Over 6 million people suffer from fibromialgia today. It's an invisible, but very real condition. There are several symptoms of fibromialgia (fibro for short).
One of the main symptoms of fibromialgia is tender points. People with fibromialgia will have certain points, where, when pushed on gently, cause severe pain.
Another main symptom of fibromialgia is chronic pain. Sufferers describe this pain as anywhere from mild to bone crushing. Many can't pinpoint exactly where their pain is, but it can be very debilitating.
Many fibromialgia sufferers have some form of chronic fatigue. This is more than just being tired, but being exhausted most or all of the time. This fatigue is sometimes described as "brain fatigue," in which people feel completely drained of energy.
Depression and or anxiety are common in people with fibromialgia. They can be mild or severe, and many doctors feel that they are brought on by the other symptoms of fibro.
Many Fibro patients have sleep disorders. The most common is what is called the alpha-EEG anomaly. This is basically when patients wake up after sleeping and feel like they've been run over by a bus. Doctors also refer to this as unrefreshing sleep.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS, is another common symptom of fibromialgia. IBS consists of constipation, diarrhea, frequent abdominal pain, abdominal gas, and nausea.
TMJ, or Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome, effects many people with fibro. It causes jaw-related face and head pain in one quarter of fibro patients.
There are many other symptoms of fibromialgia that haven't been mentioned. Here's just a small list of some of the other symptoms:
There are lots of medications that help with fibromialgia. This next set of tips will cover some of the common ones.
Antidepressants are often used to treat symptoms of fibromyalgia. They help by improving sleep, mood, or by blocking pain signals. Here's a list of a few that are used:
- Prozac - Zoloft - Paxil - Trazadone
Certain muscle relaxants have been shown to help fibromialgia patients. Flexeril, for example, has been used for pain and sleep problems.
Some fibro patients have seen good pain relief with anticonvulsant medications. Two common ones are Lyrica and Neurontin.
Reuptake Inhibitors are a different form of antidepressants. They haven't been used very long for treating fibromialgia, but the results have been good. A couple examples are Cymbalta and Ixel.
Certain types of injections have helped fibro patients as well. Here are a few:
B-12 Botox Nerve blockers
Some over the counter medications have been successful at alleviating fibro pain. Some of these include:
- Ibuprofin - Tylenol - Asprin
There are many other treatments that are helping fibro patients. Here are a few:
Many people find relief from fibro pain from a good chiropractor. Make sure that you do your research though. Make sure the chiropractor that you choose has experience with fibromialgia.
Physical therapy is another treatment that is used for fibromialgia. Talk to your doctor about finding a good physical therapist that will sit down with you and discuss your options.
Many fibromialgia sufferers find relief in daily, low impact exercise. It's important to start slow; 2-3 minutes a day, building up until you can do a steady 20 minutes per day. Be sure to keep your doctor informed with how you're doing.
Acupuncture is another way that some fibromialgia patients find relief. It reduces pain through body chemicals that have calming effects, and is achieved by putting pins in certain parts of the body, just under the skin.
Some fibromialgia patients have had success with simply increasing their water intake in their daily diet. This is probably the simplest thing that you can do, and it can only improve your health.
There are many vitamins that help relieve symptoms of fibromialgia (though laws prohibit vitamin companies from claiming this). Do your research and you'll find the best ones for you.
Like vitamins, there are so many herbal supplements available that have helped many people with fibromialgia. Again, do your research, and keep trying different supplements, to see which ones help you.
Many newly diagnosed fibromialgia patients try to live their lives the same as before they were diagnosed. What they don't realize is that they need more sleep than the average person. Simply getting in an extra 3-4 hours sleep every night can really help.
Yoga is a combination of breathing exercises, physical postures, and meditation. Many fibromialgia patients have found help and relief from doing yoga.
Many people with fibromialgia find that simply eating better can relieve some of their symptoms. Talk to a nutritionist to find out some things that you can do to make your diet better.
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