The memory and concentration problems frequently known as "fibro fog" or "brain fog" are common in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, and new research shows that they're also common in people with chronic spinal pain.
In the study, more than 17% of participants with pain said they had trouble with concentration, while just over 20% said they had problems remembering information. They did worse than healthy people in tests gauging memory, attention, mental flexibility and dealing with numbers and letters.
For those of us with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, I think this study is important because it shows that pain itself -- not just our unique forms of pain -- can impact cognitive function. More recognition by the medical community could lead to more research and treatments down the road, and more understanding in the short term.
We need all the understanding we can get when it comes to cognitive dysfunction. It's often not even a concern in drug trials, and yet it's one of our most common and disabling symptoms, right behind the pain and fatigue that define the conditions.
While my cognitive dysfunction wasn't evident until after fibromyalgia set in, I can look back and see the seeds growing during my last few "healthy" years. I've had scoliosis and chronic muscle pain since elementary school, so I have to wonder if that was to blame. I can also say that as my brain fog has cleared as my pain level has declined.
If you had chronic pain before fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, do you think it hurt your cognitive function? Do your pain and fog tend to go together? Leave your comments below!
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Good discussion topic. I’m 66 now and have dealt with chronic pain, off and on, since age 12. When I look back, I still have the same primary problem I had then. Numbers. The fibro fog did not start occurring until late 1989 when fibromyalgia hit with what felt like a semi-truck. Since then, the sleep disturbances (I wake on average 38 times an hour) have pretty well erased my cognitive abilities. How well I sleep = how well I can think. Last night was not bad. When the pain is to the point it is waking me at night, yes, it affects my thinking then. But, for me, it is the night-after-night lack of sleep.
In a recent book, THE TRUTH ABOUT FIBROMYALGIA, it is discussed that fog along with other central sensitization is likely caused by disruption in the deep sleep, preventing the limbic system from properly regulating pain. Slep disruption can lead to cognitive issues as well…a must read.
I noticed that my pain is always present when I feel more fatigued and the Fog and the pain increases as I push myself. So is like my pain and the fog is a signal for me to slow down.
I think the pain, brain fog, and sleep issues are interconnected. When I sleep well, there’s less pain and less fog. Duh!
I found my fog came in just a couple of months before my fibro first hit. I had moved to a new town for work some six months before, but obviously knew my way around after that time. Then I started driving past my house, first time was funny, three times in a month was getting really strange. I got lost twice on my way to work and didnt know where I was. By then I was getting concerned. I had pain in my feet at that time which was being treated by a podiatrist as tendontiis, I assumed as I had taken up salsa dancing. I can tell you the weekend my fibro hit, I man I was in love with told me he was leaving town and we were finished, it wasnt a short romance as such, it was very serious for me even though it hadnt been long. 2 days later I was in agony everywhere, a month later I was in hospital screaming at doctors as none of their tests found anything wrong with me. My memory started about six to 8 weeks before the main pain started, but possibly around the time my feet started hurting. I dont find my pain levels have anything to do with my fibro fog, the only difference being when Im hurting bad I dont really care if I remember or not. My fog is definitely as disabling and devastating as my pain if not worse. I also have psoriatic and osteo arthritis, but am very intelligent and was always in responsible management positions and now have trouble doing my own social security forms. I will never have a job that uses my intelligence (which is still there) which is sad seeing as the fibro and arthritis makes the body not capable of too much work wise.
I read an article recently on this site http://chronicfatigue.about.com/b/2010/11/17/study-cognitive-dysfunction-in-fibromyalgia.htm?nl=1 and I actually wrote and thanked the people doing the study, its worth reading it all if you havent yet.
Thank you. I have often said that my cognitive dysfunction is directly related to the amount of pain I am in at the time.
‘Brain fog’ occurs really from inception of ‘recognition’ of ailments such as ‘growing pains’, ‘low-tone’ muscular ability, ‘inability to focus’ on certain school subjects. Theyare all part and parcel of fibromyalgia, stress disorders, brain dysfunctions, cerebral spinal fluids’ inability to travel from cerebelum down spinal chord, with interruptions from the aminoacid chain within that CSF, disallowing brain recognition of anything but DISTRESS. As FM is hereditary, and attached to many other illnesses such as Ankeloding Spondolitis, RA, Lupus, SLE, MS, viruses that when we were little children were ingnored or treated eroniously with many anti biotics and no probiotics and supplementations and/homeopathy, the brain had no other means of ‘coping’ than becoming confused, off-balance, and leading to, in many, vertigo, even as little children or babies as we now know. Brain fog is assisted by GINKO BILOBO -WORLD’S BEST OXYGENATIOR, OMEGA 3, CO-ENZYME -Q-10,ALPHA LIPOIC ACID AND VINPOCETINE especially, along with L-THEANINE AND L-TAURINE. SHARON LEVIN http://fibromyalgiasa.co.za
I experience fibro fog atleast 1 month,its extremely hard on my husband because he has to stay up with me no matter what day of the week it is and wether he has to work or not that day.I seem to have it much more than my friend does who also has fibro.Mine had just start to begin when a HUGE amount of stress hit.then I was in a bad auto accident that could have killed me or my son had the driver not hit us dead center.This accident left me with 2 herniated discs and a much faster moving along with my fibro symptoms.That went from som pain and anxiety to extreme pain and horrible anxiety.I’m only 38 and most days feel 68.I
I have seen numerous doctors and had 2 sets of steroid injections already,with little to no help.I have had severe side effects from the last set of steroid inj.And have decided to take a break for a month from doctors and procedures to try to figure out what I’m willing to sacrifice or should surgery be the best option for the ruptured discs.And the start back to the firbro stuff.I’ve got too many doctors in the mix for my liking right now and all any of them do is change pills or give me inj. That increase the pain,that I
I am sick of tolerating.
Maybe this will be another push to recognizing “fibrofog” as a disabling element of fibromyalgia. Hopefully…
My son has CFS. It is very hard to watch him suffer with no help from Drs. I give him high doses of ViraStop about 90 capsules a week. After the die-off period, approx 3 months, he is ALOT better. Snowboarding, skateboarding and lots of friends. BUT when I lower the dose he starts to tire and lose his friends, not being able to keep up with them. He has never complained about any pain so I am beginning to think this virus? can travel to the brain and cause inflammation issues causing the brainfog. I usually give him liquid Tylenol which seems to help his brainfog as well as keeping him away from onions. Hope this helps someone.