Is Your House Causing Fibromyalgia Flare-ups?

Is your house causing fibromyalgia flare-ups?

One of the suspected causes of fibromyalgia is a compromised immune system. If your house, your car, your work place or any building you find yourself in is “sick” then chances are your immune system is being challenged and your fibromyalgia pain is heightened!

Wherever you go, you will find buildings that contain unhealthy levels of air pollution. I am not talking just about smog (although that is part of it) I am talking about bad air! Bad air is everywhere and buildings are traps for it. Mildew, smoke, dust, pollens and germs are part of the poor air quality. But, did you know that you and your family are the biggest contributors of a “sick home”? In other words, you may be adding to your fibromyalgia pain.

Human contaminants come in the form of sweat, air expelled from your lungs, saliva, urine and fecal waste/gas. Your shoes track in just about anything you can think of too. Colds and flu, contaminated surfaces like your phones, computer or countertops, unclean foods or improperly washed utensils are but a few of the many culprits of a “sick house”.

You cannot completely escape from these pollutants and contaminates but you can do something about them in your home. And when you do, you are helping your immune system to work smarter and with less stress thus helping to keep your fibromyalgia under control.

Start by cleaning your house thoroughly. I know that this is difficult for many of us who suffer from fibromyalgia but get help where possible.

1.  Steam clean your carpets at least twice a year and your air ducts once a year. Shop around for an honest and qualified company and get it done right. Hepa filters are good but they cannot and will not catch everything
2. Clean and disinfect your walls and fixtures four times a year.
3. Keep the air circulating in your house 24 hours a day. Use fans where you can and consider the purchase of ionizer fans.
4. Use Lysol or similar disinfectant products regularly and on multiple surfaces.
5. Wash your waste baskets out monthly and consider replacing them annually.
6. You may want to consider purchasing a product called Odor Away and use as directed. This actually helps to absorb pollutants right out of the air.
7. Thoroughly clean your food containers, including canned foods (they often have dust, insect and rodent waste on the top and side of the cans) before use. Never cross use knives or cutting boards. Keep your refrigerator and freezer clean!
8. Wash you hands often for heaven’s sake!

Keeping fibromyalgia under control is a constant but necessary battle. These are but a few small steps that you can take to improve the air quality and common areas of contaminants found in your home and improve your chances against fibromyalgia flare-ups. You may want to search the internet for other good or better suggestions as well. Whatever you do, be sure to stay vigilant and keep your house safe.

(Dr. Mark E. Lee is a practicing chiropractic physician and fibromyalgia doctor. His Chiropractic clinic is located in Mesa, AZ. For more information regarding chiropractic and fibromyalgia please call email Dr. Lee at www.drlee@drmlee.com)