As different muscles begin to weaken due to the genetic fault others need to work harder to maintain function. This can cause significant imbalances in the muscles pulling on joints, creating misalignments and causing pain. People with FSHD may experiencing cramping and muscle spasms which can be very painful. In addition, many people with FSHD report inflammation as an issue which causes pain.

Pain management is extremely important with any chronic condition, and there are specialists and pain management clinics available to help you best identify what is causing you pain and the best way to manage it. Pain is not an inevitable consequence of FSHD. It is important to remember that. You do not need to put up with being in pain simply because you have a chronic condition. Pain can have far reaching consequences on your emotions and can severely impact your daily life.

There are a lot of treatments that are available. Pain is a highly subjective sensation, so what works for pain relief for one person may not have an effect for another. Non-pharmacological methods such as cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness can be as effective as analgesics. Explore the possibilities with your health professional. NPS MedicineWise has an excellent resource for chronic pain management which can be found here.