There are many medications and exercised that can help those with fibromyalgia to reduce their pain and the severity of their chronic pain.
The pain from fibromyalgia often displays itself in the shoulders, back, neck and other similar areas like the lower back. These are areas where muscles are highly concentrated.
Muscles can contain nodules called myofascial trigger points, which are points that cause pain not only in that specific area but also in surrounding areas. These can cause pain to be diverted to other areas nearby.
There are many ways to work on easing muscle pain associated with fibromyalgia. These are important because chronic pain that is uncontrolled can lead to a variety of other issues, including mental health concerns.
People with fibromyalgia have to deal with issues of pain, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. This does not happen in all cases, but in a great number of them.
People who are dealing with chronic pain can easily become depressed, as they are not able to be as mobile and social as they once were.
They may find themselves staying in rather than socializing with friends, and may also be so fatigued that they can barely get out of bed to enjoy the days activities.
There are various alternative treatments to chronic pain from fibromyalgia.
Massage is used to treat chronic pain and to reduce muscle achiness. Massage can be done at home or in a professional setting.
A professional masseuse should be educated in the condition of fibromyalgia and should be prepared to treat trigger points and muscle soreness, while working gently. Massage at home can be done regularly and easily.
Many people like to use a tennis ball to roll on their sore muscles to alleviate pain. This is a good technique because it does not put too much pressure on the muscles, but rather works them from all sides and releases some tension.
Massage can be done after a warm bath or shower, which will loosen muscle tension and will allow more tension to be worked out. Osteopaths are trained in physical therapy for muscles, and can be of great help. They can do massage and other trigger point therapies.
Stretching and exercise is a great way to reduce pain and increase flexibility. Yoga is a stretching exercise that can be done to increase flexibility of muscles and to release tension. Yoga is also great for stress relief.
There are many different types of yoga, but those with fibromyalgia should choose a gentle or restorative yoga class. These classes will be relaxing and will focus more on stretching in a casual and relaxed class pace.
It is important to talk to the instructor before taking a class to ensure that it will be easy and gentle. The teacher can also give modification that will be easier on people with fibromyalgia and specific pain points.
Acupuncture is a therapy that is 2500 years old and is from Chinese tradition. This can be used for stress relief, as it induces relaxation. The practice releases the qi energy to create a healing energy in the body. Acupuncture is supported by the NIH to assist in relieving the pains of fibromyalgia.
Trigger point therapies are very popular as they treat the direct source of the pain. Trigger point injections occur when a needle with anesthetic (lidocaine) is inserted into the center of the trigger point. This essentially blocks the pain that is being transmitted from the trigger point both at that point and to other parts of the body.
This injection loosens the knots and tightness. Low level laser therapy is a non-invasive therapy in which lasers are used to treat the tight areas and trigger points that are most painful.
Stretching with heat and coolant can be effective for increase muscle movement and reducing pain. Muscles should be stretched after heat is applied, so there is more give from the muscles and so they can stretch more easily rather than tearing or getting tighter.
It is important not to stretch too far and hard at first, but rather to start with gentle stretching and slowing increase pressure and range.
All of these methods can be tried by people with fibromyalgia, as different treatments will prove to work differently for different people. Some people may do best with massage while others many need the slightly more invasive trigger point injection treatment.
There are treatments to ease the pain of fibromyalgia, and it is important to explore these options with a doctor to find the best treatment for each individual.
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