, one should adopt a positive approach and follow the below mentioned coping strategies to limit the severity of fibromyalgia symptoms.

Preventing Fibromyalgia from Worsening

Keeping Track of Your Flare-Ups

It is vital to understand what your body says and how it responds while suffering from fibromyalgia. While, you can adhere to the medications, what you need to be doing is making yourself mentally strong and resilient. Giving up during those flares will weaken your morale, aggravating stress thereby worsening the symptoms of fibromyalgia. To be able to track down your condition, make a daily chart and note down your flares. Though, the process might seem irrelevant, over time you will realise that this habit will give you a better clarity in predicting when your flares-up occur in advance and you will be prepared to take care of yourself during the flares and will also understand how to avoid the flares of fibromyalgia.

Keeping Active

Staying active will help you deal with fibromyalgia better; however, you should not push yourself. Going beyond a threshold limit will only amplify the intensity of your fibromyalgia flares and does more harm than good. Realising your condition at that moment and being flexible is needed for managing fibromyalgia. Mild exercises done on a regular basis will help in preventing progression of fibromyalgia.

Dietary Changes

No matter how devastating those flares might turn out to be, following a good diet regime and a healthy lifestyle will help you combat Fibromyalgia better. This will keep your energy channelized and will help in improving; while avoiding new problems of Fibromyalgia from cropping up.

Proper Sleep

Getting proper sleep will help to cope up with the fatigue and lethargy that comes with fibromyalgia. While 7 to 8 hours of restorative sleep definitely helps with fibromyalgia, make sure you stick to timely routine with all the activities to adjust your body clock. In case, you find difficulty sleeping, report it to your doctor and seek treatment.

Breaking Down Fibromyalgia Progression

Dealing with progressive symptoms of fibromyalgia is challenging, but a consistent routine and right approach would help you face this infirmity with a stronger determination. Indulge in some or the other activity that makes you forget about fibromyalgia, no matter how small it might seem. Whether it is playing out in a park in the open or watching a movie with friends, just go out and keep yourself busy and active. Some form of mild physical activity will also help in assessing your condition. Whatever you do, make sure you do not get hard on yourself as that would worsen the fibromyalgia.

Will Fibromyalgia Improve Over Time?

Being a chronic condition, fibromyalgia is not only recursive, but also has its affect that could last over a lifetime. However, the good news is that it is considered non-progressive in nature and not life threatening; however, the symptoms of fibromyalgia can worsen overtime in some patients. With the right treatment and receptive lifestyle changes, fibromyalgia can improve and get less severe in intensity.

Conclusion on Progressive Nature of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is not usually considered a progressive illness; however, there is worsening of this condition in some patients. The course of Fibromyalgia is very unpredictable with patient going through flares and remissions. Extensive research is being carried out to determine the possible causes of fibromyalgia and to figure out a treatment that could control the progressive nature of symptoms. Many things are being studied to find answers regarding what causes so much pain in fibromyalgia, which type of exercises can help in providing relief and what kinds of medications would help in early recovery from fibromyalgia.

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Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:March 13, 2018

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