Fibromyalgia is a common condition that affects more than 5 million people in the United States and many more worldwide. It causes extreme pain with increased sensitivity to touch. The affected spent most of their day in excruciating agony. As with most medical conditions, where you live affects the intensity of your condition. So changing places might help you in easing your symptoms.
The factors that play a role are Wind, Pressure, Humidity, Precipitation, and Temperature. Depending on these factors, some places can reduce stress and symptoms whereas others can cause an increase. We shared with our Facebook community “Living with fibromyalgia & Chronic Illness” that tell us the best places and worst places to live and then asked the community what they thought about it and how does the place where they live affects their condition.
Their responses are shared below on our website Fibromyalgia Resources with the hope that these responses might help someone struggling with fibromyalgia in their current location and are looking to move or as in any case they ever need it. These suggestions can also be used for vacation and you can enjoy quality time without worrying about the symptoms flare-up.
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Here is what community shared with us related to Best places for fibromyalgia patients:
1. Supposedly Arizona is really dry and it’s the best place for people with chronic pain issues like RA and fibro. Arizona is my heaven and we think it’s therapeutic.. Places like Tucson, Sierra Vista AZ. – Lacy L, Danielle S, Kelley L, Beth A
> i. Arizona is my heaven. I go 2x a year and I’m pain free once I’m above 5000′ elevation. I live in North Georgia and suffer daily. The high desert in Arizona & New Mexico are my favs. – Cathey H
> ii. My friend keeps telling me to move to Arizona where they are. Says she is the best she has ever been. I live in Maine. Three seasons are not all that horrible, unless we get rain. Winter is horrible. Right now it is 0 degrees out and the wind is rough giving us a -8 to -15 depending where you are. Can’t even get inside the house comfortable. – Duska H
2. I live on the water (a lake) down South in Lucedale, MS. We bought this house & moved here 2 years ago from a very busy crazy chaotic crime filled city life in Alabama. My health is one of the reasons we moved to the country and on the water. It has been a huge blessing!!!! It’s so quiet and calm and peaceful. Soothing to my soul. – Dale L
3. Madeira, an autonomous region of Portugal, would be ideal Nice warm not hot weather all year round – Maureen M
4. When in Greece, swim everyday the dry heat…hardly any symptoms. So my recommendations is Greece for vacations or permanent home or – Hellyn D
5. I lived in Texas and the heat made it worse for me! So we moved to Oregon last year and I feel a lot better even with all the snow we are getting – Shannon S
6. Daytona Beach, Florida’s Atlantic coast is love for me. – Sharon M
7. I just returned from a visit to the Bahamas. ??? And it does not exaggerate my symptoms – Timothy T
8. I was first diagnosed with arthritis when living in Orlando. Then I moved to the Phoenix Scottsdale area and my arthritis basically disappeared. Only stayed there about a year and a half in the mid 90s because of the lack of jobs. And how expensive it was to live there. I need up moving back to Southern California where I was born and raised.
My pain was still very minimal compared to Orlando. That is till I got cancer the first time and ended up with fibromyalgia, neuropathy, Amber situs along with my arthritis and tendinitis were much much worse. But that wasn’t because of the weather that was because the chemo.
I love Southern California and in general the weather most of the time. I lived most of my life in LA County about 20 miles south of LA. But I do you live now in the high desert of San Bernardino County. Where I live it is much safer and I love the weather but sometimes it’s very hard on my arthritis. -Cheryl L
9. I love living in the desert. We live above palm springs and love the temperature. I live in Yucca valley. I love it here. The weather is almost perfect. – Missi S
10. Italy, the weather changes seldom and temps are nice all year round – Angel V.
11. The lakes in the UK aren’t, too cold, too wet and too windy. So near lakes are good place to live or spend some quality time – Lee F
12. I live in Hobart Tasmania not too bad but does get a bit cold – Wendy S
13. I live in Chula Vista California and the weather is good for my fibromyalgia and my lupus – Errica T
13. Anywhere on east coast would have too much humidity. Doctors tell me NW is equally bad. Dry weather such as Arizona is recommended. Now I have Sjogrens as well, ugh, it causes dryness of eyes, mouth etc etc. I live in the NE and I stay inside a lot… – Vic L
14. Some where warm with very little weather changes. Arizona is where most people recommend. Dry heat is the best. – June F
15. Western north Carolina works for me. Even winter is not harsh here. –Jennifer C
16. I like where I live except for winter. We get warm 80-90 summers with no humidity, but winters are too cold. I’m in eastern Washington. On our side of the mountain ranges we have the full four seasons unlike our west coast side (Seattle) – Jamie M
17. Southern CA is the best climate for pain. But pricey. I love living in Long Beach, Eduardo Garcia, Palm beach is the best. Southern California is perfect all year long with no humidity. But earthquakes…. better than winter. – Christine B, Tracia A, Patricia R
18. I am from New Mexico and I love it but it was too hot for me there. I live in Colorado now. The winters can get really cold but really its only a few weeks out of the year. The rest of the year the weather is amazing. Dry not too hot. Vry rarely hits 100. Cools off rt away when the sun goes down. Spring and Fall are just beautiful. Never humid unless its raining. I love it here. Oh, no bugs hardly. Lovely. – Jacqueline G
19. We recently moved to North Dakota & while winter can be bitterly cold, summer and fall are amazing. -Kimberly H
20. Florida has been a life saver for me with the Fibro. humidity isn’t as much of an issue if you’re near the coastline. Humidity can be survived if you can stay in with ac. Get out in the sun for some Vit D .- Lisa Z, Lynn M, Debbie E, Robin T.
Read the summed up article here “8 Best Places for fibromyalgia Patients“
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Worst Places to Live With Fibromyalgia
Few of our community members also shared their opinion on the places that are not suitable for them and exaggerate the fibromyalgia symptoms. Mostly due to heat sensitivity, weather effects
1. I live in Canada it’s the worst for pain when it’s really cold ? and when it’s hot ? with the humidity. – Valerie
2. I live in Scotland the cold is killing me a little more every day … . – Joyce
3. Not New Jersey, USA. Problem with the recommendations here is co infections or co diseases may not like the warm sunny climate. – Amanda C
4. Not Essex UK. Although the sun is shining this morning ? – Beverley M
5. Certainly not Aberdeen ,Scotland – cold and damp most of the time – Amanda M
6. Not Wilmington N.C. I’m here and it’s horrible for my fibro. Diagnosis 2001. Born and raised here. Beach to downtown. Weather is bi polar. Really affects my pain. Also Doctors here don’t care – Helen E
7. I live in El Paso and I don’t think it’s one of the best places to live. – Yvette
8. I live in Ohio and it is so bad – Donna P
9. Don’t Move to Kentucky. I will finally start feeling better in May. By June it will be so humid and hot that I’m sick again. May and early fall Is when I feel good. Everything else is either too hot or too cold for my fibromyalgia. – Jewel E
10. Don’t come North! I live in Ohio. The barometer fluctuations are not bearable. It’s hell living here. – Monia L, Crystal M, Sami J, Laura D
11. Â I live in north central Alberta, the winters here kill me. Along with humidity. We spent the first week of March in Las Vegas and my fibro disappeared. I was like a new person down there. – Shelby M
12.  I do NOT recommend Western New York…. barometer is all over the place because of the Great Lakes and storm systems. – Lynda B
Mostly people said that the places with sudden temperate swings, barometer changes and unsuitability is not suitable. Humidity intensify the fibromyalgia symptoms and Cold is also not good for fibromyalgia patients.
Also Read:
> Heat Stroke and Dehydration with fibromyalgia
> Best Summer drinks for fibromyalgia Patients
> Cold Survival with fibromyalgia and Chronic Illness
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