Nearly everyone has sustained some sort of injury, a bruise or a broken bone. At first, the pain associated with the wound can be difficult to manage. However, eventually the cause of the discomfort wanes as the problem heals. This is an example of acute pain.
Fibromyalgia Pain is Chronic
With Fibromyalgia, pain is chronic. There is no specific site of injury that once healed will allow the pain to go away. Back or shoulder pain is not caused by some sort of trauma in these areas. The problem is at the neurological level. In layman’s terms, for some reason the brain turns on pain receptors and then the switch gets stuck. In this way, pain can reappear at any time for no apparent reason.
Living with pain over an extended period of time also causes psychological damage. Pain becomes a fact of life. There is no hope of a true end, only occasional reprieves. Worries about potential mobility issues and debilitation only make the problem worse. Depression is common. This reduces the body’s natural ability to heal or deal with stress.
Likewise, everyone experiences an occasional sleepless night. Perhaps the cause is stress related or the person simply makes a conscious choice to go to bed late. The next morning the individual may feel groggy and not really want to get out of bed. However, after a cup of coffee, the effects of lack of sleep are quickly forgotten. There are really no long term effects. It’s simply cause and effect.
Fatigue Associated with Fibromyalgia is Chronic
Fatigue for a Fibromyalgia sufferer is different. Like the pain symptoms, fatigue is a chronic condition. There is no apparent cause for the fatigue. Of course, stress, an unhealthy diet, and lack of exercise can exasperate sleep issues as they do in anyone. However, with the Fibromyalgia sufferer, these factors are not the chief cause.
For those with Fibromyalgia, debilitating fatigue can occur even after a full night of sleep. This is unrecuperative sleep. A nap or cup of coffee won’t solve the problem.
For the average person, lack of sleep for an extended period of time can be extremely dangerous. Simply put, the body and mind need time to recuperate from the stresses of daily life. Without adequate sleep, the body becomes prone to disease and cannot react as it should to reduce the effects of stress.
With chronic fatigue, as experienced with Fibromyalgia, the effects are even more devastating. Often, bouts of pain, Fibrofog, and other Fibromyalgia related symptoms are brought on after periods of unrecuperative sleep. Again, all of these issues are chronic and therefore will not simply go away in a few days, weeks, or months.
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