It can be really difficult to diagnose fibromyalgia. Its cause is still unknown to us, we cannot prevent it in the real sense of the word and, on top of everything, it shows so many symptoms and it is sometimes so similar to other medical conditions that it feels almost impossible to even be able to define what fibromyalgia is.
Put in very simplistic terms (but which do not cover the wide range of symptoms fibromyalgia can bring with it), this syndrome is characterized by widespread pain. Some experience pain in certain areas of the body. However, in general, the pain is not localized (not like in the case of arthritis – or at least not so if the patient is not diagnosed with arthritis as well).
Why Is Fibromyalgia so Enigmatic?
The cause that leads to fibromyalgia is a complete mystery. There are some studies that have been made and they have brought forward certain theories with regards to what may be causing this syndrome, but other than that it is really difficult to explain how such a wide range of symptoms can occur in the patients’ bodies.
Sometimes, the symptoms are not even considered to be symptoms proper, but risk factors and co-morbid conditions, which makes everything even more complicated than it already is.
Irritable bladder, irritable bowels, headaches, arthritis, joint pain, swelling, fatigue, depression, anxiety, stiffness when waking up, sensitivity to light, medication, food and odors and a long list of many other symptoms can arise when fibromyalgia develops. As mentioned, some of these sometimes overlap almost completely on other medical conditions’ range of symptoms, which makes the diagnosis very difficult.
If diagnosing fibromyalgia is mysterious, its causes are even more enigmatic. Some say that fibromyalgia develops due to certain genes in the human body which are responsible with the way in which we perceive pain.
Furthermore, it has been noticed that people born in families with fibromyalgia are more at risk to develop it too, so there must be a connection between genetics and how this syndrome appears.
Furthermore, there are other scientists who say that fibromyalgia is the result of depression. In this case, the pain the patients feel develops largely due to the fact that the endorphin and serotonin levels in the body are very low, which can make pain feel worse. Even more than that, lack of sleep can also influence whether a person gets fibromyalgia as well because this can influence the intensity at which people feel pain.
What Treatment Can Be Applied?
Fibromyalgia is not curable in any way, but it can be successfully managed with the help of the various forms of treatment available out there. Medication and following doctor’s recommendations can really go a long way when it comes to dealing with the pain and with the other symptoms associated with this syndrome.
There are three types of drugs that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. for treating fibromyalgia. Lyrica is the first one, but it was initially created to treat diabetes nerve pain, seizures and shingles rashes.
Cymbalta is the second drug that got approved by the FDA to treat fibromyalgia and it too was initially created for other purposes: nerve pain, depression and anxiety. Last, but not least, Savella is a drug similar in nature to Cymbalta and which has been created from the very beginning with the purpose of treating fibromyalgia.
While these drugs have been proven to be quite effective when it comes to treating fibromyalgia, the mechanism according to which they function is unknown (it has been suggested that they increase the levels of certain neurotransmitters in the human brain, by this making pain feel less intense).
Even more, they are anti-depressant in nature (especially Cymbalta and Savella) and they can show the same side effects as anti-depression: insomnia, sleepiness, excessive sweating, thinking about death, weight gain or weight loss and so on.
Natural Treatments for Fibromyalgia: What You Should Definitely Know
There are some forms of natural treatment for fibromyalgia too, but you really have to keep in mind certain things related to these. Here are the most important facts you should know about fibromyalgia natural treatment:
1- In most of the cases, they are considered to be complementary treatments, and this means that, if your symptoms are very difficult to handle, you may have to call for the help of certain kinds of medication too.
2- Yoga, meditation and acupuncture can alleviate the pain, the stress levels and a series of other symptoms associated with fibromyalgia too. If you do pick one of these Eastern practices up or if you decide to attend acupuncture sessions, make sure that you always go with trained professionals who know how to deal with people suffering from chronic pain and fibromyalgia.
3- 5-HTP could be the very best alternative to anti-depressive medication. It is considered to be a very good natural amino-acid which can help with the release of the neurotransmitters responsible with “feeling good”.
4- SAMe is something that can be found naturally in the human body too and it is believed to work in a similar way to 5-HTP. Research has shown that it could work very well in the treatment of fibromyalgia.
5- Manual lymph drainage therapy. The lymph system in the human body is considered to be responsible with getting us rid of all the toxins we gather. Manual lymph drainage therapy is a type of massage that helps moving lymph fluid better and it has been shown to be efficient in treating fibromyalgia symptoms too.
6- There are many other types of home remedies and natural alternative therapies that could help you relieve yourself from pain and from the other symptoms of fibromyalgia. The main idea is to keep yourself open to the possibilities while staying safe as well. Even more than that, always make sure that you stay as optimistic as possible about this because being negative can really affect you even worse!
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