Fibromyalgia is a chronic (long-term) disorder defined by pain and tenderness throughout your body, accompanied by fatigue, “brain fog” (difficulties with thinking and memory), and trouble sleeping.
Fibromyalgia is essentially “a human energy crisis,” explains Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, the author of From Fatigued to Fantastic. “It can be triggered by anything that causes a severe drop in energy: chronic stress, hormonal imbalances, poor nutrition, poor sleep. Your body then goes into a defensive mode to prevent you from burning out entirely.”
Fibromyalgia is not a progressive disease — it won’t necessarily worsen with time. Dr. Teitelbaum notes that making good lifestyle choices can go a long way toward managing the symptoms.
Aging With Fibromyalgia
Although it’s not a progressive disease, your experience with fibromyalgia symptoms may change over time. “Fibromyalgia can resolve completely within the first year or two, but if that doesn’t happen, it tends to worsen for several years and then stabilize,” says Teitelbaum.
Comorbidities and coexisting conditions are other major factors that can influence one’s experience of fibromyalgia.
“Addressing coexisting disorders and their symptoms can help improve the symptoms that patients experience with fibromyalgia,” Dr. Chu says. “These include, but aren’t limited to, depression, anxiety, stress, pain catastrophizing, and sleep disorders.”
Common Fibromyalgia Symptoms
Some of the most common symptoms of fibromyalgia include:
- Chronic pain
- Fatigue
- Cognitive difficulties (often called “fibro fog”)
- Sleep disturbances
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Headaches
- Sensitivity to light and sound
Managing Fibromyalgia Symptoms as You Age
Teitelbaum emphasizes the importance of proactively managing fibromyalgia, primarily by addressing lifestyle factors. “Fibromyalgia is very treatable by doing things that can restore energy — eating a good diet, exercising in moderation, and so on,” he says. “Numerous treatments are helpful as adjuncts to making good lifestyle choices, but addressing the energy problems will have the most impact.”
Medications and Adjustments for Elderly Patients
For pain relief, Teitelbaum recommends acetaminophen (Tylenol) for short-term use, as well as topical treatments like Icy Hot and Tiger Balm.
Your healthcare provider might prescribe medications that are specifically approved for fibromyalgia, particularly duloxetine (Cymbalta) or milnacipran (Savella), which are both antidepressants in the category of serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, or SNRIs.
An anticonvulsant known as pregabalin (Lyrica) is also approved to help with pain and sleep issues in fibromyalgia.
Teitelbaum cautions that fibromyalgia can result in heightened sensitivity to medication, and he recommends switching to a lower dose if a medication is producing unpleasant side effects, particularly for elderly people.
“Low energy includes low metabolism, which means you become more sensitive to medications with fibromyalgia,” he says. “That’s especially true as you get older, because your metabolism naturally slows down anyway.”
Physical Therapy and Exercise
To counteract that tightness, try gentle modes of exercise, such as yoga, tai chi, walking, or swimming — particularly in warm water, if you can. But be careful not to overdo it.
“Without exercise, you’ll lose mobility and flexibility, but if you push yourself too hard, you’ll crash and burn,” warns Teitelbaum. “So only do what is comfortable.”
If you have trouble stretching a particular muscle, Teitelbaum recommends using a heating pad on a low setting to warm up the muscle for 10 to 15 minutes and trying again.
Diet and Nutrition
Managing your diet can have a big impact on your symptoms. Cut out sugar and processed foods as much as you can.
Aim for a high-protein, low-carb diet, and incorporate oily fish and grass-fed beef, which has anti-inflammatory properties compared with corn-fed beef. Drink plenty of water.
Mental Health and Cognitive Exercises
Last but not least, look for ways to improve your mental and cognitive health. Do things that you find enjoyable and stimulating and that take you outside of yourself. Learn a new language or take up a new hobby, for example.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be a powerful tool for coping with fibromyalgia by changing your thoughts and transforming your experiences around your symptoms.
Social support is another important factor. Spend time with people who lift you up and who understand what it means for you to live with fibromyalgia. “It’s important to have the support of people who realize that if you break plans repeatedly, it’s not because you don’t care, but because flares can be unpredictable,” says Teitelbaum.
The Takeaway
Fibromyalgia is not a progressive disease, but your experience of symptoms can fluctuate with time based on many factors.
It’s important to proactively manage symptoms — especially by addressing lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, sleep, mental health, and social support — to alleviate your symptoms and prevent flares.
It’s also important to find medical professionals who have experience with fibromyalgia and who take it seriously. “On average, people see eight physicians before they find one that can diagnose and understands fibromyalgia,” Teitelbaum says. He recommends visiting the website for the Institute for Functional Medicine to find a physician who can help you develop a holistic, individualized care and treatment plan.
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