Fibromyalgia vs CFS: The Number One Reason it Doesn’t Matter

How could I say it doesn’t matter if what you have is Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? One reason is that these are labels for constellations of symptoms for which there is no diagnostic test or any medical treatment to correct them. The CDC describes CFS/ME as a complex and disabling illness. 

Allow me to illustrate my point which helps with my big underlying reason. 

I looked up the common symptoms of Chronic Stress, Fibromyalgia, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Take a look at this list of common symptoms:

  • Extreme Exhaustion and Fatigue
  • Sleep Problems
  • Headaches
  • Muscle or Joint Pain

Two of the three conditions shared the following and it wasn’t the same two:

  • Anxiety
  • Problem with Memory or Thinking
  • Digestive Problems
  • Difficulty Concentrating

You could take 10 people with Fibromyalgia and they would tell 10 different descriptions of their condition with some similarity and a lot of differences. And, you could do the same with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. 

That is one of the challenges that medicine has had in trying to solve these puzzles. They identify symptoms in an effort to identify a medication to prescribe. But, the best they can do for either Fibromyalgia or CFS is offer very temporary symptomatic relief. 

Stress and the Nervous System

It’s pretty clear that a history of significant stress plays a central role in both CFS and Fibromyalgia. I won’t get deep into the stress these people have experienced but do want to discuss the impact stress has on the nervous system. 

Your body is programmed for survival. It will do anything it can possibly do to ensure you survive. This served us well generations ago when we were regularly exposed to threats to our life.

In response to any real or perceived threat our Sympathetic Nervous System goes into action. There’s a reason we call this the “Fight-or-Flight” system as it mobilizes all resources to prepare to fight or flee. Here’s a very partial list of its actions:

  • Increased muscle tension
  • Increased stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline
  • Decreased digestion
  • Impaired quality sleep
  • Increased inflammation
  • Reduced healing and repair

None of those responses cause a problem in the short term. In fact the activation of the Sympathetic System feels good, it feels energizing. Many people, especially in business use this to their advantage for years. Eventually it takes a toll on your health and well-being. 

The chronic Sympathetic activation can result in digestive issues like ulcers or high blood pressure or kidney issues. And, in some people due to a number of complex factors the stress is part of a perfect storm that triggers Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. 

Why It Doesn’t Matter!

Medicine is on a quest to identify a single cause so they can apply a single therapeutic drug to the condition. That works to some degree but at the same time it fails miserably. But, that’s a different conversation. According to the Mayo Clinic both Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: “Treatment can help, but this condition can’t be cured”.

Here’s what does matter. If we can identify that the Nervous System is imbalanced as a result of chronic stress then we can change the course of either of these conditions. We don’t need to know what the stress was, what happened in their life, or other details. 

Both Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are accompanied by an imbalance in the Autonomic Nervous System. It doesn’t matter what label we use, what matters is supporting the healing of the Nervous System. Both of these conditions are examples of a state of exhaustion and the nervous system needs support in healing. 

Healing the Nervous System

To heal and bring balance to the Autonomic Nervous System we can use some of the same body responses that created the condition in the first place. There is a principle in neurology called “Neurons that fire together, wire together”. The repeated firing of the Sympathetic System created a situation where it became dominant before it became exhausted. 

This caused an inhibition of the Vagus Nerve and everything was in place for some chronic stress related issue. That it was Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome doesn’t matter as much as taking action to bring greater balance to the Autonomic Nervous System.

These are complex chronic conditions that will likely need a range of support. But, unless you bring the ANS back into more balance you are going to struggle to make progress. The focus needs to be raising the tone of the Vagus Nerve. A quick glance at a few of the functions of the Vagus Nerve should be enough to understand how critical it is:

  • Reduced inflammation
  • Supports quality sleep
  • Supports rest, recovery, and healing
  • Healthy immune function
  • Healthy digestion

The Vagus Nerve is the foundation for human health and well-being regardless of the label of the illness or condition. 

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