Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic illness that affects over six million people in the US.  Fibromyalgia is characterized by continuous pain throughout the entire body and constant fatigue – similar to severe flu symptoms.  However, with fibromyalgia, your physician will likely complete a physical without finding anything wrong with you!  Women are more prone to fibromyalgia than men, and it is a condition that can be treated, but not cured.  Fibromyalgia is not a life-threatening condition, however, and can be managed with various forms of home treatments.

Many people with fibromyalgia experience pain in their feet, but many physicians do not feel this pain is part of the actual symptomology of fibromyalgia.  Fibromyalgia is a condition that tends to show itself through pain in muscles and softer tissues, and not in joints or bones.  Foot pain is more consistent with arthritis than with fibromyalgia, though it is, of course, possible to be experiencing symptoms of both conditions.

Physicians and experts have conducted studies that show a possible link between fibromyalgia and other conditions, which may also cause foot pain.  One of those conditions is plantar fasciitis.  Plantar fasciitis is a condition that causes irritation and swelling of tissues within the foot and heel.  The pain generated by plantar fasciitis can be quite intense, and can be even more intense for a person who is already experiencing the pain of fibromyalgia in general.  There are many treatments for plantar fasciitis, however, that can lessen the suffering of any individual who is experiencing these symptoms, whether or not they have fibromyalgia.  These treatments include physical therapy, shoe supports, wearing special splints at night, and surgery.

Another condition which causes foot pain and is also common in people suffering from fibromyalgia is Morton’s Neuroma.  This is a condition that involves a tissue growth on the nerves which run from the toes up into the foot.  Morton’s Neuroma is benign, but can be painful.  Walking will cause the bones and harder structures of the foot to press and rub on the tissue growth, causing inflammation and pressure.  Treatment for Morton’s Neuroma can include special shoes and shoe inserts, injections, and minor surgery.

In addition to treating the painful foot conditions that can sometimes be associated with fibromyalgia, there are also ways to treat fibromyalgia itself.  There is not a cure for this condition, but the symptoms can be managed and treated within the home. 
One of the most important things for any fibromyalgia patient to do is to get plenty of low-impact exercise.  This is very important in treated any condition which causes muscle pain, as muscles which are regularly in use are less likely to be painful.  The recommended types of exercises for fibromyalgia patients include swimming, water activities, walking, and bike riding.  High impact sports and any exercise that may strain the muscles is not recommended.  On reason it is important to treat conditions in the feet that may be associated with fibromyalgia is to keep mobility up.  If an individual is experiencing severe foot pain, then they are less likely to exercise regularly, which will lead to degeneration of their muscles and an increase in their painful fibromyalgia symptoms.

In addition to this low-impact exercise, fibromyalgia patients also treat their condition with heat, aspirin or another over the counter pain reliever, massage, and stretching.  Treatments prescribed by physicians can also include prescription medications, acupuncture, injections of steroids, medical massage, and certain types of supplements.

While fibromyalgia does not have a cure, it is still important that you see your physician if you think you may be suffering from this condition.  It is also important to let your physician know if you are experiencing particular pain in your feet, because this could indicate a separate problem, and one that could be treated and cured.

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