The Connection Between Fibromyalgia and Endometriosis

The bad news is that for many women fibromyalgia and endometriosis seem to go hand in hand, which is very much like getting dealt a double unfair hand in life. While there are some suspected causes and risks, there are no known certain causes and risks which can make treating both difficult. It may be difficult to find treatment that will help relieve your symptoms, but it is not impossible.

What is fibromyalgia?

The real problem between understanding the connection between fibromyalgia and endometriosis is that we still don’t know what fibromyalgia really is. It is understood as a chronic and pervasive inflammatory pain disorder. It affects mostly the joints, neck, shoulders hips and so on, and is characterized by pain as a result of pressure being applied to those points.

There is a cluster of symptoms associated with fibromyalgia that range from sleep problems, brain fog, chronic pain, painful menstruation and stiffness. Doctors aren’t sure if those symptoms are a sign that you have fibromyalgia, or if they are caused by the pain and inflammation of fibromyalgia. A new study has documented that there is a specific area of the brain that changes during a fibromyalgia flare-up, but again, it is not known now whether the brain change is the cause or result of the disease.

Who is at risk?

There are a lot of theories of causes of fibromyalgia, but the exact cause is not known. What is known is that of the 80 to 90 million people with the disease, over 80 percent are women. Men can also get the disease, as can children. Onset can occur at any time in life, but generally not until 18 years of age or higher. A suspected gene link may exist, as one of the risk factors for fibromyalgia is the presence of another person within the nuclear or extended family with the disorder.

Those with arthritis and other inflammatory diseases are also considered to be at high risk, as are people who have suffered major impact trauma such as a car accident. While traditionally viewed as a woman’s disease, more men are being diagnosed with fibromyalgia as their gender specific cluster of symptoms is being more clearly identified.

What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis occurs when the endometrium, or tissue that lines the uterus, begins to grow on the outside of the uterus. This in itself is not painful, but during menstruation, the tissue swells and the resulting pressure on organs and stretching of ligaments in the area can be very painful. That swollen tissue can also lead to other issues in the pelvic region. Many women who suffer from endometriosis eventually stop having their periods, which causes an additional hormonal imbalance and does not lessen the periodic swelling of the endometrium growing outside of the uterus.

Who is at risk?

Women who have immune disorders, or who have had hysterectomies or cesarean births are considered to have a higher risk of developing endometriosis than other women. The disorder can develop in those without any of those conditions as well. The exact cause of endometriosis is not known, however it is understood that the migration of the endometrium cells outside of the uterus is how it begins. For most women, endometriosis will occur soon after the beginning of menarche, or within a few months of returning to menarche following surgery or cesarean birth.

What is the connection between fibromyalgia and endometriosis?

Both fibromyalgia and endometriosis share a common connection between being related to the menstrual cycle, and to immune disorders. It is not understood whether having one will predispose you to developing the other, but many women will suffer from both.

One of the complications of trying to find a good solution is that it isn’t as simple as having a hysterectomy, which is the most aggressive choice of treatment for endometriosis. You do have to do something as fibromyalgia can be debilitating and endometriosis can affect your ability to carry a child to term, as well as raise your risk for ovarian cancer significantly.

What can you do?

There is a surprising amount of things that you can do to begin to relieve the symptoms of both fibromyalgia and endometriosis. The first thing you have to do is talk to your doctor and get your pain under control. You can try different pain medications, and learn about what foods to avoid so you are then able to adopt other lifestyle changes such as increasing the amount of exercise that you do. Exercise is essential as it is the only way to power the lymph system which will then strengthen your immune system too.

Understanding the role of pain medication

While no medication works the same for every person, there are many medications that are recommended to relieve the symptoms of endometriosis and fibromyalgia. They work best when you have an understanding of their purpose. The purpose of pain and anti-inflammatory medication is not to completely rid you of the pain – but to lower the pain enough so that you can function well. The level of medication it would take to completely rid you of pain would most likely completely incapacitate you as well. The goal is to improve your quality of life by using pain medication to manage the pain so you can pursue other changes and treatments to make life better.

Surgery and alternative treatments

Surgery is most often recommended for endometriosis. It can be conservative or aggressive. If you are younger than 50, your doctor may suggest a partial hysterectomy that will leave your ovaries so that your hormone balance will be retained. That may not be advisable in all cases and a full hysterectomy with hormone replacement therapies may be suggested. You should also speak with an alternative medicine practitioner. Many women have found a great deal of relief from their symptoms through acupuncture, yoga and other alternative treatments too.

Making sure you get support

Always make sure you have support. If you have fibromyalgia and endometriosis you need people around you who understand what you are going through. One great idea is to get involved with a support group, become an awareness educator about the diseases, and to always make the effort to connect with a social life. Both of these disorders can be treated, and many women do return to enjoying life – you just have to be patient and willing to find what works for you.

Further reading:

What Is Fibromyalgia?: http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Fibromyalgia/fibromyalgia_ff.asp

Associated Fibromyalgia Syndrome Conditions: Endometriosis:

http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/fibromyalgia_endometriosis.html

Endometriosis: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/endometriosis/basics/definition/con-20013968