Effects of stress and relaxation on Fibromyalgia

If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard (or said) that stress impacts the symptoms of fibromylagia, I’d be rich. I’m pretty sure that those of us who live with fibromyalgia already know that stress effects the symptoms of fibromyalgia. But, often research exists just to prove the obvious. This is one of those studies.

The Connection Between Stress and Pain

It’s not like there hasn’t been research on the connection between stress and pain, there’s actually been quite a bit. What I did find interesting was that some of that research shows that stress can actually create an analgesic effect in some instances (for example, the person who breaks their arm but doesn’t feel it while they are in the midst of the accident, only to cry out when things have calmed down and they see the bone sticking out).

For many people exercise can release this same type of stress-induced analgesia, which is presumed to be caused by the release of endogeneous opioids (a type of endorphin) and growth factors. We know (and research has confirmed) that this type of exercise-induced analgesia doesn’t work the same in patients with fibromyalgia. What’s less clear is why stress may increase pain in some situations, and especially for those suffering from Fibromyalgia.

The Effects of Relaxation on Pain

There is less research on the effects of relaxation on pain, and the results of said research have been mixed. While some research seems to suggest that cognitive tasks can add to stress (especially for those already feeling foggy) other research suggests that it can act as a distraction from the pain resulting in relaxation.

Progressive Relaxation Therapy (PRT) is a relaxation technique that (in theory) allows you to slowly relax all your muscles. Some believe that this relaxation decreases pain by decreasing muscle tightness, others say that it increases pain because you become more aware of your body (I’ve personally experienced both with it).

This study compared 21 Fibromyalgia patients and 22 healthy controls, examining the effects of  PRT (relaxation) and cognitive tasks (stress) on pain outcomes. All participants participated in both the PRT and cognitive tasks, in a randomly assigned order, a week apart. One week the participant would do PRT, and the next they would do cognitive tasks.

Temporal Summation (TS) is the increase in pain ratings after the repeated presentation of noxious stimuli was evaluated. Temporal Summation decreased following both the PRT and the cognitive tasks for the healthy individuals; however, TS typically increased following both the PRT and cognitive tasks for those with fibromylgia.

This is not the first study to show increased pain among those with fibromylagia following a cognitive stressor, but it is important to see the differences in how we react in comparison to healthy people. This study also shows that relaxation can actually increase pain (possibly by making us more aware of it).

What is also noteworthy is that this study shows that what is relaxing to one person can be stressful for another. We are all unique. Every pain experience is different. What works for one person may not work for someone else. 

Related Posts:

• Can Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Help Fibromyalgia?
• 6 steps for coping with stress and improving your Fibromyalgia symptoms
• The Relationship between Stress, Depression & Fibromyalgia
• 7 Things to stop doing if you want to decrease stress

References

Meeus, M., & Pintelaan, D. (2016). Effects of Stress and Relaxation on Central Pain Modulation in Chronic Whiplash and Fibromyalgia Patients Compared to Healthy Controls. Pain Physician, 19, 119-130.