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Fatigue and Cognitive Effects of Fibromyalgia in Females

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes pain throughout the body.

It is a condition whose causes are not exactly known, but research indicates that it is common in some families, so it can be attributed to the presence of some genetic factors. Fibromyalgia can also appear without a medical history in the patient’s family.

People with preexisting chronic pain conditions, such as rheumatic inflammation, depression, osteoporosis, and irritable bowel syndrome, are more likely to develop fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia can affect anyone, regardless of color, gender, or ethnicity, but women are more likely to develop it.

Symptoms of Fibromyalgia in Females include pain that spreads throughout the body, especially in the arms, legs, head, abdomen, back, and buttocks.

There is no effective treatment for Fibromyalgia, but the disease is managed through psychological and behavioral therapy, pain relievers, and some exercise.

Pain Symptoms of Fibromyalgia in Women

Pain is the main symptom of fibromyalgia in females and includes the following:

Pain that covers the whole body: It is widespread in the arms, legs, back, abdomen, and head, and the pain may be constant, burning, or throbbing.
Hyperalgesia: or extreme sensitivity where the patient feels pain from the slightest touch.
Severe pain in specific areas: such as the neck or back.
Morning pain: The pain is usually at its worst when waking up in the morning.
Headache.

Symptoms of Fibromyalgia in Women

Fibromyalgia in females is primarily characterized by pain, often described as:

Widespread: Affecting various body parts including arms, legs, back, abdomen, and head. This pain can be constant, burning, or throbbing.
Intense: Even the slightest touch can cause significant discomfort (hyperalgesia).
Localized: Severe pain may concentrate in specific areas like the neck or back.
Morning Aggravation: Pain tends to be most pronounced upon waking.

Other common symptoms include:

Headaches
Sleep disturbances
Fatigue
Gastrointestinal issues, Symptoms resembling irritable bowel syndrome, such as diarrhea, constipation, bloating, and abdominal pain.
Menstrual pain (Dysmenorrhea).
Restless legs.
Stiffness.
Dizziness and embarrassment
Feeling too hot or too cold because your body can’t control its temperature.
Tingling, numbness, or burning in your hands and feet.
Anxiety.
Cognitive difficulties, commonly referred to as “fibro fog,” characterized by difficulty concentrating, remembering, and thinking clearly. (NHS, 2022)

Fatigue and Cognitive Effects of Fibromyalgia in Females

Symptoms of fibromyalgia in females appear in the form of severe fatigue and cognitive difficulties called fibro fog, which includes lack of concentration, difficulty remembering, poor attention, and mental fog that affects the course of daily life.

Here are these effects in detail:

Performing daily tasks: Fibromyalgia causes significant difficulties in performing daily tasks due to cognitive difficulties and makes it impossible to do work and engage in a normal social life.
Sleep disorders: Fibromyalgia causes sleep disturbance and deprives it of its quality, which increases the feeling of fatigue and increases cognitive problems.
Cognitive and perceptual difficulties: These include mental lethargy, difficulties in thinking, and mental distraction, and the patient faces major challenges in organizing, solving problems, and making decisions.
Poor attention: This means the inability to complete a task, focus on reading, or complete a conversation.

Factors that affect perception and cognitive abilities and are associated with fibromyalgia:

An imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain such as dopamine and serotonin.
A nervous system disorder resulting from dealing with severe pain for long periods.
Depression and anxiety associated with severe, long-term pain worsen the patient’s mental state. (Galvez-Sánchez, 2018)

Common Fibromyalgia Triggers in Women

Triggers that can trigger fibromyalgia symptoms in women include:

Hormonal changes such as those related to pregnancy, and menstruation.
Stress, whether psychological or physical, especially long-term.
Weather changes, whether hot or cold days can worsen symptoms.
Genetic factors, as the risk of fibromyalgia increases in women who have relatives with the disease.
A chemical imbalance of some important compounds such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine worsens symptoms.
Diet changes.
Travel.
Illness.
Changes in treatment.
Not getting enough sleep.

References

Galvez-Sánchez, C. M. (2018). PubMed. Retrieved from Cognitive Impairments in Fibromyalgia Syndrome: Associations With Positive and Negative Affect, Alexithymia, Pain Catastrophizing and Self-Esteem: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5874325/

NHS. (2022). Retrieved from Symptoms – Fibromyalgia : https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/fibromyalgia/symptoms/