
Effective treatment options for fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a condition that leads to fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, and localized tenderness. The exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but researchers have noted that genetics do play an important role. The symptoms of fibromyalgia can appear after an injury, physical trauma, psychological stress, or illness. Other symptoms may include poor concentration, depression, and headaches.
The key is treating fatigue, pain, and other related symptoms. The good thing to note is that there are various treatment options are now readily available to help manage and ease fibromyalgia symptoms so that the patient can lead a good life. The following options have proven to effectively treat fibromyalgia
Pain relievers
After consulting with your doctor, they may recommend over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers for e.g. ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen sodium. These medications can help in reducing inflammation, improving the quality of sleep, and minimizing muscular aches.
Anticonvulsants
These are medications that are specifically used in treating seizures. They can help in easing out the symptoms of fibromyalgia. However, one thing to note is that these medications do come with side effects such as weight gain, dry mouth, swelling, and dizziness.
Antidepressants
These are mainly recommended to help with the fatigue and the pain associated with fibromyalgia. For some people, it has been observed that anti-depressants can cause a mixture of side effects like weight gain, loss of sexual drive and nausea.
Yoga
Research done on the impact of yoga on health has shown that people who participated in yoga classes showed less pain and fatigue and improved mood. The various yoga classes include meditation, gentle poses, group discussions, and breathing exercises. So consider joining a yoga class that teaches various relaxation techniques, incorporates meditation and helps in increasing muscle strength.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture helps in managing pain effectively. The whole process involves pricking needles gently on the skin so as to help regulate blood flow, promote self-healing etc. One thing to note is that it should be always done by a licensed acupuncturist, otherwise it can have negative repercussions. Some of the risks associated with this technique include minor bleeding, bruising, and soreness.
Physical therapy
The aim of undergoing physical therapy is to strengthen the muscles and improve the person’s ability to perform a wide range of motions. Your therapist will help curate a specially designed program as per your needs. They will also teach you various self-care techniques. Various researches done in this field have shown that pain management education helped improve people’s performance during exercises.
Exercise
One of the best ways to improve your energy levels and combat tiredness is exercise. When performing exercises, the brain produces lots of endorphins that help improve the quality of sleep and reduces depression. So people suffering from fibromyalgia should do exercises like swimming, biking, and walking. For many people, it has been observed that they find it hard to start with the exercises, but they need to start it slowly and then increase the intensity.
So, though fibromyalgia can seem to be debilitating, the right mix of medication, physical therapies and exercises can help you deal with it well.