Fibromyalgia During COVID-19, Anxiety and Pain
Fibromyalgia is a condition that currently affects about 2% of the entire population, but it can be a very painful and life changing ailment. The recent stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in increased anxiety and pain in patients currently suffering from fibromyalgia. Researchers from a number of accredited universities have been following the anxiety and pain trends of the pandemic and have recently released some of their most recent findings.
Lockdowns And Their Mental Health Issues
As any chiropractor near LAX can reveal, they were ordered to shut down their operations for a set period of time. Termed a ‘ lockdown‘ by many citizens and newscasters, these time periods were implemented to restrict the movement of citizens. It was thought that by restricting normal movement, it could help to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus and alleviate some of the demand of the healthcare system.
While these mandatory restrictions have helped to slow the spread of the virus in some places, they have resulted in widespread mental health issues. These mental health problems are sparing from a number of different issues. The most widely known are:
- Financial Hardship
- Work Stress
- Home Loss / Eviction
- Limited Access To Medical Professionals
- Fears Of Contracting The Virus
- Disrupted Family Gatherings / Travel
- Job Loss
Understanding Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is classified as a chronic pain condition. Most patients experience chronic musculoskeletal pain, sleep problems, fatigue, and mental health disorders. Recent studies have revealed that about 30% of the people living with fibromyalgia are suffering from a generalized anxiety disorder. It’s been estimated that about 60% of patients are actively showing signs of anxiety.
It’s widely known that anxiety causes a perceived increase in pain. This has led many sufferers to look for fibromyalgia relief LAX and headache relief LAX than ever before. The research that was recently published revealed that there was a significant increase in anxiety and associated pain in patients.
This study has helped to cement the hypothesis that this new normal of the pandemic is highly affecting vulnerable populations. Vulnerable populations are those deemed to have pre-existing medical conditions that make them more susceptible to anxiety-related increases in pain.
What Can Chronic Pain Sufferers Do?
Chronic pain sufferers are seeking out knee tendinitis treatment LAX, sciatica pain relief near LAX, scoliosis treatment LAX, and fibromyalgia relief LAX on a daily basis. While this has led to an increase in business for any knowledgeable chiropractor near LAX, it has left many fibromyalgia patients wondering what else they can do.
As part of any headache relief LAX treatment, knee tendinitis treatment LAX, sciatica pain relief near LAX, or scoliosis treatment LAX, patients should practice stress-reducing tactics. Lower stress levels lead to lower anxiety levels in chronic pain patients. Some simple ways to reduce anxiety are to practice yoga, limit alcohol and caffeine intake, maintain a consistent sleep and exercise schedule, and to unplug from electronics more.
When anxiety levels are lowered, this leads to a decreased pain for patients. While it may be hard to wrap your head around it, to begin with, taking the time to reduce your daily stress levels can go a long way in reducing the pain that you feel each day.