Many with fibromyalgia experience a fever-like feeling, but there is something you can do to help alleviate this.
If you have fibromyalgia and feel like you have a fever, this doesn’t mean you actually have a fever.
“Although people with fibromyalgia often feel feverish, they normally have low temperatures under 98,” says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, medical director of the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers nationally, and author of “The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution.”
“I consider anything over 98.6 to be a fever in fibromyalgia,” he continues. “If chronic persistent temperatures over 98.6 are present, I look for evidence of infections (e.g., sinus, dental, lung or bladder).”
You can have one of these infections and not even know it, other than being aware of the fever feeling.
“For sinusitis, treatment with antifungals are necessary, as this is the root cause of sinusitis,” says Dr. Teitelbaum.
In people with this pain disorder who feel as though they have a fever, there is usually no infection source to be found, adds Dr. Teitelbaum.
“In these cases I do recommend an empiric trial of the antibiotics doxycycline or Zithromax for six weeks to see if it helps the fibromyalgia.
“Also, have you ever had a course of antibiotics that also improved your fibromyalgia symptoms?
“I am amazed at how often the answer is yes, but then the doctor refuses to repeat the antibiotics.”
For these particular cases, Dr. Teitelbaum prescribes an extension for the antibiotic that had improved the symptoms of the mysterious pain disorder.
is a board certified internist and nationally known expert in the fields of fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep and pain.
