Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Itching Feels LikeCausesWhen to See a ProviderTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Itching Feels Like
Causes
When to See a Provider
Treatment
The itchiness associated withfibromyalgiais known as a neuropathic itch. It is a specific type of itch that stems from an injury to nerves of thecentral nervous system(involving the brain and spinal cord) and/or theperipheral nervous system(involving nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord). Neuropathic itchiness can sometimes be severe and difficult to treat.
The itch complicates the widespread neuropathic pain associated with fibromyalgia. Scratching the itch only serves to intensify the pain. With the appropriate treatment, including antidepressants like Cymbalta (duloxetine) and antiseizure drugs like Lyrica (pregabalin), both can be relieved.
This article describes what a fibromyalgia itch feels like, the causes, and what you and your healthcare provider can do to treat it.
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The 8 Types of Fibromyalgia Pain
What Fibromyalgia Itching Feels Like
An itch (also known aspruritus) is a commonplace event that occurs when receptors in the skin (callednociceptors) are stimulated.
The general medical consensus is that a fibromyalgia itch is neuropathic (although the exact cause of this is only starting to be understood).
With fibromyalgia, the itch manifests in a specific way:
Causes of Fibromyalgia Itching
The exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown but is believed to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors. However, scientists do have a pretty strong understanding of how neuropathic itches develop.
At its heart, neuropathic itch and neuropathic pain are both manifestations of an abnormal condition of the nervous system known ascentral sensitization.
Central sensitization is a process in which the central nervous system undergoes changes that alter the way it processes pain and other sensory stimuli. It is believed to be the underlying mechanism that gives rise to fibromyalgia as well as a related condition known aschronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).
With fibromyalgia itching, a specific type of nociceptor called a “silent nociceptor” is involved. As opposed to mechanosensitive nociceptors that respond to mechanical, thermal, or chemical stimuli, silent nociceptors are only activated duringinflammationor tissue injury somewhere in the body.
A 2014 study in theAnnals of Neurologyfound that while mechanosensitive nociceptors in people with fibromyalgia behaved normally, silent nociceptors were “hyperexcitable” in more than three out of four people with fibromyalgia.
It is unclear what activates these “silent” receptors, but experts suspect that it may be the same things thought to trigger fibromyalgia pain. Theories include:
Can a Rash Be a Symptom of Fibromyalgia?
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Recent studies have found a link between a delayed diagnosis of fibromyalgia and a reduced response to fibromyalgia treatments.What this means is that if you think you have the symptoms of fibromyalgia, it is in your interest to see a healthcare provider sooner rather than later when the condition may be more treatable.
Treatment for Fibromyalgia Itching
There are at-home remedies and medical treatments that may help ease fibromyalgia itching. There is no cure for fibromyalgia, so treatments are focused on relieving symptoms.
Home Remedies
One of the best ways to cope with fibromyalgia symptoms is to regularly engage in low-intensity exercises. Physical activity can help elevate moods, relieve stress that contributes to symptoms, and release chemicals calledendorphinsthat help “mute” pain signals.
Examples of low-intensity exercises include:
Medications
Other prescription drugs may be used in the treatment of fibromyalgia, including:
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)In addition to medications, a form of talk therapy calledcognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)is frequently used to support fibromyalgia treatment. CBT helps people identify and avoid behaviors that can aggravate fibromyalgia symptoms (such as “catastrophizing” pain rather than accepting pain and learning to live with it).
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
In addition to medications, a form of talk therapy calledcognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)is frequently used to support fibromyalgia treatment. CBT helps people identify and avoid behaviors that can aggravate fibromyalgia symptoms (such as “catastrophizing” pain rather than accepting pain and learning to live with it).
Summary
Topical treatments and oral painkillers may help relieve a fibromyalgia itch. Antidepressants, anti-epilepsy drugs, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can also be very effective.
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9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Shah SM, Golpania RS. Hashimoto T, et al.Itch intensity and characteristics in fibromyalgia patients in an outpatient rheumatology clinic.Itch5(2):p e33, April-June 2020. doi:10.1097/itx.0000000000000033American Academy of Family Physicians.Pruritis.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.What makes us itch?Harte SE, Harris RE, Clauw DJ.The neurobiology of central sensitization.J Appl Behav Res. 2018;23(2). doi:10.1111/jabr.12137Serra J, Collado A, Sola R, et al.Hyperexcitable C nociceptors in fibromyalgia.Ann Neurol.2014 Feb;75(2):196-208. doi:10.1002/ana.24065Qureshi AG, Jha SK, Iskander J, et al.Diagnostic challenges and management of fibromyalgia.Cureus.2021 Oct;13(10):e18692. doi:10.7759/cureus.18692Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fibromyalgia.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Fibromyalgia.Bernardy K, Klose P, Welsch P, Häuser W.Efficacy, acceptability and safety of cognitive behavioural therapies in fibromyalgia syndrome - A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Eur J Pain. 2018 Oct;22(2):242-260. doi:10.1002/ejp.1121
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Shah SM, Golpania RS. Hashimoto T, et al.Itch intensity and characteristics in fibromyalgia patients in an outpatient rheumatology clinic.Itch5(2):p e33, April-June 2020. doi:10.1097/itx.0000000000000033American Academy of Family Physicians.Pruritis.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.What makes us itch?Harte SE, Harris RE, Clauw DJ.The neurobiology of central sensitization.J Appl Behav Res. 2018;23(2). doi:10.1111/jabr.12137Serra J, Collado A, Sola R, et al.Hyperexcitable C nociceptors in fibromyalgia.Ann Neurol.2014 Feb;75(2):196-208. doi:10.1002/ana.24065Qureshi AG, Jha SK, Iskander J, et al.Diagnostic challenges and management of fibromyalgia.Cureus.2021 Oct;13(10):e18692. doi:10.7759/cureus.18692Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fibromyalgia.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Fibromyalgia.Bernardy K, Klose P, Welsch P, Häuser W.Efficacy, acceptability and safety of cognitive behavioural therapies in fibromyalgia syndrome - A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Eur J Pain. 2018 Oct;22(2):242-260. doi:10.1002/ejp.1121
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Shah SM, Golpania RS. Hashimoto T, et al.Itch intensity and characteristics in fibromyalgia patients in an outpatient rheumatology clinic.Itch5(2):p e33, April-June 2020. doi:10.1097/itx.0000000000000033American Academy of Family Physicians.Pruritis.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.What makes us itch?Harte SE, Harris RE, Clauw DJ.The neurobiology of central sensitization.J Appl Behav Res. 2018;23(2). doi:10.1111/jabr.12137Serra J, Collado A, Sola R, et al.Hyperexcitable C nociceptors in fibromyalgia.Ann Neurol.2014 Feb;75(2):196-208. doi:10.1002/ana.24065Qureshi AG, Jha SK, Iskander J, et al.Diagnostic challenges and management of fibromyalgia.Cureus.2021 Oct;13(10):e18692. doi:10.7759/cureus.18692Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fibromyalgia.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Fibromyalgia.Bernardy K, Klose P, Welsch P, Häuser W.Efficacy, acceptability and safety of cognitive behavioural therapies in fibromyalgia syndrome - A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Eur J Pain. 2018 Oct;22(2):242-260. doi:10.1002/ejp.1121
Shah SM, Golpania RS. Hashimoto T, et al.Itch intensity and characteristics in fibromyalgia patients in an outpatient rheumatology clinic.Itch5(2):p e33, April-June 2020. doi:10.1097/itx.0000000000000033
American Academy of Family Physicians.Pruritis.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.What makes us itch?
Harte SE, Harris RE, Clauw DJ.The neurobiology of central sensitization.J Appl Behav Res. 2018;23(2). doi:10.1111/jabr.12137
Serra J, Collado A, Sola R, et al.Hyperexcitable C nociceptors in fibromyalgia.Ann Neurol.2014 Feb;75(2):196-208. doi:10.1002/ana.24065
Qureshi AG, Jha SK, Iskander J, et al.Diagnostic challenges and management of fibromyalgia.Cureus.2021 Oct;13(10):e18692. doi:10.7759/cureus.18692
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fibromyalgia.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Fibromyalgia.
Bernardy K, Klose P, Welsch P, Häuser W.Efficacy, acceptability and safety of cognitive behavioural therapies in fibromyalgia syndrome - A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Eur J Pain. 2018 Oct;22(2):242-260. doi:10.1002/ejp.1121
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