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One of the symptoms that fibromyalgia sufferers find the hardest to deal with is fibro itching. Many people say that the itching fibromyalgia can cause is actually worse than the pain. They often feel an itch that no amount of scratching can relieve. And that can make getting sleep even more difficult than usual for fibromyalgia patients. And the constant itch can significantly reduce their overall quality of life.
Unfortunately, there aren’t that many effective treatments for fibro itching. And finding a way to soothe the itch is difficult and frustrating. One of the medications many turn to is benzodiazepines. Drugs like Xanax and valium can offer a temporary feeling of relief from the itching due to their general suppressive effect on the central nervous system.
But what exactly is fibromyalgia itching? And are benzodiazepines an effective treatment?
What Is Fibromyalgia Itching?
Fibromyalgia itching is an itching feeling that often accompanies fibromyalgia. People who suffer from it often get the feeling that bugs are crawling on their skin, or they simply feel itchy on much of their body.
No one knows exactly how it works, but the best guess right now is that the itching is the result of nerve signals being hyper-sensitized. Most of the time, your nerves sends signals to your brain to tell it that the skin is irritated, which causes the itching feeling. But in fibromyalgia, these signals are sent without any irritation on the skin.
In many people with neurological disorders, this kind of itching is very common. So it seems likely that itching with fibromyalgia is caused by itching signals being sent to the brain by mistake.
What Are Benzodiazepines?
Benzodiazepines are a class of drug that works by suppressing the central nervous system. They make people who take them feel more relaxed and so are effective anti-anxiety drugs. Benzodiazepines include drugs like valium or Xanax. They are typically used for treating insomnia and anxiety.
The feeling of euphoria they produce and their role as depressants make them effective for preventing panic attacks, but also make them a commonly abused drug. Which is something you should be cognizant of when you’re taking benzodiazepines for any reason. People who are predisposed to abuse drugs probably want to stay away from taking benzodiazepines due to the risk of dependence.
And a risk of being dependent on psychoactive drugs is something that might reduce your quality of life even more than it already is as a result of your constant itching and fibromyalgia pain. So you should be careful when turning to benzodiazepenes as a solution to your chronic itching.
Are Benzodiazepines Effective For Treating Fibro Itching?
Because benzodiazepines affect the way the central nervous system works, there is hope that they might relax the overactive nervous system that transmits itching signals to the brain.
In theory, this seems like it should work. If fibro itching is caused by over-active neurotransmitters, then a drug that suppresses the nervous system would help stop the itching feeling.
But the fact is that there are few studies of the role these drugs can play in treating neurologically based chronic itching. And there have been few or no studies on how well they work specifically for fibroitching.
Benzodiazepines might offer momentary relief from itching due to the fact that the cause a general sensation of numbness across the body. This is part of the basic way that benzodiazepines work. But they won’t treat the underlying condition that causes the itching. And they will also wear off quickly.
As it stands, there is just not enough information to recommend benzodiazepines as an effective treatment. And furthermore, these drugs often have side effects that can be dangerous. There is a high risk of dependency, and the drugs themselves often cause dizziness or nausea as well as putting the people who take them in a kind of mental haze.
So it seems like benzodiazepines are not the best treatment. Especially when there is another class of drugs which is effective.
Can Anticonvulsants Help With Fibro Itching?
On the other hand, drugs that prevent seizures, anticonvulsants, are effective in treating fibro itching. And doctors prescribe many of them to help with symptoms. Gabapentin is one of the more common drugs, for instance.
Doctors have suggested that the itching from fibromyalgia is actually the result of overactive nerve signals in the brain. Anticonvulsants drugs are designed to stop the reactions between nerves in your brain. In people with seizures, the rapid firing of nerves in the brain creates convulsions. So drugs like Gabapentin slow down those nerve reactions.
And because the itching associated with fibromyalgia is probably the result of overactive nerve signals in the brain, anticonvulsant drugs can help treat it effectively. Dr. Gil Yosopovitch, who runs the dermatology department at Temple University, uses drugs like Gabapentin and finds that they are effective for helping patients.
In addition, he prescribes Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s) to help with itching. Many drugs that are usually prescribed for treating pain from fibromyalgia like Savella and Cymbalta are already SSRI’s.
Dr. Yosopovitch prescribes these drugs along with Gabapentin to treat chronic itching. The SSRI’s interact with the anticonvulsants to make them even more effective. Both types of drugs work by limiting the interactions of chemicals and nerves in your brain, which can help treat the chronic itching sometimes caused by fibromyalgia.
This type of drug also carries side effects and risks, but when taken responsibly are effective for treating fibromyalgia itching.
Ultimately, only you know what works for your symptoms and should discuss any options with your doctor. But some drugs certainly seem more effective than others. Benzodiazepines especially are unlikely to be a good solution to dealing with chronic itching caused by fibromyalgia. While they would likely give you a temporary sense of relief, they wouldn’t be an effective way to manage long term itching.
So let us know, do you have a lot of itching with your fibromyalgia? What works for you? Tell us in the comments.
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