A few years ago I also studied fibromyalgia. At that time I was working on my website with online yoga. I then interviewed more than 25 people with fibromyalgia via email. In the end, with the information that emerged, I put together a yoga class package with video lessons for this target group. There is now also a teaching package for people with RLS on my yoga website.
At the time, I could not have predicted that I would start a website about restless legs in 2020. To my surprise, I recently found out that people with fibromyalgia also often suffer from RLS. That is why I would now like to write a blog on this subject.
The following questions are addressed here:
- What is fibromyalgia?
- How is fibromyalgia related to restless legs?
What is fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is pain in connective tissue and muscles. It is also referred to as chronic pain syndrome or soft tissue rheumatism. About 1 to 2 percent of the population is affected. About 90 percent of these are women. The condition often starts between the ages of 25 and 45. Fibromyalgia does not damage joints or tissues.
The exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown. However, it is believed to be in the brain. The main symptoms are pain and fatigue. The pain can occur anywhere in the body and varies from person to person. Most pain is experienced in the neck and back. Fatigue often goes hand in hand with sleep problems. Other common complaints in people with fibromyalgia are headaches, intestinal complaints and restless legs.
Fibromyalgia is diagnosed by examining specific pain points on the body. These pain points are also called tender points. Complaints are chronic and last longer than three months.
Fibromyalgia is treatable, but not curable so far. Treatments mainly focus on pain relief and on learning how to deal with the condition as well as possible. Since the symptoms vary considerably from person to person, not everyone benefits from the same.
For many people with fibromyalgia, moderate, low-impact exercise appears to be beneficial. Examples are walking, cycling and swimming. Stretching and stretching exercises such as yoga can also bring relieve. It is important to build this up slowly. Other possible treatments include warm water baths, cognitive behavioral therapy, and physical therapy.
In terms of medication, there are options as well. For pain relief there are painkillers and for severe cases opioids such as morphine. Antidepressants are often prescribed for fibromyalgia. This is usually not so much to combat depression, but to reduce pain. These antidepressants also help with sleep problems.
It is striking in this context that medications are prescribed for fibromyalgia that are also used for RLS. An example of this is pramipexole, which mimics the action of dopamine. Another example is pregabalin. This is a medicine for epilepsy and nerve pain.
Similarities
People with fibromyalgia often have complaints of restless legs. At least a third is affected by this. They are also 10 times more likely to develop RLS than those without fibromyalgia. Both fibromyalgia and restless legs can lead to fatigue, mood disorders and mental distress.
A similarity between fibromyalgia and restless legs is the increased sensitivity to pain and discomfort. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish what is due to RLS and what is due to fibromyalgia. In both cases, a link can also be made with the (disturbed) functioning of dopamine in the brain.
I also mentioned before that mild exercise reduces symptoms of fibromyalgia. The same is true for RLS. Unfortunately, the use of antidepressants in fibromyalgia can worsen the complaints of restless legs. This sometimes results in difficult choices.
Finally, there is an overlap in medications that are used for both fibromyalgia and restless legs. Sleeping pills (benzodiazepines) are an example of this, as are dopamine agonists (such as pramipexole). Engaging a pain specialist for specific RLS is an additional option. Treatment of either condition can provide relief for both.
