Although pain is a characteristic of fibromyalgia, there are many treatment options available to help with the relief

Fibromyalgia is a condition characterized by musculoskeletal pain. It is a chronic disease and pain relief is key for those who suffer from it. People with fibromyalgia tend to lead a painful life and would do anything to get rid of the pain.

According to a 2008 study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, chronic pain is not good for your body and the brain. This in time can result in insomnia, depression, and many other conditions that makes it difficult for the person to make decisions or lead a natural life.

Fortunately, there are various ways to relief pain for those with the condition and lead a better quality of life.

How to cope with Fibromyalgia pains

Medication-Pain relievers

Medication is the first line of treatment to reduce fibromyalgia pain.  There are different types of pain relievers which you can get over the counter such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen sodium.

According to the National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA), over the counter pain relievers do not tend to be helpful. Thus, you doctor may prescribe a pain reliever like tramadol (Ultram or Conzip).

Another prescription medication is the antidepressants which will help in easing the pain and fatigue. Some seizure medications may help reduce pain such as Pregabalin (Lyrica) which was the first anti-seizure drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for fibromyalgia treatment.

Natural ways to help reduce the pain

While medications might help for a while, it is not a permanent cure. There a many natural ways to help a person with fibromyalgia deal with the pain.

Yoga for Relief

Often medications are not very effective in relieving pain or may not provide enough relief. It may also have certain side effects which may cause you more harm than relief.

Exercises, herbal medicines, and other alternative options may provide better solutions.

A research carried out at the Oregon Health and Science University found out that fibromyalgia patients who actively participated in yoga classes experienced less pain, reduced fatigue, and improved mood.

The classes included gentle poses, meditation, breathing exercises, and group discussions.

Mind-body work

There are body-awareness practices such as qi gong and yoga that help to improve movement harmony in addition to breathing exercises and mindfulness meditation that helps in reducing fibromyalgia symptoms.

It works by calming the “noise” in your central nervous system. Other forms that you might want to try include acupuncture, biofeedback, massage, osteopathic manipulation, Feldenkrais, Alexander technique, and chiropractic. These options can be of great help in correcting structural imbalances and by regulating pain.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is another option in helping reduce pain in fibromyalgia. Patients who received acupuncture treatments were found to have benefited compared to those who did not. For example, bee venom has been found to be effective in reducing musculoskeletal pain in acupuncture treatments.

Nutrition

What you eat also makes a lot of difference in your life. Especially when you have a condition as fibromyalgia eating the right kind of food is very important. Eating whole, fresh foods (fruits, vegetables, and high-quality fats and protein) is the best way to support your body.

In addition, you can also take a pharmaceutical grade multivitamin and mineral complex with fish-oil. One should understand that your muscles, nervous system, adrenal glands, immune system, and your body needs proper nutrition for their daily processes.

There are various other nutrients that are helpful for fibromyalgia patients. Some of them include B-complex vitamins for energy, immunity, nerve, and brain function, Magnesium for muscle energy, Selenium for the best immune function, Vitamin C for oxidative stress, Fatty acids, such as omega-3 which will help in promoting cell membranes and mood, Zinc for cell health, and Iodine for thyroid health.

For example, supplements like Vitamin D helps in reducing pain in fibromyalgia patients since most of them have low levels of Vitamin D. fibromyalgia patients who take this vitamin tend to feel much better physically and experience less fatigue.

Detoxification

A person’s body has toxins everywhere and your body is constantly trying to filter them out. Likewise, a fibromyalgia patient can help stimulate their natural detoxification systems with saunas, steam baths, mineral baths, and low-intensity exercise to induce sweat. In addition, you can try to be natural and organic at home by reducing the toxins that are in your household.

Exercise

Exercising has always been a healthy lifestyle, however, a person with fibromyalgia may have a difficult time considering it due to fatigue and muscle pain. But if you can just get started, the positive results start right away. Your fibromyalgia treatment plan should be staying active.

It helps in reducing pain sensations, improve restful sleep, enhance the thought processes, and create a more positive outlook on life.

It is important to note that a person with fibromyalgia has to start exercise slowly and gently, and make a plan to continue exercising that will help with your symptoms of fibromyalgia.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy has been found to be effective in reducing pain in people with fibromyalgia. These therapies may include trigger point injection, massage, biofeedback, TENS and whole body cryotherapy.

A study has also revealed that using ultrasound and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation twice a week reduced muscle aches and improved disturbed sleep.

Emotions

Emotion plays a vital role in dealing with any kind of disease or condition. If we hide our emotions and don’t adequately express them, then eventually the emotional issues display in physical ways. Fibromyalgia pain can take an emotional toll on your health.

There are several alternatives to help deal with emotions, such as Emotional Freedom Techniques, the Quadrinity Process, and cognitive behavioral therapy.

For example, a Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help relieve pain and improve your overall physical function. Various therapy sessions which focuses on the mind-body connection, meditation, and movement can help further reduce your pain, fatigue, mood, and sleeplessness.