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Fibromyalgia often seems to come with skin conditions. Part of that is that there seems to be a link between fibromyalgia and autoimmune conditions, which often result in skin issues. And part of it is that fibromyalgia sufferers tend to develop unrelated skin conditions for reasons we don’t quite understand. For example, let’s look at erythroderma.
Erythroderma is a skin condition that causes the skin to peel off in layers and is often intensely itchy. So let’s talk about what it is, how it’s related to fibromyalgia, and what you can do to treat it.
What Is Erythroderma?
Erythroderma is fairly rare. But it’s more common in people who already have an existing skin condition like psoriasis. Essentially, erythroderma is an inflammation of the lining of the skin. But we don’t know exactly what causes it. Some forms of the condition may be caused by certain drugs, and it’s possible that there is an autoimmune component in some cases.
The symptoms are generally very noticeable. In fact, the condition is sometimes called “red man syndrome” due to the fact that it causes the skin to take on a reddish color which is quite visible. In most cases, the condition can affect most of the skin’s surface.
The skin is usually warm to the touch and itchy. But scratching the skin leads to the formation of large scaly patches. These patches begin to flake or peel off over time. And when the scaling develops on the scalp, it can lead to bald patches as the hair falls away with the skin.
In addition, there are other symptoms like the palms of the hands becoming yellowish and thick. And the nails might become ridged and eventually shed off.
Finally, the skin may ooze a sort of fluid that is often foul smelling.
How Is It Related To Fibromyalgia?
We know that people with fibromyalgia tend to suffer from autoimmune conditions at a larger rate than the general population. For a long time, doctors thought this might suggest that fibromyalgia itself was an autoimmune condition. But there are a few reasons to think that this isn’t the case.
People with autoimmune conditions typically have an elevated level of antibodies in the blood. These antibodies attack the skin, which is the cause of conditions like lupus as your skin cells multiply rapidly in response to the inflammation.
And this inflammation is also noticeably absent in people with fibromyalgia. While it may feel like fibromyalgia is damaging your muscles, the truth is that it doesn’t cause damage to the actual tissue.
So while fibromyalgia probably isn’t an autoimmune condition, it does seem to lead to people developing autoimmune skin conditions like lupus. The answer for that could be that the stress of the condition actually makes you more prone to autoimmune disease. And the stress could also explain why people with fibromyalgia tend to suffer from other skin conditions as well.
But at the moment, we really don’t know enough about erythroderma to be able to tell if it’s actually related to fibromyalgia or not. We will have to wait for more research on the subject.
Either way, the problem with finding a way to handle erythroderma is that there isn’t a good way to treat it.
How Can You Treat It?
Treating erythroderma is difficult because we don’t understand what causes it. In cases where we can identify the cause, like when it’s caused by a certain drug, it’s often possible to treat the condition by simply discontinuing the use of that drug.
But many cases are idiopathic, which means that we don’t know what causes it. In those cases, all doctors can really do is treat the symptoms and complications.
Generally, doctors suggest staying hydrated and keeping your skin moisturized. The damage to the skin can sometimes allow your body heat to escape, which can occasionally lead to hypothermia. In these cases, you will likely need to be hospitalized. In addition, the loss of moisture through the skin can throw off the balance of your electrolytes, which can be dangerous as well.
In cases where the condition becomes dangerous, doctors usually try to keep the patient’s temperature and moisture levels stabilized and prescribe antibiotics to help prevent skin infections, which are always a risk when the skin is damaged.
On a daily level, managing the condition consists of practicing good skin care and finding a way to avoid scratching. Antihistamines might help reduce severe itching and are a good way to avoid scratching and damaging your skin.
So, let us know, do you have erythroderma? Do you think it could be related to fibromyalgia? Let us know in the comments.
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