Fibromyalgia is a common condition that causes widespread pain and tenderness in the body. Each person with fibromyalgia will have their own set of symptoms. There is no cure for fibromyalgia, but symptoms can be managed.
There's no cure for fibromyalgia, but there are treatments to control your symptoms. Your doctor will probably start you on an exercise regimen and have you work with a physical therapist. Some have found real help from acupuncture, learning Tai Chi, or taking yoga classes.
Although there's currently no cure for fibromyalgia, there are treatments to help relieve some of the symptoms and make the condition easier to live with. Treatment tends to be a combination of: lifestyle changes, such as exercise programmes and relaxation techniques.
Some proven stress busters are yoga, exercise, sleep, and meditation. Breathing deeply and exhaling slowly can also help. Or keep in mind activities that you enjoy or that make you feel better. When stress strikes, do one or two of them.
Who gets fibromyalgia? Fibromyalgia affects as many as 4 million Americans 18 and older. The average age range at which fibromyalgia is diagnosed is 35 to 45 years old, but most people have had symptoms, including chronic pain, that started much earlier in life.
Fibromyalgia tends to run in families, so genetic factors are likely to contribute to the disorder, but little is known for sure about the specific genes involved. Researchers believe that environmental (nongenetic) factors also play a role in a person's risk of developing the disorder.
Caffeine, heavy meals, and alcohol should be avoided before bedtime. Individuals should go to bed around the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, even on weekends or after a sleepless night. Exposure to light should be minimized before bedtime.
Physical and emotional stress are the most common triggers of fibromyalgia flares. Other triggers include lack of sleep, weather changes, and hormone imbalances.
The central nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves) transmits information all over your body through a network of specialised cells. Changes in the way this system works may explain why fibromyalgia results in constant feelings of, and extreme sensitivity to, pain.
Fibromyalgia isn't a progressive disease, so it doesn't get worse over time and may even improve. It's never fatal, and it won't harm the joints, muscles, or internal organs. Medications may help relieve some—but not all—symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Magnesium
Not only is it credited with keeping the heart, kidneys and bones strong, it also helps us avoid muscle spasms, weakness and back pain, Dr. Teitelbaum says. Women with fibromyalgia may be deficient in magnesium, studies suggest. And magnesium may help relieve fibro pain and other symptoms.
Although large-scale studies are still needed to confirm their effectiveness, the newest FDA-approved treatments for fibromyalgia include Quell and milnacipran. Quell is an over-the-counter transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator intended to be used for pain relief.
Financial help can make a huge difference when you've been forced to stop working due to a disability like fibromyalgia. Financial help for fibromyalgia comes in two main forms in Australia. Disability Support Pensions and TPD insurance claims from your super policy can each give you assistance.
The most helpful treatment approach for fibromyalgia is a combination of self-care, physical activity and cognitive-behavioral therapy. But medication may also be needed.
Symptom Severity Scale
The symptom severity (SS) scale evaluates four symptoms considered defining in a fibromyalgia diagnosis. 4 Each symptom is scored on a scale of 0 to 3, with 0 meaning no symptoms; 1 meaning mild symptoms; 2 meaning moderate symptoms; and 3 meaning serious symptoms.
A flare can be over in 1 to 2 days or last as long as a few weeks. Here are some of the most common symptoms of fibromyalgia: Muscle achiness: often in the neck, back, arms, and legs.
The drugs amitriptyline, duloxetine, milnacipran and pregabalin can relieve fibromyalgia pain in some people. They may cause side effects such as a dry mouth or nausea. Normal painkillers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen (paracetamol) aren't recommended for the treatment of fibromyalgia.
Results: There were four parent stages of FM identified and labeled: 1) regional FM with classic symptoms; 2) generalized FM with increasing widespread pain and some additional symptoms; 3) FM with advanced and associated conditions, increasing widespread pain, increased sleep disturbances, and chemical sensitivity; ...
Play mind games. Biofeedback, deep breathing, meditation, self-hypnosis, or even just distracting yourself with a good book or some soothing music can help take your mind off the pain and make coping with a flare more manageable, say experts at the National Fibromyalgia Association. Pace yourself.
Drinking water can indeed help with managing fibromyalgia symptoms. Dehydration can lead to increased pain and fatigue, common symptoms of fibromyalgia. By staying hydrated, you can help prevent these symptoms from worsening. “Staying well-hydrated is a key part of managing fibromyalgia symptoms.
Fibromyalgia can cause tiredness. This can range from feeling mildly tired to the exhaustion often felt during a flu-like illness. Severe tiredness (fatigue) may come on suddenly and can drain you of all your energy.
Fibromyalgia can affect people of all ages, including children. However, most people are diagnosed during middle age and you are more likely to have fibromyalgia as you get older. Lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. If you have lupus or rheumatoid arthritis (RA), you are more likely to develop fibromyalgia.
Your sex assigned at birth: People assigned female at birth are twice as likely to experience fibromyalgia. Chronic illnesses: People with conditions like osteoarthritis, depression, anxiety disorders, chronic back pain and irritable bowel syndrome are more likely to develop fibromyalgia.
Some flares only last for a day or two but others may continue for several weeks or even months. The best way to prevent fibromyalgia flares is to identify what causes them and, when possible, try to avoid the circumstances that trigger them.