If I had to choose between the fibro fog and fibro pain….I’d definitely take the fog. But still, it can be absurdly debilitating. God forbid if you’re trying to hold down a job at the same time. Although, others have the exact opposite response: “I can deal with the pain, but the memory and thinking problems terrify me.” Well then, just what is this fog associated with fibromyalgia? Speaking in terms of cognition, the Mayo Clinic addresses it rather simplistically: forgetfulness or lack of concentration. That doesn’t sound all that bad, right? Like, maybe it’s just a case of being tired and not thinking clearly or a sign of aging. Wrong! It’s much more than that.
Fibro Fog is Super Serious Business
Even though fibromyalgia patients differ in severity when it comes to fibro fog, it can still be very debilitating. We’re talking about short and long-term memory failure, confusion, struggling to find even basic words for sentence structure, and problems with attention. Now it’s starting to sound more like Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia, isn’t it? It’s not, but hopefully you can better understand how scary it can be to experience these symptoms long before you’re old enough for dementia to begin.
Still not convinced? Consider this: the National Fibromyalgia and Pain Association says, “the cognitive performance of FM patients was equivalent to that of adults who were twenty years older than the FM patients on several of our tests. Moreover, the FM performance and that of the older adults was worse when compared to control subjects the same age, gender, and education level as the FM patients.”
9 Ways to Combat Fibro Fog
So, what can you do to beat fibro fog? Is that even possible? The following treatment or therapy options work for many fibromyalgia patients. Everyone is different and these may work to varying degrees. In fact, you may find that you need to try a combination of these before you finally get where you want to be.
1. Do mental exercises
The idea here is to keep the blood flowing in your brain, so try crossword puzzles and brain teasers as well as games that involve moderate or complex strategy.
2. Avoid caffeine as much as possible
See, you think it’s helping, but it actually makes things worse. First, it’s a stimulant and that means that when it wears off, you crash. Second, it’s hard enough to get good sleep with fibromyalgia as it is. But throw in caffeine and you’re setting yourself up for failure. It can stay in your system for far longer than you think.
3. Get a little bit exercise
You can roll your eyes at me all you want, but like it or not, exercise improves memory, making exercise one of the best ways to combat fibro fog. And in addition to improving your cardiovascular system in general, exercise can also help with anxiety, stress, and depression. All three of those symptoms inhibit cognition, so working to minimize them will only help to lift your fibro fog.
4. Take a vitamin D supplement
Did you know that nearly every cell in your body has Vitamin D receptors? That means it’s absolutely necessary. And since Vitamin D deficiencies are linked to conditions like autoimmune diseases, as is suspected of fibromyalgia, and mood disorders like depression, then taking this supplement should be a no-brainer for a fibro patient.
5. Establish a routine
The more you invest in developing habits, the more your brain is freed to think clearly. That applies whether you have fibromyalgia or not. But it’s especially important for mitigating fibro fog.
6. Practice yoga, tai chi, and/or meditate
These practices help remove the triggers of fibro fog, such as anxiety, fatigue, and sleep problems. Here is a simple exercise to get you started.
7. Use a calendar or planner
This is for brain dumping. That means that the more you can put on paper and refer back to later, the less you are required to remember. Make sense? If you’re not trying to keep up with information, your mind is already clearer. And, even better, if you’re using an app or online calendar, you can usually set reminders with alarms on your phone and computer.
8. Check your medications
Some fibromyalgia medications may actually cause or worsen fibro fog symptoms. Talk with your doctor about this and ask if there are other options to improve sleep as that is probably the greatest antagonizer of brain fog.
9. Take a magnesium supplement
Nearly everyone on the planet has a magnesium deficiency due to overused land for agriculture. One study showed that fibro patients who took magnesium citrate supplements for eight weeks showed improvements in many symptoms. And those who took in with antidepressants improved even more.
Of course, the list can continue with options like acupuncture, massage therapy, healthy eating, and so on. But these are excellent places to start. Don’t do what I do where you try several therapies at once, but then you have no idea which one is working. Instead, try choosing just one or two of these tips at a time and see how they work for you. You may have to modify them to accommodate your flareups, age, and other factors.
Have you found any ways to combat fibro fog? Please share them!
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