Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease. It makes the patient suffer from extreme pain throughout the body. Individuals suffering from fibromyalgia suffer from different symptoms such as difficulty in sleeping, exhaustion, high sensitivity to pain, and headache. Fibromyalgia causes deep muscle pain and hurting tender points causing difficult breathing and inactiveness.
Fatigue, stiffness in muscles, mental problems (such as low concentration and memory), and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) which brings stomach ache and irregular bowel movements are some other symptoms that probably indicate fibromyalgia. People with fibromyalgia sleep about 8–10 hours during the night with the need to sleep more. Adequate bed rest doesn’t prove helpful to them.
If you experience symptoms of fibromyalgia, you should ensure to consult a doctor. There are several fibromyalgia treatments available. The common fibromyalgia treatments include medications, change in lifestyle habits, and natural remedies. Specialists may recommend anti-depressants to treat depression and anxiety related to fibromyalgia. Physical therapies, stress reduction, and relaxation exercises also work well to cure fibromyalgia. A single approach doesn’t fit for treatment for fibromyalgia. Medications along with alternatives give wonderful results.
Popular fibromyalgia treatments available:
Fibromyalgia treatments aim to reduce pain, fatigue, and ensure quality sleep.
Exercises: Fibromyalgia indicates poor fitness. People with fibromyalgia are reluctant to do exercises. Practicing aerobic and conditioning exercises to get rid of pain, stress, and anxiety are effective fibromyalgia treatments.
Physical therapy: Physical therapies relax the muscle tension and smoothen the body movements. Stiffness and pain due to fibromyalgia lessen with regular physical therapy sessions. Therapies result in neuroendocrine changes which allow the quick recovery of muscles.
On visiting the physical therapist, they will administer the right exercises for muscle stretching as part of fibromyalgia treatments for the patient. Hydrotherapy, which includes ice or heat packs, relieves pain quickly and more effectively. Follow proper posture and sitting styles. Doing so can reduce fatigue and pain. Physical therapy works effectively to reduce painful effects of fibromyalgia.
Medications: Different kinds of medications are used to treat different symptoms of fibromyalgia. Various controlled drugs are used for controlling sleep disturbances, mood swings, fatigue, and pain.
Anticonvulsants:
FDA-approved, Pregabalin (Lyrica) is an effective medication to lessen pain. However, pregabalin causes dizziness of varying levels (mild to moderate), inflammation, and weight gain. Ensure to consult the doctor before the usage of pregabalin.
Antidepressants:
Elavil or amitriptyline is used as part of fibromyalgia treatments. Duloxetine and Cymbalta are other antidepressants which are effective for the treatment of fibromyalgia. Cymbalta falls in the category of norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Start with a low dosage of Cymbalta. Some possible side-effects include constipation, nausea, dizziness, and dry mouth.
Pain reliever medications:
Naproxen and ibuprofen are good pain relievers. Acetaminophen shows better results for curing pain. Though there aren’t severe side impacts, acetaminophen must be taken only according to the prescription of a doctor. High intake of acetaminophen may cause liver problems.
Muscle relaxants:
Flexeril (cyclobenzaprine) is a powerful muscle relaxant which relieves muscle pain. They prove effective when taken at bedtime.
Steroids:
Steroids reduce the pain along with inflammation. Prednisone is an effective steroid. Steroid injections can also be directly injected muscle spasm. Injections are effective when medications don’t provide relief from fibromyalgia.
The above medications relieve pain to a great extent and ensure restful sleep and reduce the symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Alternative fibromyalgia treatments available:
Many other alternative treatments work wonders to reduce the pain experienced with fibromyalgia. These alternative fibromyalgia treatments prove effective when practiced for a long time. Some of the methods are as follows:
Chiropractic treatment: It reduces the pain intensity caused by fibromyalgia. Chiropractic treatment lessens back pain and increases muscular motions such as of the cervical and lumbar muscles.
Deep tissue massage: Gentle massage strokes increase the blood circulation and relieve long-time existing muscular pain and tension.
Neuromuscular massage: Neuromuscular massage includes special hands-on deep tissue massage. This softens the muscular tissue and reduces the muscle stiffness. This massage helps reduce chronic pain.
Meditation: Meditation improves concentration and relaxation. This brings peace and calm to the body and mind. Meditation also relieves stress and anxiety which is a significant cause of fibromyalgia.
Biofeedback: Biofeedback uses electronic equipment to trace the stress response in the body. It works efficiently to cure the chronic pain and manages the stress control.
Herbal remedies: Lavender, Vitamin B, milk thistle, and black cohosh are some of the powerful home remedies which ensure sound sleep. These herbal supplements help the patients to overcome anxiety and sleep-related disorders.
Natural diet supplements: Diet supplements such as L-carnitine, probiotics, 5-HTP, and melatonin provide high relief for fibromyalgia. You can get the doctor’s recommendation before using natural diet supplements.
Tai Chi and Qi Gong are some of the Chinese therapies which prove beneficial to reduce the fibromyalgia symptoms.
It is advisable to visit the doctor if you find symptoms of fibromyalgia. Take the medications prescribed by the doctor along with therapies and natural remedies to get rid of chronic fibromyalgia.