How has fibromyalgia affected one of the best-selling musical artists of the 21st century?
In “Gaga: Five Foot Two,” a documentary published on Netflix this month, Lady Gaga describes the pain that has characterized her life with fibromyalgia for the past half decade.
“I have pursued this pain for five years,” said Gaga. “It can still be me, and when I feel the adrenaline, my music and my fans, I can leave. But that does not mean I do not have pain. “
Between clips of essays, performances and sincere comments about her work and her personal life, Gaga allows the audience to see flashes of her pain.
In one scene, she lies on a couch crying, describing the muscle spasms that shake her body.
In another, she prepares for a round of injections in her doctor’s office, while her makeup team helps her prepare for an interview that same day.
“Who does makeup while they receive important body treatment?” He asks.
For Gaga and others, that kind of multitasking can be critical to their ability to pursue their ambitions while facing the pain that fibromyalgia causes.
Generalized chronic pain
Fibromyalgia affects approximately two percent of people in the United States.
It is characterized by chronic widespread pain and tender spots throughout the body.
“For some people, the pain feels debilitating,” Dr. Kevin Hackshaw, an associate professor in the Division of Rheumatology and Immunology at Ohio State University, told Healthline.
It can also cause a variety of other symptoms, such as chronic fatigue, sleep disturbances, mental confusion and headaches.
Although fibromyalgia is not progressive, its symptoms fluctuate over time, worsening during periods of exacerbation known as “outbreaks.”
Physical and psychological stressors are common triggers of rashes.
“If I get depressed, my body can suffer spasms,” says Gaga in the opening scenes of the film.
In October 2018, Vogue published a problem that was launched in the fight of the 32-year-old pop star with fibromyalgia.
“I’m so irritated by people who do not believe that fibromyalgia is real,” said the singer. “For me, and I think for many others, it’s really a cyclone of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, trauma and panic disorder, all of which causes the nervous system to become overloaded, and as a result it has nerve pain” .
” People need to be more compassionate. Chronic pain is not a joke . And every day he wakes up without knowing how you’re going to feel . “
By showing her experiences, the singer hopes to help raise awareness about fibromyalgia and connect people who face similar challenges.
Contented Disease
While fibromyalgia can occur at any age, it is more common among older adults.
It is also more common among women than men.
The exact cause of the condition is unknown.
Historically, many medical professionals have treated it as a psychosomatic condition without a physical cause.
