Did you know that some fibromyalgia (FMS) pain may be caused by low blood flow to our muscles? The medical name for that is ischemia (ih-SKEE-mee-ah). We've had some limited evidence of ischemia in FMS for a few years, and it's an area that researchers are pursuing. Basically, muscles hurt and can't work right when they don't get enough blood and the oxygen it carries - think of how hard it is to walk after your foot has fallen asleep!
This is good news for several reasons: 1) ischemia is detectable by certain types of ultrasound, so it could lead to a diagnostic test; 2) even if it doesn't lead to a diagnostic test, it at least is easily obtainable, physical proof of pain; 3) ischemia is treatable by drugs, supplements and lifestyle changes that are already available.
Remember that this is preliminary research - if you go to your doctor next week and say, "Give me an ultrasound to check for muscle ischemia," you'll likely be disappointed. This is more of a long-term hope, as we need further research to confirm the findings. Similarly, it will likely be awhile before doctors are prescribing us medications for ischemia, called vasodilators.
Certain treatments, however, are available to you right now. To combat ischemia, you need to improve your circulation. We already know several supplements that promote heart health also help ease fibromyalgia symptoms, including:
Massage therapy also can improve blood flow, as can exercise. Appropriate levels of exercise are well proven to help alleviate FMS symptoms. The ischemia theory also explains why too much exercise is so hard on our bodies - muscles hurt more when they don't get enough oxygen during exertion.
Possible causes of FMS-related ischemia could be allergic hypersensitivity, toxins, stress, inflammation (from other conditions), or the fact that FMS involves nervous-system dysregulation.
What do you think? Does this sound like a viable theory? Have you had luck with some of the treatments mentioned above? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below!
Suggested Reading:
- 7 Types of Fibromyalgia Pain
- Supplements: Getting Started & Common Recommendations
- Exercise: How it Can Help Instead of Hurt
Photo © Bruce Laurance/Getty Images
I think this a very viable reason for people to experience the umbrella terms that come along with fibromyalgia. Of course this will not apply to everybody as many theories suggest that all of us have differing degrees of symptoms as well as different symptoms in general.My intensity as a twenty one year old who received mainly western treatment since I was seventeen years old leaves me to believe that mine may be able to be almost cured or at least alleviated by holistic means. It would be wonderful for there to be hope that treating this disease or illness with a combination of both practices would stem the growth of hope for people with this terribly difficult and invisible illness. It would also provide more proof for the skeptics about this being a purely psychological issue. I appreciate the research that is being conducted. I hope it continues to grow.
The ischemia theory makes sense; could also explain fibrofog. A potential cause of FMS related ischemia is a problem with vascular control (dilation/constriction). If this were the mechanism for the ischemia, it would also explain migraines.
Thanks for the new ideas. I appreciate your blog.
I had my first bout of FMS over 30 yrs. ago. They called it fibrocitis. I was a teen then and feel confident that all was well in the circulatory department. While this holds a bit of promise, I don’t feel it is the cause of FMS. Just one more condition to add to the list…I have full body ischemia now.
This definitely sounds like what I’m suffering more now after menopause. (was diagnosed in 1996) and now am almost 60.
Just got back from a lymphatic massage treatment. Maybe one of the many ways to treat this perplexing condition as we age.
As a CFIDS patient for more than 20 years, this piece struck me right away. It is now becoming clear that in CFIDS a large subgroup of symptoms are caused by a mitochondrial disorder. The process thru which various elements are passed in and out of the cell walls is greatly impaired. Anything in the blood cannot get into the cells in sufficient quantity: oxygen, nutrients, etc. Energy production is severely reduced. Also, cellular waste products cannot easily leave the cell leading to toxicity. This disorder affects all cells, but particularly muscle. The heart is a muscle. If cells in the gut do not get fed or cleaned properly, the gut will not digest food properly, hence IBS. If the body sensed that the cells are not getting enough blood(that’s what it would think), it may try to compensate by constricting blood vessels to increase blood pressure. The problem here is that increasing pressure by constriction actually reduces flow thereby making the situation worse. The key here may be relaxing the vessels and increasing blood volume. But, that pesky cellular transport issue improves not a whit by this. Somewhere is a way to interrupt the cycle, which may allow the body to reset the other issues.
Ischemia is what is probably Myofacial Pain Syndrome. That is why when I massage the painfull spots, I get a black and blue mark. It looks as if something hit me.
I would like you to know what my physical therapist and I finally “discovered.”
I have been going to this PT for years with painful, sore body. You could choose any part, and it is like American Express. It is there and I can’t leave home without it.
So we work on it. My neck is the worse.
And for years, they always applied STIM, which is electrical current (small amount) to stimulate muscles.
When they complained that I was back again, I told them that the main reason is STIM. Well! Guess what. There is a home unit which aproved by many insurance companies.
AND…my American Express, Ischemia, RLS, Myofacial Pain, is slowly going away. Each night, while relaxed I applied the four small electrodes to the part that is most painful and bothersome, and stimulate my muscles. About a week ago, when I went to PT we had a hard time finding MPS.
Now I have a bit of flare up, which is due to my thyroid and immune system (ALL IS CONNECTED)but nothing as it was before. The name is STIMCARE by company called EMPI.
Just remember that before you get better, you might feel a bit sore at first.
This blood and oxygen starved muscles do not like to relinquish their hold on our bodies.
But now we can fight back!
Ewa,
Thanks so much for this information! I know several people in my forum also use TENS units like you and have good luck with them.
I had STIM with PT for back problems before FMS (which I now know were from myofascial pain syndrome), and I know it felt wonderful! I have to wonder if I should look into it now . . . .
Makes sense: even my eyes are giving me pains; Lack of oxygen possibly
This theory makes lots of sense. It can explain potential much more then muscle pain. Oxygen is needed for brain and whole body function. When in pain, you’d feel fatigued and fibro fog more. The initial reasoning was the pain distracts you from other activity, however, with ischemia, it is possible to put single mechanism behind both – muscle pain and brain fog, fatigue and depression. What is also interesting and makes sense from this point of view – ischemia – all the methods of elevating symptoms are temporary – simply while you apply heat, move, walk, or even get upset, the adrenaline rush increases blood pressure which then increases blood flow, which can then decrease ischemia and pain. Once you stop, if you went too far, and more lactic acid accmulates, due to ischemia you cannot remove it efficiently. It is a circle.