Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes both good days and bad days. A person can never predict how a day is going to go, and if their symptoms are going to either flare up or stay at bay. Luckily, for people who have fibromyalgia, there are treatments that can help for those bad days that occur. Fibromyalgia is a disorder that has a lot of symptoms, and it can be difficult to treat them all at once. Some symptoms are worse than others and it is important to tell your doctor which symptoms are the most troublesome to you, that way they can find a treatment option that is best for you. There are both medications and holistic ways to treat fibromyalgia, and you should try both and see which one works best for you.
One of the main symptoms that comes along with fibromyalgia is fatigue. People feel exhausted throughout their day, and even though they may be getting 10 hours of sleep a night, they can feel like they haven't gotten any rest at all. There are some drugs that can help ease fatigue, and your doctor can tell you which one would work best for your situation. You can also do aerobic exercises to help ease fatigue, minimize pain, and improve the quality of sleep you are getting. Often times, people do not sleep through the night because of the pain that they are in, and if they do these exercises, than they can sleep better throughout the night without feeling as much pain as before.
Pain is the number one symptom of fibromyalgia patients. It is actually the most common symptom that leads people to go to the doctor in the first place. Physical therapy can help patients cope with this pain. It can help relieve the stiffness that most people feel with fibromyalgia through different stretches that target the muscles that are causing the most pain. Physical therapy can help a person take control over their fibromyalgia. Instead of focusing on the pain that you are feeling, you will focus on the positive changes that the therapy is bringing about. It is important to go to physical therapy because your therapist knows your unique situation, and can help you focus on the exact muscles that are causing you pain. Along with that, they will teach you how to stretch and exercise properly, so you will not hurt yourself, and you can continue the stretches and exercises at home.
Sometimes, physical activity is too difficult, and not the right choice for specific fibromyalgia patients, and people need medication to help ease their symptoms. Often times, doctors start patients with an antidepressant. This drug can target many of the symptoms that come along with fibromyalgia, like: pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety and sleep disturbances. There are many antidepressants out there that will claim to help with all of these symptoms, and you need to take the one that is right for you. Talk with your doctor about the options available to you, and which one is best for your specific needs. If you are in a lot of pain, avoid ibuprofen and naproxen, because they are anti-inflammatory drugs, which can cause upset stomach and an increase in blood pressure. Try Tylenol or acetaminophen instead, but only take as recommended.
There are many treatments for fibromyalgia, and although they cannot cure the disorder, they can be extremely helpful to the person who has to live with this chronic pain. Try different treatments and see which one works the best for you, and always consult your doctor before trying anything new.