What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is characterized by an enveloping pain that is not localized to a single region of the body.
The pain differs in severity from individual to individual, but it produces concentrated points of sensitivity known as tender points.
Additionally, subjects with this condition develop sleep disturbances that complicate the condition by disrupting many of the body’s processes, along with severe fatigue that impedes both memory and concentration.
The sobering realization is that one or more of these symptoms may burgeon into myriad other symptoms. For example, the sleep deprivation resulting from the intense muscle pain and stiffness may produce mood disturbances and disorganized thinking, along with anxiety and depression. Treatment is absolutely imperative in terms of mitigating the presence of this condition.
This condition is complicated by varying factors, and has been known to mimic the searing pain experienced by arthritis sufferers. For this reason, professionals have in some cases misclassified fibromyalgia by putting it in the same category as arthritis.
The key distinction between fibromyalgia and arthritis, bursitis and tendinitis is that while the latter conditions have focal points of severe pain, fibromyalgia immerses the entire body in pain.
This gives rise to a disabling impact on the sufferer. Bed rest often proves ineffective, and weakness and exhaustion continue to intensify. For this reason, even after a full night of rest, the sufferer may feel as if they have not slept at all.
Treatments
Which treatments afford patients with the highest level of effectiveness? This is highly contingent on the gender, genetic makeup, and disease severity of the patient. However, generally speaking, the most effective treatments focus on muscle pain and tender points. Additionally, any treatment that reduces stress, anxiety, insomnia and depression can provide the fibromyalgia sufferer with significant relief.
While no cure currently exists for this disease, a plethora of treatments are available. Treatment recommendations require patients to integrate healthy lifestyle changes with holistic methods (if they so choose), physical therapy and conventional medical treatments. Refer to the following list for a decisive course of treatment options to take:
Aerobic exercise has been said to bolster energy levels, minimize the effects of fatigue, alleviate painful symptoms and even permit more fulfilling nights of rest. Aerobic exercise has also been associated with a more elevated mood.
According to a multitude of different studies, research likens aerobic exercise to a potent medical treatment, in terms of its overall effectiveness. It has been said that exercise is one of the most salient treatments for this disease. While many patients with this disease avoid exercise for fear of pain and injury, exercise is crucial. One of the reasons why exercise produces such noticeable effects is because it helps synthesize endorphins, which functions as nature’s most affordable painkillers.
They’re produced directly in the body and released into the bloodstream during and after an exercise session. It is recommended that sufferers of this condition start slowly and gradually increase the intensity and duration of their exercise regimen to avoid injury.
Physical therapy is a commonly-prescribed method for treating fibromyalgia. Among its many effects, it has been said to counteract both pain and stiffness. An established, physical therapy regimen with a qualified professional can reacquaint one with healthy bodily movement and good posture, which can help to reduce wear and tear on already-sore muscles.
A good physical therapist can teach you how to stretch for maximum pain relief and reduce the amount of pain-management medication you need.
Various drugs can be prescribed in order to treat this condition with the utmost effectiveness. The American Pain Society has indicated the preferred initial treatment is to administer antidepressants. These medications can enhance pain management, counteract depression and fatigue, and normalize sleep cycles.
FDA-approved anticonvulsant drugs can actually mitigate pain and increase mobility in some people. Although such medications are sometimes associated with dizziness, pain and weight gain, they can treat this condition.
Medications that improve sleep cycles and minimize sleep disturbances may reduce fibromyalgia symptoms significantly. For example, specific antidepressants can produce this effect when they are taken in specific quantities before bedtime. However, there is a widespread consensus that sleeping pills are highly ineffective in the context of treating this disease.
Anti-inflammatory drugs, including NSAIDS, do not minimize fibromyalgia symptoms in any capacity. This is because inflammation is not the cause of the symptoms in this disease. Conversely, acetaminophen has proven effective in terms of mitigating pain.
Muscle relaxers have been said to alleviate pain, especially the painful muscle aches and tender spots that are characteristic of fibromyalgia. While orally ingested steroids produce no effect in fibromyalgia patients, they do improve symptoms when injected directly into the muscle experiencing the pain or spasm.
Alternatively, cognitive behavioral therapy is used to address the mental and emotional aspects of this condition. Acupuncture is believed to interact with energy pathways and alter the brain’s chemistry. In this sense, it can interfere with relevant pain pathways and produce a more favorable response. Chiropractic practices have been said to reduce pain and increase mobility.
Furthermore, deep tissue massage can alleviate stiffness, muscle tension and enhance circulation. Neuromuscular massage is a practice that applies eastern medical philosophies, such as shiatsu or acupressure. Biofeedback facilitates one’s ability to management their reaction to pain and reduce its impact on their happiness and sense of control over their lives.
While meditation possesses only a few, conceivable pain reduction properties, it does alleviate the depression and anxiety associated with this disease. It is believed that specific herbal remedies may contribute to pain management of this condition, as well.
These remedies include Echinacea, black cohosh, and lavender. Dietary supplements can infuse the body with much-needed vitamins and nutrients, which can then facilitate serotonin production, muscular healing and recovery and pain management.
A healthy diet that excludes foods associated with mood and sleep disturbances should be adopted in an effort to control fibromyalgia symptoms as much as possible. For example, diets high in unhealthy fats like trans-fats should be strictly avoided.
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