If you have had this experience before, you will know that the symptoms around fibromyalgia and heart can be very scary. Fibromyalgia seems to come with every imaginable pain, including chest pain.
Many will go to the emergency room at least once because they think they have a heart attack. This is most likely to happen for those who have not yet been diagnosed with fibromyalgia because they do not know what a fibro-laryngeal pain looks like and are more likely to believe that their heart is lacking.
The danger for people with diagnosed fibromyalgia is the risk of not seeking medical attention for a serious heart condition because they assume that pain is part of fibromyalgia. That’s why it’s important for everyone to understand how fibromyalgia and heart muscle interact and when medical treatment is needed.
It goes without saying that the heart is really the most important muscle of the body.
Fibromyalgia Chest Pain – Various Causes
One of the main symptoms of fibromyalgia is chronic pain in many areas of the body. A common symptom we often talk about is costochondritis. The pain comes from inflammation in the cartilage connecting the ribs and the sternum. The pain usually affects the side of the chest and can cause waves of pain that are very similar to a heart attack. The good news is that it does not put your life in danger.
With fibromyalgia, you may also feel pain in other areas of the chest, as well as on the shoulders and arms. It may be sharp, throbbing, burning, or tugging. Although heart attacks tend to come and go in a short time, this pain can last for days or even weeks. Some patients with fibromyalgia suffer from chest pain for months or years.
Also check our article on chest pain at any time for other causes of pain in the chest area.
Fibromyalgia and heart failure
Chest pain in fibromyalgia is often life-threatening, but it is not always the case. Research shows that it is common for patients with heart failure to also have fibromyalgia. A study of 57 patients with heart failure found that more than 20% of participants met the diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia. The determination that the severity of heart failure tends to match the severity of fibromyalgia symptoms is even more worrying.
Research has also shown that fibromyalgia patients are more likely to suffer from various diseases related to central nervous system sensitivity or dysfunction. This includes heart failure, TMJ and irritable bowel disease. This supports the idea that fibromyalgia is caused by a highly sensitive central nervous system that registers pain when it is not justified.
Some scientific research proves that fibromyalgia is related to the variability of the heart rate. For example, many patients suffer from tachycardia, which occurs when the heart beats abnormally quickly. This is just a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system that is commonly observed in people with fibromyalgia. The connection is so strong that some professionals recommend checking the inconsistency of heart rate as a diagnostic tool for fibromyalgia.
Does Fibromyalgia Cause Heart Failure?
Although there may be a link between fibromyalgia and heart problems, there is no evidence that fibromyalgia is the cause of heart failure or any other cardiac dysfunction. Heart attacks can be the result of many factors, including clogged arteries, which are caused by poor nutrition, smoking, and obesity. Stress on the body is also an important factor, and remember what I say so often, that living with a fibro itself can be a form of stress for the body.
Fibromyalgia can increase the risk of heart dysfunction in patients, especially when chronic pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances result in an increased imbalance between chemicals, hormones, and so on. We know that cortisol levels (adrenal glands) get out of balance when we do not recover. sleep, and it also affects the heart.
It is also likely that fibromyalgia intensifies the symptoms of a heart disorder due to the sensitivity of the nervous system. This is similar to fibromyalgia patients experiencing more pain than non fibro in daily life.
Fibro pain or heart attack?
If you or someone you love has chest pain, it is best to consult an emergency doctor. I say it often, but yes, it is always better to ask for help when you do not need it than to eliminate pain as a symptom of fibromyalgia, when it is actually something worse.
In general, the pain associated with fibromyalgia tends to last longer than a heart attack. If you press the point of pain, the pain of fibromyalgia will likely intensify when triggered by trigger points. The pain caused by a heart attack will not intensify if it is pressed slightly. Fibromyalgia-related pain does not cause radiating pain in the arms or back, which is common during a heart attack.
Since there may be a link between cardiac events and fibromyalgia, it may be helpful to request a stress test or other cardiac diagnostic tests to eliminate potential problems. This is the only way to know for sure that the chest pain you are feeling is actually caused by fibromyalgia rather than a serious life-threatening heart problem.
Symptoms of a heart attack may include pain and pressure in the chest, pain in the arms, jaw pain, sweating, nausea, and difficulty breathing. If you experience these symptoms suddenly, seek help immediately. And, as you can see, almost all of these symptoms can also manifest themselves in fibromyalgia. Therefore, you must always exercise caution.
Plus, as I said at the top of this article, the heart is the most important muscle of the body. Therefore, it is important that you check with your doctor before taking muscle relaxants and any other medications that might interfere with the normal rhythm and function of your heart.
Monitor your heart at home
You can now follow the evolution of your heart in the comfort of your home or where you are.
The kardiamobile device is easy to use and is suitable for anyone with heart problems or at risk. You can also monitor your blood pressure at home if this is also a problem.
Toxins and heart disease
It is important to avoid as much toxins as possible in people with fibromyalgia. The potential for all diseases can be greater when people are constantly exposed to environmental toxins. More and more studies regularly report the link between heart disease and the toxins we are exposed to. Here you can find out more about the chemical sensitivity in fibromyalgia.
Do you have fast heartbeat, sweating, nausea, headache, or increased blood pressure when exposed to toxic environments? It’s common and it’s often the way our body tells us that we need to get away from these harmful toxins. This can happen in a clothing store, restaurant, mall, veterinary clinic or any other place where high levels of chemicals are commonly used.
A smile of the heart / gratitude
Remember what I say often. “A smile from the heart is a good place to start,” I invented this phrase many years ago because I realized that gratitude and a sincere smile can do a lot to maintain a healthy chemical balance in our body.
It feels good to smile from the bottom of my heart. This is not based on our situation, but rather on the fact that we are preparing to overcome the situation in every possible way. It is not a question of perfection or of mind above matter.
