Trial results of new treatment for Fibromyalgia targeting non-restorative sleep

Here I explain new data that was presented at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2021 Convergence showing that a sublingual tablet may reduce central sensitization in people with fibromyalgia who have non-restorative sleep. 

According to the Institute for ChronicPain central sensitization is a condition of the nervous system that is associated with the development and maintenance of chronic pain. When central sensitization occurs, the nervous system goes through a process called wind-up and gets regulated in a persistent state of high reactivity.

Fibromyalgia and GERD and one proven home treatment

I am a great believer in doing everything I can to support myself in reducing symptoms. Sometimes there are easy things we can do instead of taking medications or as well as taking medications. Things that are actually evidence-based and therefore proven to work. This post discusses GERD and one such important and studied simple approach to reducing GER and GERD symptoms. 

Fibromyalgia often coexists with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). A connection has been made through research into 35,000 patients discovering that people with fibromyalgia have a high incidence of GERD and also that there is a high percentage of people who have GERD that go on to later develop fibromyalgia. 

WHAT IS GERD?

Did you know there is GER and GERD? According to NIDDK Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) happens when your stomach contents come back up into your esophagus. Doctors also call GER  acid indigestion, acid reflux, heartburn, or reflux. 

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a more severe and long-lasting condition in which GER causes repeated symptoms or leads to complications over time.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF GERD?

• acid reflux
• heartburn
• some people have GERD without heartburn
• chest pain
• pain when swallowing
• difficulty swallowing
• nausea
• chronic cough
• a hoarse voice
• bad breath

Heartburn is that uncomfortable burning feeling or pain in your chest that can move up to your neck and throat. 

LONG TERM GERD SYMPTOMS

On-going GERD can lead to more serious problems such as Esophagitis, an inflammation in the lining of the esophagus; Barrett's esophagus which changes the cells in the lining of the esophagus and can lead to cancer of the esophagus; and strictures that can interfere with eating and drinking due to scarring and narrowing of the esophagus. These are all the reasons why you must have the help of a medical professional if you have GERD.

ONE PROVEN HOME TREATMENT FOR GERD

It has been proven that eating 3 hours before lying down reduces the symptoms of GERD in the following study aptly named Association between dinner-to-bed time and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Objective: It is generally recommended that patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) refrain from eating within 3 hours of going to sleep. In addition to a remarkable lack of supporting clinical evidence, whether GERD patients have shorter dinner-to-bed time is unknown. This study was designed to determine a possible association between dinner-to-bed time and GERD, compared with healthy adults.

Conclusion: In this matched case-control study, shorter dinner-to-bed time was significantly associated with an increased odds ratio (OR) for GERD.

This is why when our doctor tells us to refrain from eating 3 hours before bedtime we should actually do it as it can reduce GERD. You would have to agree that it is a strategy that we can do at no extra cost to us and probably has other health benefits.

I'm sure there are many other proven strategies for GERD and I will investigate them and report back here.

Are you following your doctors' instructions for GERD and have they helped? Let's chat in the comments.

RESOURCES

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Cleveland Clinic

The study: Association between dinner-to-bed time and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Epsom salt baths for fibromyalgia pain

 Soak on it

More and more research indicates that Fibromyalgia patients suffer from magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is extremely important to many functions in the body, and a deficiency can cause several of the symptoms associated with Fibromyalgia. There are great benefits in taking an Epsom salt bath, rich in hydrated magnesium sulfate, which is easily absorbed through the skin.

Clinical trials into Fibromyalgia 2021

 August 13, 2021. 

Here is a 2021 list of some current trials into fibromyalgia, and related conditions, that are recruiting for participants in various parts of the world. As the byline of this blog is 'Discovering what works to help Fibromyalgia' it would be remiss of me to not include information about clinical trials into fibromyalgia. I have in fact posted about trials previously... Here is a post I did about them in 2020. 

Clinical trials can help us discover and confirm so many things about a condition -  it causes, connections, preventatives and treatments. 

What has helped my migraines

I am writing about my experience with what has reduced my migraines to help others who are living with migraine. Obviously my experience does not replace the advise of a medical expert. What I am suggesting has been suggested by a neurologist and you can run it by your doctor. 

Fibromyalgia explained by the experts (what 12 organisations say)

Here is what the reliable and recommended experts say to explain what fibromyalgia is. I thought it would be good to put them altogether here in one place.

My doctor dilemma when living with chronic illness

Something that has been coming up for me recently has been why my GP does not give me the support that I need. Here I am exploring my feelings about it as I believe it may be something that helps other people living with chronic illness. 

Treating Fibromyalgia migraines

Lately I have been experience more migraines than normal and any extra pain when living with fibromyalgia is upsetting. This sent me in search of both information and help about migraine relief and I have found some wonderful resources that I wanted to share for anyone experiencing migraines.

Image thanks to to Nik Shuliahin

What is the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ)

The Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire is something that I encounter a lot when reviewing research into fibromyalgia as it is often used in studies to see how something affects a person's fibromyalgia symptoms. This explains what it is, what it scores and how it is measured and you can also get a copy. 

Can fibromyalgia affect your hand skills?

Many people mention that they have reduced hand skills and more hand pain when they have fibromyalgia. This includes skills such as handwriting, chopping vegetables, opening cans and using keys to open the door.  It includes pain in the joints, nerves and muscles of the hand and wrist. Find out more from this summary on a study done into fibro and hand skills. 

Does CBD help fibromyalgia?

Lately I have notice many people talking about the benefits of CBD for fibro. Most of it is from a personal perspective and it is difficult to know if what works for one person with fibromyalgia will work for you to reduce symptoms.  I was pleased to find a large survey of cannabidiol (CBD) use among 2701 participants with fibromyalgia. Here I have summarised the results.

Tinnitus and fibromyalgia

Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, is something I have lived with for over 20 years but never realized it was connected to fibromyalgia.  In this post I share how tinnitus feels to me and what I have discovered about tinnitus in fibromyalgia. 

What is Tinnitus?

The reality of fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions

Sometimes my body tells me not to do something, so I listen. But sometimes this is difficult... like when I am at the beach, with my grandsons, and the pain just hits me and I know I will be overdoing it just to drive home.