Fibromyalgia Syndrome, or FMS for short, is a serious, painful, and life altering condition that causes chronic muscle pain, joint pain, fatigue, depression, and sleeping problems. It has also been known to cause headaches, numbness and tingling, swelling in hands and feet, bladder and bowel problems, and memory problems.
There is no known cause for fibromyalgia, nor is there a cure for this condition Fibromyalgia can affect different areas of the body at different times. Fibromyalgia is not fatal, but it is a chronic illness that will not go away. Fortunately there are many things you can do to alleviate and manage this condition.
Fibromyalgia Medical Treatments
Fibromyalgia causes many chronic symptoms that can make life debilitating. There are many medications out now that your Doctor may prescribe, to ease your symptoms and make your life more bearable. Here are the most often used medications for fibromyalgia today.
Antidepressants- Treats depression, pain, and sleep problems.
NS-AIDS- Pain reliever and anti inflammatory.
Acetaminophen- Pain reliever and fever reducer.
Anxiety Medications- Treats anxiety and depression.
Muscle Relaxants- Relaxes muscles to treat pain, and helps you sleep.
Narcotic Pain Relievers- Treats pain.
Sleeping Pills- treats sleep problems.
Melatonin- Treats sleep problems.
Corticosteroids- Treats pain.
The hardest part of fibromyalgia is the chronic pain throughout your body. Here are some pain management techniques that will help alleviate and manage your fibromyalgia pain.
Heat
Heat will reduce pain in your muscles and around your joints. Heat will increase your blood flow through your body's surface areas, and this causes your blood to pump faster throughout your body.
Ways to Apply heat
Soak in a hot bathtub or hot tub.
Take long hot showers.
Apply moist heating pads or electric heating pads.
Apply hot towels, hot gel packs, or moist hot hydro packs.
Use electric blankets and heated mattress pads.
Another way to manage fibromyalgia pain is with cold.
Each person's body is different, so one may need heat while another may need cold to combat pain. Cold slows your nerve impulses down that travel from your muscles to your brain. Never leave anything cold on your bare skin for too long, or it can cause ice burns. Here are some ways to apply cold to help manage your pain.
Apply ice packs.
Apply cold packs.
Apply frozen bag of peas or beans.
Apply ice gel packs.
You can also use the following techniques to help combat your fibromyalgia pain.
Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce pain. Walking, bicycling, swimming, or any aerobic exercise are excellent for reducing pain. These exercises release endorphin, which are your body's natural pain relievers. Relaxation exercises will loosen your muscles, which makes them less painful.
Make sure you have the right sleep patterns. Each person requires different amounts of sleep for their body to function right. Sleeping too little can reduce your serotonin and this will cause more pain. Try different sleeping patterns until you find the one that is right for you. Don't sleep too much, get up and do things you enjoy. Doing things you enjoy will take your mind off the pain, and this will help you feel less pain.
You may also want to find a support group of other people who suffer from this condition. They will have tips and treatments that have worked for them, and they can share knowledge about the condition with you. It will also give you someone to talk to, that sympathizes with you and understands what you are going through. Make sure you find a Doctor that treats this condition, or even one that specializes in it.
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