Posted by Heidi/Mermie Another possible cause of fibromyalgia symptoms that is supported by clinical studies is poor muscle oxygenation, which simply means that certain muscles are not getting enough oxygen. This may seem like a pretty simple explanation for what for many is an agonizing condition, but muscles that are in a chronic state of contraction will not relax even with rest. Stressed nerves can create weakness in affected muscles and restrict motion in nearby joints. A muscle's constant state of contraction will cause it to shorten, limiting motion and causing muscle aches and stiffness. What may cause FM patients to be especially vulnerable to muscle tension is unknown, but it seems apparent that sufferers of fibromyalgia symptoms need to take particular care to treat and help reduce this tension whenever possible. I am a man with fibromyalgia and as such I am a part of the fibromyalgia minority. For reasons unknown, men usually constitute 20% or less of the total reported cases of fibromyalgia. Why this is so is not understood. There are some different ways the symptoms of fibromyalgia occur due to men's physical make up and social behaviours. Fibromyalgia: A Man's Perspective A new study performed by researchers from a Swedish hospital of rheumatology offers new insights on how men experience fibromyalgia. Fourteen men who were either married or living with a female partner were encouraged to tell their FM story. Clarifications were elicited as needed. Transcripts of the 14 interviews were reviewed extensively by the researchers, and a structural analysis performed which divided the interviews into meaningful units. Three themes and seven sub-themes were identified and are summarized below: Experiencing the Body as an Obstruction Of great concern was that they were no longer able to participate in the same level of activities as they had before, and they reported feeling restless and anxious. Most of the sample, who were unable to work full-time (if at all), felt especially anxious about finances. One man stated, "Sometimes I think about working full-time, but hell, it's not possible". Living day by day with a body in pain: The unpredictability of FM was a great frustration as it made the planning of daily life nearly impossible. Respondents reported that they now lived life one day at a time and sometimes minute-by-minute. During periods of severe pain, the men indicated that even the simplest tasks were difficult, and as a result they tended to avoid social contact--even if it was just answering the telephone or the door. Being a Different Man The men had typically been very active before getting ill and had often been viewed by their peers as "cheerful and kind". After developing FM, however, they reported feeling "emptiness and shyness". Illness-related changes that caused them particular sadness were: difficulties concentrating on even the simplest tasks, meaningless (insulting) tasks that were given to those able to return to work, and difficulty controlling their temper during times of increased pain. Although the men were bothered early on by what other people thought of them and their situation, by the time of the interview they were much less concerned about others' demands on them. Not being really understood: Although the men acknowledged that their friends and family members believed that they were experiencing pain, they felt that this was not the same thing as understanding what they were going through.
on 8/28/2007, 3:09 am
The correlation between the two may lie in the fact that the growth hormone responsible for maintaining good muscle and soft tissue health is secreted almost exclusively during deep sleep, and has been found to be deficient in people with FM.
Living with a reluctant body: As a group, the men tended to feel that their body was sluggish as well as constantly achy, painful, and/or stiff.
Not being the same man as before:
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