What You Need To Know About Fibromyalgia Swelling

What Causes Fibromyalgia Swelling?

There are a few approaches to explaining fibromyalgia swelling:

1. A feeling of swelling – similar to formication, some fibromyalgia patients can experience swelling sensations when there really isn’t any physical swelling. In this case, there will not be observable signs of swelling. In addition to swelling sensation, fibro patients can also experience creepy crawly sensation, which makes them feel uncomfortable. The reason behind these is unclear but can be due to disrupted nervous system activity.
2. Trigger points – trigger points are pain spots in fibromyalgia patients who also suffer from Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS). Trigger points, unlike tender points, are knots in the muscles where the muscle fibers are inflamed. These points can lead to referred pain in surrounding areas causing them to feel swollen.
3. Edema – edema is swelling caused by fluid retention in the body tissues. Edema will cause physical swelling or puffiness to affect areas. They usually occur in the hands, arms, feet, ankles and lower leg but can also happen anywhere in the body. Edema is very common in fibromyalgia. There can be many reasons behind edema in fibromyalgia which include prolonged sitting or standing, high salt consumption, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Other common underlying medical conditions such as heart condition or varicose veins can also cause edema.