Is fibromyalgia an illness that is helped by crutches?

i ask as from my bottom ribs down, i'm mostly in agony and very stiff. i know i have arthritis in my hips, lower spine and knees too. would crutches relieve this pain by taking some of my weight off my lower body? i'm 5foot4 and about 9and1/2 stone so could do with some exercise, but walking more than short distances really, REALLY hurts

i definately have fibromyalgia, it took years and lots of research to be diagnosed. i also have arthritis in my lower back, hips and knees. not sure which causes the pain, but its worse when im cold, tired or in a damp atmosphere

Hi there! Sorry to see you're not feeling well.

Crutches will probably only make matters worse as it will make your arms ache and possible weaken your leg muscles.

First off, do you have RA, PA, OA? Because Fibromyalgia and RA are a lot alike! (Dxed with FMS in 2003)

Psoriatic Arthritis

By understanding psoriatic arthritis and knowing what to expect, you can learn new ways to perform daily tasks or plan activities during the times and days you are least bothered by the effects of the disease. Once you understand and learn to predict the ways in which your body responds to psoriatic arthritis, you can use medications, exercise and other therapies to alleviate discomfort and reduce stress and fatigue. Again, there is no cure for psoriatic arthritis. But there are many ways to prevent and ease its symptoms.

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Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms That Affect the Entire Body

Rheumatoid arthritis can affect many areas of the body. These effects all result from the general process of inflammation, leading to a wide variety of symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis:

* Fatigue
* Malaise (feeling ill)
* Loss of appetite, which can lead to weight loss
* Muscle aches

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Osteoarthritis results from overuse of joints. It can be the consequence of demanding sports, obesity, or aging. If you were an athlete or dancer in high school or college, you may be wondering why your knee or hip aches when you climb out of bed in the morning. Ask your doctor about osteoarthritis. It often strikes early in life with athletes or those who suffered an injury in young adulthood. Osteoarthritis in the hands is frequently inherited and often happens in middle-aged women.

Osteoarthritis is most common in joints that bear weight -- such as the knees, hips, feet, and spine. It often comes on gradually over months or even years. Except for the pain in the affected joint, you usually do not feel sick, and there is no unusual fatigue or tiredness as there is with some other types of arthritis.

With osteoarthritis, the cartilage gradually begins to break down. Cartilage is a slippery material that covers the ends of bones and serves as the body's shock absorber. As more damage occurs, the cartilage starts to wear away, or it doesn't work as well as it once did to cushion the joint. As an example, the extra stress on knees from being overweight can cause damage to knee cartilage. That, in turn, causes the cartilage to wear out faster than normal.

As the cartilage becomes worn, the effect of it cushioning the joint is lost. The result is pain when the joint is moved. Along with the pain, sometimes you may hear a grating sound when the roughened cartilage on the surface of the bones rubs together. Painful spurs or bumps may appear on the end of the bones, especially on the fingers and feet. While inflammation is not a major symptom of osteoarthritis, it may occur in the joint lining as a response to the breakdown of cartilage.

Crutches are not the best approach because you then stop exercising your legs and that's likely to make things worse. Wheeled walkers are excellent for this problem. Some of them even have a built-in seat so you can sit and rest just about anywhere, This type of contraption enables you to have near-normal mobility and may even allow you to use walking as an exercise.

maybe--but if it really is FMs--they may make your arms hurt...
Your pain and fatigue maybe better exp0laind as a result of the arthritis

many docs label any pain as FMS--but it is ually onlythe primary condition--in your case arthritis..

I can't use critches or a cane ---or a manual wheelchair--I have to use a motorized chair for dfistances...

1st--you need to do EXTENSIVE research--and not blindly believe the docs to confrim you really have fms also---and not just arthritis