Fibromyalgia is known for making people feel crippling and widespread pain all over the body. Fibromyalgia triggers can vary from person to person. The same goes for the symptoms you usually know about or what healthcare providers tell you. The usual symptoms are:
- Widespread pain
- Heightened pain sensitivity
- Stiffness
- Fatigue
- Sleeping problems
- Cognitive problems
- Headaches
- Irritable bowel syndrome
Some people also experience:
- Dizziness and clumsiness
- Unable to regulate body temperature properly
- Restless leg syndrome
- Paresthesia
- Painful periods in women
- Anxiety
- Depression
But besides these known symptoms, there are less talked about effects of fibromyalgia that many people experience, such as skin sensitivities that bring rashes, itching, and skin pain. These are not usually mentioned when looking for fibromyalgia symptoms, but they are by no means non-occurring. So let us tell you more about these less talked about symptoms. It always helps to know a thing or two about these, especially if you or a loved one is living with fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia Rash and Itching
About 2% of the adult population is affected by fibromyalgia; about 4 million adults in the US alone. Apart from the common signs of fibromyalgia, some patients have highlighted skin sensitivities as a symptom, and experts have noticed that this has been common among fibromyalgia patients.
Severe itching without rashes or other known causes is less common among fibromyalgia patients. However, there are different reasons why rashes, itching, and skin sensitivity may happen, and we’ve listed the three most common reasons.
Chemical imbalance
Particularly a chemical imbalance in the brain. Scratching an itch prompts your brain to release serotonin which helps stop the pain or reduce the sensation. However, scratching tends to make the itching worse. Your body craves the release of serotonin, creating a vicious cycle of itching and scratching, leading to worse skin pain linked to fibromyalgia.
Medication side effects
Fibromyalgia sometimes requires medications to manage the pain and other symptoms, but it’s not always a perfect match. Medications can sometimes require a trial and error due to the side effects. For example, one common side effect of medications for fibromyalgia is skin rashes. Sometimes over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen bring out rashes or itching as side effects.
Central nervous system issues
Fibromyalgia patients can sometimes experience pain, itching, or burning sensations without an apparent cause. This is believed to be linked to problems in the central nervous system. The brain can develop a memory of pain and itching feeling, which lingers even if it should no longer be present.
Common Fibromyalgia Triggers
You may find it helpful to know what’s causing your symptoms to flare up, often called your fibromyalgia triggers, to effectively manage your fibromyalgia symptoms, including itching and rashes. Just like the symptoms, they vary from person to person, which include:
Dietary changes
Some food changes and food groups can influence your fibromyalgia symptoms, including processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and sugary foods.
Hormonal changes
Most fibromyalgia patients are women, and hormone level fluctuation may influence fibromyalgia, particularly estrogen. These hormones can affect a woman’s pain processing and sensitivity and have a high potential to influence fibromyalgia symptoms.
Sleeping problems
Can be both a symptom and a trigger. Unhealthy sleeping habits and disturbances can create a vicious cycle of pain and poor sleep quality.
Weather changes
Sometimes, people experience pain symptoms worsening during cold weather or when there is a temperature change.
Stress
Both physical and psychological stress can trigger fibromyalgia. Some patients anticipate their symptoms to flare up following a stressful event.
Lack of exercise
Due to widespread pain brought by fibromyalgia, people living with this condition may fear moving too much, but this can exacerbate symptoms because it can lead to deconditioning of the muscles, which can make any movement a lot worse eventually.
You can manage some of these fibromyalgia triggers by adjusting your lifestyle and response.
Manage Your Fibromyalgia Symptoms, Including Itching and Rashes
While it’s not top of mind, fibromyalgia can be triggered by an upper cervical misalignment. When your upper cervical bones shift out of their proper alignment, it can bring excessive pressure and stress on your brainstem, eventually affecting your central nervous system. This is due to your brain’s distorted messages, which travel through the brainstem.
Limited blood flow to the brain and improper cerebrospinal fluid drainage may also occur. All these incidents can influence the onset of fibromyalgia symptoms.
An effective way to correct the misalignment is through Upper Cervical Chiropractic care. This natural, non-invasive, and generally safe form of care relieves patients dealing with fibromyalgia and other health conditions.
Correcting the alignment of your upper cervical spine relieves the pressure on your brainstem; therefore, communication and blood flow can eventually return to normal, and symptoms may disappear, including itching and rashes.
To make sure you get proper Upper Cervical Chiropractic care, only consult with trusted and experienced Upper Cervical Chiropractic doctors. To find a reputable one near you, check out this doctors directory. You can be one call away from stopping the development of rashes and itching; time to put a stop to your pain and discomfort. So call an upper cervical chiropractic doctor today!
to schedule a consultation today.