Please note that most links
presented, are off site links, save where noted.
There many things, we
with FM, as a group, have discovered, that are things to avoid doing, or
in some cases, eating or drinking. Mind you, most of theseare what is called
"anecdotal evidence", meaning, it is generally only we with FM, that is
saying so, but enough of us have found these things to be true for themselves,
so I present them here, take them as you will. We have said such things
often enough, that some have even been studied, and thus far, the studies
seem to equal our self reports.
I do not intend to harp, as most doctors
tend to, on your diet, (on site link)
and all that, as most research has found that to be pretty irrelevant,
unless you have a food allergy, just eat a sensible diet and let it go
at that. But, there are some things that many FMers, world wide, have made
note of, that tend to kick off a flare, as well as the "official" ones,
so here they are, some things to consider.
Aspartame:
This is the stuff found in most diet
drinks, and many other things that are artificially sweetened. It is bad
news, for anyone, Research
but is especially bad for FMers, for all the effects it creates, as it
acts like a neurotransmitter, and literally, by all accounts, destroys
neurons. Nearly everyone who makes note of it, says the same thing, in
that it can set off a flare, almost right now. A fast read of the research
on it, will tell you why this happens, so, lack of studies or not, we with
FM, know it's a problem for us, almost universally. So, if at all possible,
it is highly suggested, that you do not eat or drink anything with Aspartame
in it. This will mean quite a bit of label checking, as it's common additive.
MSG: monosodium
glutamate
Lots of people report that they flare
up after eating at their favorite Asian food restaurant. So make a point
to ask, that whatever they give you, has no MSG in it.
Artificial
fats:
Yet another group, that gets a large
finger pointed at it. There are a whole variety of these are on the market.
Why they cause a flare is unknown, ( it is assumed it is due to the chemicals
used in them ) but sufficient numbers of people report it, to merit being
including here.
Air-conditioning:
A movie theater, or restaurant, at
work, at home, will often bring on an acute flare. Your muscles get chilled,
and tense up, which sets up a viscous cycle of pain, causes tension, causes
pain. AC air is generally too cold and is damp to boot, many of us have
arthritis as a primary. And as any arthritis sufferer
can tell you, cold damp air, causes arthritic pain, which the FM, then
amplifies. So if you must be or choose to be in such a place, dress for
it. If you have any say over the settings, turn it up, the objective is
to make the room temperature comfortable, not cold.
Static positions:
Working in one place with arms suspended
above the work surface, ( typical office or computer set up here, the same
with most kitchens, factory or restaurant work etc. ) repetitive activities,
and remaining in one position for a long time, be it sitting, standing,
or driving. Move, vary it up, get up and walk, get out of the car, change
what your doing to another action, so a different muscle group is used
etc.
Over exertion:
The ever popular Push-Crash
on site link, it's such big a deal, it has its own page.
Over stimulation:
Too much of anything, light, noise,
smells, in short, sensory overload. This means, send someone else down
the detergent aisle to get the laundry soap, ban heavy chemicals ( most
household cleaners, fabric softeners, and air fresheners can be culprits
) and many perfumes ( natural perfumes don't seem to have this effect oddly
enough, ergo, it's likely a chemical reaction, to the artificial ingredients
the other perfume is made of, rather than an olfactory reaction to the
smell itself ). This includes things to eat or drink, like too much caffeine,
or sugar, the key word is, moderation in all things.
Lights, wear shades in the house till
your eyes adjust when you get up in the morning ( no, I am not kidding,
I just took to doing this recently, when I first get up, and it has cut
down on the morning headaches considerably ) Noise factors, inside your
own home, make some rules about it and make them stick. Outside the home,
wear ear plugs if need be. Call down the cops on the noisy neighbors, whatever
it takes.
Multi tasking:
Which is a sub set of over stimulation.
Trying to do too many things, at once. Do one thing at a time.
Weather changes:
Sensitivity to cold, damp, humidity,
heat, approaching storms (barometric pressure changes), temperature extremes,
and change of seasons. You cannot control nature, but you can realize you
are likely to flare more often, given these conditions, and take steps
to try and minimize the flare by backing off your activities.
Alcohol:
Many report flares due to drinking
even moderate amounts of alcohol. This is assumed to be due to the dehydration
that tends to occur when one consumes alcohol. If you opt to drink, be
certain to drink lots of normal fluids, at the same time.
Over-the-head
activity:
This can be over hand swimming, wall
painting, cleaning out the cupboards ... etc. In short, most anything that
puts your arms over your head repeatedly. If at all possible, avoid these
actions, entirely.
Untreated Physical
trauma:
Even "minor" injury, can create a flare,
so treat all injuries, even the little dings and cuts, promptly. This includes
treating bruising, which we tend to get often due the "drunken" walk many
FMers have, when the legs, knees and hips are not holding up, or getting
the brains message properly, and they make us bash into things.
Untreated Infections
and secondary illnesses:
Stands to reason if you come down with
a cold, flu, have a yeast infection, etc. You are going to flare, so treat
any secondary illness, seriously.
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