Differences in Fibromyalgia or Lupus Pain
While it may be difficult to identify, there are slight differences in pain areas for those with fibromyalgia or lupus. Usually, those with fibromyalgia have generalized pain throughout their body. In addition, there are pressure points around the body that are sensitive to the touch. With lupus, most of the pain is in the joints and muscles, and specific areas don’t necessarily hurt to the touch. However, because both diseases have pain in the muscles and joints, it may be difficult to determine if your pain is related to fibromyalgia or lupus.
Sleep Loss – Fibromyalgia or Lupus?
While both lupus and fibromyalgia can result in disrupted sleep, there are some differences in the problems. With fibromyalgia, you’re likely to see long-term sleep loss. Many people who suffer from fibromyalgia deal with insomnia or aren’t able to get a good, full night’s sleep. This happens over long periods, with very few nights of restful sleep. Interestingly, it is unrelated to pain. Those with lupus who also suffer from sleep loss generally have trouble sleeping specifically because of the pain. Insomnia is not necessarily a symptom of lupus, but more of a side effect of other painful symptoms. With fibromyalgia, long-term sleep loss is considered a symptom.
Tissue Damage
One of the important differences between lupus and fibromyalgia is tissue damage. Those with fibromyalgia do not suffer from tissue or bone damage due to their disease. Lupus, an autoimmune disorder, causes the body to attack the tissue and bones directly, causing damage and inflammation. This leads to long-term problems including arthritis and loss of bone density. If your doctor notices that there is tissue damage around your pain areas, it’s more likely that you have lupus than fibromyalgia. To date, fibromyalgia has not been proven to cause any long-term damage or arthritis.
Skin Irritation
People with fibromyalgia may suffer from skin irritation when the skin is touched. This sensitivity does not usually result in an actual rash. This pain is generally associated with nerve endings becoming overly sensitive. On the other hand, those with lupus get raised red patches and other rashes that develop across their bodies. These rashes may be on the cheeks, arms, and other areas. In addition, many with lupus have a reaction to sunlight, called photosensitivity, which can cause a new rash to appear or make already-occurring rashes worse. If you get regular rashes as well as pain throughout your body, make sure to consult with your doctor.
While many of the symptoms of fibromyalgia and lupus are very similar, it’s crucial to note the differences to make the correct diagnosis. These two diseases are treated very differently. Medications used to treat lupus have little to no effect for those with Fibromyalgia. Some individuals with one disorder may develop the other; however, this is very rare.
Lupus and Fibromyalgia – key differences:
Nature of the Conditions:
- Lupus is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks healthy tissues, leading to inflammation and damage in various organs and tissues.
- Fibromyalgia, on the other hand, is a chronic pain syndrome characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and tenderness in localized areas.
Symptoms:
- Lupus symptoms can include joint pain, skin rashes, fatigue, fever, and organ involvement.
- Fibromyalgia symptoms primarily involve widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive difficulties (often referred to as “fibro fog”).
Diagnosis:
- Lupus is typically diagnosed through a combination of clinical symptoms, blood tests, and sometimes imaging studies.
- Fibromyalgia is diagnosed based on a set of criteria that include widespread pain and the presence of tender points, but it doesn’t involve autoimmune markers.
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Hi Had a stroke but my arms was painful beforehand and now I have shooting pains in my joints all over. My skin feels very sore to touch in my left arm.
I have pressure pain in body all over and head and get blocked left side of the nose.
I am .53 a diabetic also now taken insulin. On blood.thinner which I think doesn’t help.
I lost weight and eating healthy but think I’m on the way out…Can anyone help.
My Job doesn’t pay sick and things are gonna snowboard soon.
I a happy chappy but deep down trying to make the best of it.
Need a holiday and live a little.
P.s Given up alcohol do not smoke and never taken drugs.