Tender Points: A Very Touchy Subject

Symptoms that are most commonly associated with fibromyalgia include joint and muscle pain and fatigue. Often, fibromyalgia goes undetected for a long period of time due to the fact that these two symptoms alone are similar to other chronic illnesses.

However, fibromyalgia has a set of rare symptoms that can still be a nuisance for most patients. These include:

• Sensitivity to light
• Auditory sensitivity
• Lack of tolerance for the heat or cold
• Sensitivity to scents

Any one of these symptoms or a combination are enough to put a person into sensory overload. At the same time, understanding the contributing factors in the brain and how the body responds can help with learning different methods for coping with these symptoms.

Tactile Allodynia

Tactile Allodynia is a type of nerve pain in which the slightest pressure or “touch” feels quite painful. Although it’s not as common as the joint and muscle pain that is very familiar among people with fibromyalgia, there are many individuals who live with this persistent discomfort.

This tactile sensitivity is caused by a “malfunction” in the skin’s nerve endings, known as nociceptors. When these nociceptors fail to accurately process any kind of pressure to the skin, then the pain intensifies more than usual and tends to last longer. One can compare this sensation to feeling a bruise or a burn when touching the skin; except there is no injury. Any area of the body is bound to feel tender to the slightest touch.

Regardless, a person’s skin is not the culprit behind this sensitivity; rather the pathways that send the messages to the brain. Under normal circumstances, the brain would release enough serotonin and natural brain opiates to cope with the discomfort, but in the case of a fibromyalgia patient, not enough serotonin is produced.

So how does one deal with tactile allodynia? First of all, a person would need to wear loose-fitting and soft textured clothing. Also, materials like clothing labels, elastic, and or any similar articles would need to be avoided as much as possible. This means cutting off tags, finding an alternative to elastic, or “extending” an elastic band for a looser fit may help ease the pain. Additionally, most outerwear items like coats or jackets would have to be fairly lightweight so as not to exert any topical pressure. This can be a challenge since the body of a fibromyalgia patient cannot adapt as easily to cold temperatures. So a lot of looking and (unfortunately) trying-on is needed when looking for clothing and shoes.

Also one would need to address issues with family and/or acquaintances who may not completely understand this condition. Open communication about symptoms and their causes is key in this situation when family and friends are not aware of all the facts.