Is Fibromyalgia Messing with Your Nerves and Causing Numbness?
The condition of fibromyalgia, or fibro, is one that is characterized by symptoms such as fatigue, widespread pain, and even numbness/tingling.
For most individuals, a beautiful new morning brings with it plenty of energy to jump up and get going, right? This is not the case for those individuals who suffer from the condition of fibro.
The truth is that fibro sufferers barely have enough energy to crawl out of bed, much less jump up and get moving!
The truth is that when it comes to fibro, on some days, you will have all the energy you need and more.
However, on other days, even simply putting your feet on the floor brings with it excruciating pain and numbness.
You will notice that your feet are tingly and numb, your legs are stiff, your knees are throbbing and it takes all you have in you to simply make the walk from your bedroom to your kitchen.
Most of the time, when you have a restless night, you will wake up feeling as if you have just run a marathon.
Chances are that you are sleeping with pillows between your legs and under your feet to make sure that your legs are touching as little as possible, right?
When you have the problem of tingling and numbness, it is referred to as paresthesia and is typically seen in approximately 25 percent of individuals with the condition of fibromyalgia.
Causes of Paresthesia
Of course, there are several different theories as to what could be the cause for tingling and numbness in those individuals suffering from the condition of fibromyalgia.
One of the primary causes is muscle stiffness and spasms. These can cause numbness and tingling because the tense/stiff muscles are pressing on/irritating your nerves.
The result of this is a condition often referred to as restless leg syndrome and is characterized by deep bone pain and pins and needles feeling- this is often accompanied by a burning sensation and can be excruciating.
Muscle Spasm Coping Tips
There are some things that you can do to cope with the muscle spasms and therefore the tingling/numbness. These include gentle stretching and heat/ice.
In addition, making sure that you are getting adequate exercise can keep the muscles in your legs flexible and help to reduce any attacks of tingling/numbness in the future.
On the other hand, if the tingling/numbness is caused by sitting, standing, or even lying in a particular position for an extended period of time, try to make sure that you are changing positions on a regular basis.
You can also consider alternating various types of work/activities and always take breaks on a regular basis for moving/stretching to ease muscles.
Other Possible Causes for Numbness/Tingling & Fibro
Some of the other possible causes for numbness/tingling related to fibro, which is often overlooked, is vitamin deficiencies.
Individuals with the condition of fibro often have greater problems with absorbing essential minerals and vitamins.
You should speak with your physician about this being a possibility because the longer it goes on, the more likely you are to develop some nerve damage- which can end up leading to peripheral neuropathy- which will only compound your symptoms of fibro and other possible conditions.
If you are experiencing the symptoms of tingling/numbness, don’t ignore it- get help as soon as possible.
Fibro & Common Nutritional Deficiencies
The following are some of the most common nutritional deficiencies in individuals with the condition of fibro.
Vitamin B-12 deficiency: individuals with the condition of fibro typically have very low levels of B-12 in their blood. Some of the symptoms of low levels of B-12 include tingling/numbness, weakened immune system, and fatigue.
Some supplements that may help with this include lozenges, injections, and sublingual B-12. Vitamin or capsule forms of B-12 are not as good because they are typically flushed out through your digestive tract instead of absorbed into your blood.
Serotonin deficiency: serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is naturally produced by your body. When you have low serotonin levels, you will suffer from symptoms such as hypoglycemia, increased pain, low blood sugar, fatigue, and depression. Some of the symptoms of hypoglycemia include tingling/numbness.
Magnesium deficiency: another very common problem in individuals with the condition of fibro is magnesium deficiency. When there is a magnesium deficiency, individuals are not able to effectively relax their muscles and their body is not able to make energy.
Therefore, they suffer from symptoms of muscle spasms, fatigue, and pain- the spasms make them more likely to suffer from tingling/numbness.
So, as you can see, tingling and numbness are very common in those individuals with the condition of fibromyalgia.
However, there are lots of ways that you can effectively combat these and the other symptoms associated with fibro.
There are some small things you can do each day to make your life much more comfortable and easier- and to make it more doable to complete your daily activities.
Following is a list of some practical, helpful suggestions from others who suffer from fibro:
– When wearing shoes, make sure that they are comfortable with plenty of support and padding.
– If you must stand for long periods of time, purchase rubber mats for the areas that you will be standing.
– Find a foot bath that you can use to soak your feet in when you have had a long day.
– Never use your pain as an excuse to avoid exercising. You must always do whatever you can to keep things that are not hurting moving as much as possible.
Do what you can to stay as active as possible. By pushing through, you will find a healthier state- and be able to do more and more.
In addition, if you do have a day that is not as good as the others in pointing you to a healthier lifestyle, don’t beat yourself up- allow yourself to make mistakes and then get up and start over.
