What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a condition where pain spreads across the body. When pain stays too long after triggering events, the brain accepts this as normal and does not change. Events such as surgery, injuries and emotional trauma can create a snowball effect. This changes how a person thinks about pain. Normal sensations such as a brush across the palm of the hand can become painful. Fatigue, memory loss and difficulty sleeping are coupling symptoms of fibromyalgia.

How to diagnose Fibromyalgia?

Despite the pain, diagnostic testing proves no changes in the muscles or tissues, except for the brain. Functional MRI shows their brains light up 2–3x more than controls when given the same mild stimulus. The pain signal from the spinal cord to the brain is malfunctioning.

How movement is medicine?

Though patients are in constant pain, the only proven way forward is to move. New stimuli like blood flow and motion overpower pain. Guided physiotherapy and Pilates rebuild confidence in movement and retrain how the body interprets pain. Fibromyalgia cannot set your default when you’re walking outside, lifting weights or balancing on one foot. Start moving, and watch how you forget the pain was ever there.