lady gaga put fibromyalgia in the spotlight

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the singer and actress revealed that she lived with chronic pain in 2013, and in 2017, she publicly connected the pain to fibromyalgia.

by kelly buell

published sep 02, 2022

last updated may 25, 2023

2 minute read

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2 minute read

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when celebrities reveal health conditions it helps raise awareness

(files) in this file photo taken on april 03, 2022, us singer-songwriter lady gaga arrives for the 64th annual grammy awards at the mgm grand garden arena in las vegas. - us authorities on july 20, 2022, were searching for the suspect accused of shooting lady gaga's dog walker in 2021, months after he was accidentally released from custody. (photo by angela weiss / afp) (photo by angela weiss/afp via getty images)

lady gaga, whose real name is stefani joanne angelina germanotta, is a lot of things: actress, singer and songwriter. she is also known for her philanthropy and activism, raising awareness of mental health and the prevention of bullying. but gaga has also played an important role in starting a dialogue around what it’s like to live with fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, memory and sleep issues. according to statistics canada, about three per cent of canadians live with fibromyalgia — that’s roughly 900,000 people.

gaga first revealed that she lived with chronic pain in 2013, according to the bbc, but in 2017, she publicly connected the pain to fibromyalgia on twitter, the symptoms of which patients say are often dismissed by health-care professionals because of their vagueness. in fact, she has repeatedly shared her frustration over the fact that people struggling with the condition are often not believed. she even spoke to oprah about it.

“i get so irritated with people who don’t believe fibromyalgia is real,” gaga told vogue. “for me, and i think for many others, it’s really a cyclone of anxiety, depression, ptsd, trauma, and panic disorder, all of which sends the nervous system into overdrive, and then you have nerve pain as a result.”

gaga also used her documentary, gaga: five foot two, to raise awareness of the fact that the symptoms of fibromyalgia are actually very real.

in our documentary the #chronicillness #chronicpain i deal w/ is #fibromyalgia i wish to help raise awareness & connect people who have it.
— lady gaga (@ladygaga) september 12, 2017

while gaga has described her symptoms as muscle tightness, spasms as well as paranoia and fear, signs of fibromyalgia can also include trouble with bowel movements, chronic fatigue, and inability to focus.

there’s no cure for fibromyalgia

fibromyalgia has no known cure but symptoms are typically managed, according to the mayo clinic, by a combination of medication, like antidepressants, anti-seizure drugs and pain relievers, and other strategies, such as physical and occupational therapy and counselling.

support and resources for people living with fibromyalgia

fibromyalgia association canada and the canadian spondylitis association | fibromyalgia offer education and other resources for people with fibromyalgia, as well ways to connect with people who share their experience.

kelly buell is a an ottawa-based writer.

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