Fibromyalgia is a complex syndrome with specific sets of signs
and symptoms. It is a kind of muscular pain that makes a person feel very tired with minimum energy and a related sleeping
disorder. Fibromyalgia treatment is through several methods to manage the syndrome. In the beginning there was only
one approved drug for treating fibromyalgia, which was approved by the FDA (Lyrica). Now we have various ways to get fibromyalgia
symptom relief through treatments.
Treatment via medication: Several medications have been developed to treat fibromyalgia and
people are definitely improving. A low dosage of serotonin and norepinephrine can help improve sleeping and reduce muscular
pain. Depression is common with fibromyalgia and antidepressants can help. Your doctor can prescribe the best
one for your needs.
Trigger point injection: Mechanical disruption (myolysis) of the trigger point is obtained
using trigger point injections to relieve tender areas of the muscle. A trigger point is a knot or tight area of the muscle
that forms when the muscle fails to relax. This can irritate surrounding nerves and cause pain in other parts of the
body.
The doctor will inject an anti-inflammatory medication or muscle relaxant into the center of the knot. This
will relax the muscle and reduce the pain. There are side effects and even though the patient may experience immediate
relief, there may be increased pain for a few days after the injection. Injections may be required in multiple trigger
points – not just one. The patient experiences a disruption in the pain and will have increased tolerance for exercise,
resulting in a reduction of overall symptoms.
Treatment via exercise: Cardiovascular exercise is an effective treatment in Fibromyalgia
syndrome improving ones fitness and activity level. At first you will find exercising is very difficult. But regular and slow
exercise may reduce the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Start with strolling first and continue with walking, then swimming, biking and
water aerobics. Stretching and relaxation exercise also improves the condition and provides better posture, resulting in reduced
pain. To plan the correct exercise program for your condition, consult with a licensed physical therapist.
Changing your life style:
Change your life style by including good and healthy eating habits. This includes the elimination of allergy inducing foods and
adding more vegetables and fruit. Health supplements to counter balance the effects of the environment have also proven
effective in many patients.
Massage therapy: This therapy aims to improve blood circulation in the muscle, increasing the
flow of nutrients and eliminating waste products. It reduces your heart rate, relaxes your muscles and improves range of motion
in your joints. It also increases production of your body's natural pain killers. A regular massage will remove your stress
and anxiety, helping to reduce your symptoms.
Fact Fatigue can be mild in some fibromyalgia patients and yet
incapacitating in others. The fatigue has been described as "brain fatigue" in which patients feel totally drained of energy.
Many patients depict this situation by saying that they feel as though their arms and legs are tied to concrete blocks, making
physical activity more difficult. ~ AFSA
