Many men and women look to doctors to solve, and explain the aggravating symptoms they are experiencing. Finally getting a diagnosis brings feelings of relief, only to be sucker punched with the realization that there is no cure, and no treatment option works for every fibromyalgia patient. This begins a new and frustrating search for help to relieve fibromyalgia symptoms, and treat a disease process that varies so widely between patients that even doctors find it exasperating.
So first let’s address one of the major aggravators of fibromyalgia; STRESS. Stress can intensify fibromyalgia symptoms, and there are holistic approaches that can be helpful in reducing stress.
Acupuncture for Fibromyalgia
Acupuncture has been shown to relieve symptoms of fibromyalgia. Studies of acupuncture have shown acupuncture can considerably decrease pain in joints and in tender points. These changes have even been documented in fibromyalgia patient’s blood tests.
Electro acupuncture (Acupuncture that uses electrical stimulation)
In an uncontrolled trial using electroacupuncture forty six percent of fibromyalgia patients after seven treatments stated that the electroacupuncture provided them with the greatest relief of their fibromyalgia symptoms when judged against many other alternative treatments. An amazing sixty four percent of sufferers reported using less medication for their pain than they did prior to electroacupuncture treatments. More studies will need to follow to provide a well established treatment plan using electro acupuncture.
Chiropractic Manipulation
Joint pain, back pain, neck pain, headaches, and joint tenderness are very major symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome. Pain, headaches, and joint pain can make living almost impossible; sleeping, house care, working a job, shopping, intimate relationships, and more are affected. A holistic treatment that many people with and without fibromyalgia that suffer from these painful conditions is chiropractic manipulation. In studies men and women suffering with fibromyalgia stated feeling improved joint pain when chiropractic manipulation was performed on a regular basis of 3-5 times a week.
Combined Therapies For Fibromyalgia
When chiropractic techniques where used in together with other holistic treatments such as: soft tissue massage, tender point pressure treatments, stretching, and yoga patient’s demonstrated significant improvement in functioning with day to day activities. Many test subjects showed considerable decrease in pain, decreased stress levels, reduced fatigue, joint pain, and improved sleep.
Magnetic Therapy
The natural healing of medical magnets continues to build with each study. The power of magnetic healing has been used for centuries, but only recently with the advent of modern medical equipment has magnetic healing been shown to work. MRI’s CT scans of patients brains, and other medical technologies have proven the benefits of magnetic treatments. Strong magnets not refrigerator magnets have show to relieve the pain associated with arthritis, fibromyalgia, and other chronic pain disorders. A great resource for products and information is Therion Research, or you can try http://www.magneticarthritisrelief.com
Natural remedies for fibromyalgia are vast, and will take trial and error. As stated earlier there is not one cure to treat your fibromyalgia, but it can be done with patience, and will power. Giving up is not an option! Using a holistic approach to treat any disease process takes time, but can pay off. Most holistic treatments for fibromyalgia are free of undesirable and frightening side effects that many prescription medications that are being offered. Start slowly integrate or add one treatment at a time, so that you can get a true and accurate basis when it comes to the relief of your fibromyalgia symptoms.
Books On Treating Fibromyalgia
There are two very good books that are based on natural holistic approaches to treating and curing fibromyalgia. “How I Cured My Fibromyalgia” by Kelly Parks-Hoffman (BSc & Natural health consultant) is highly recognized as a valuable resource by many fibromyalgia sufferers, as is “How To Beat Fibromyalgia And Chronic Fatigue In 30 Days” by Mark J Shaw (B.A, M.Sc, PGD).
Do not get discouraged you can overcome fibromyalgia syndrome, and you can feel better.
Treating Fibromyalgia is not an easy task. I know that is not what you really want to hear, but it is a fact. What treatment works for one sufferer will not work for another. Finding a doctor or medical professional that treats Fibromyalgia patients, and understands their pain, and what treatments to offer will be a great benefit to you. You will find that even today many doctors are unable to provide the treatment and support you will need. It is up to you to be your own advocate. It will take determination and some trial and error to discover which treatment options will be suit you.
The Goal Of Fibromyalgia Treatments: Fibromyalgia Medications, Herbal Remedies For Fibromyalgia, Natural Remedies For Fibromyalgia, Alternative Treatments For Fibromyalgia
To help you function, and participate in daily activities
To Decrease pain – Fibromyalgia trigger points, fibromyalgia tender points, all over body pain
To provide you with support
You need to remember that fibromyalgia is a real condition, but it is hard to remember when you are riddled with pain that it is not a life threatening condition. It does not cause any deformities although it can mimic arthritis. It does not cause paralysis although it can mimic certain neurological conditions.
Living with this chronic condition can be trying, and difficult, but you must never give up striving to find a treatment for fibromyalgia that works for you.
Fibromyalgia Remedies
What Are Remedies For Fibromyalgia and the Fibromyalgia Treatment Options?
5-HTP- Natural Nutritional Supplement helps with helps to treat headaches, migraine headaches, and can help with sleep disturbances as well. Naturally increases serotonin
Acidophilus: IBS, and sensitive stomache issues, and constipation
Acupuncture- Helps treat fibromyalgia pressure points, and fibromyalgia tender points
Anti Depressant Medication – These medications are not used solely to treat the depression associated with this debilitating disease. They also work to balance out serotonin in the brain, and break the chronic fibromyalgia pain cycle and sleep disturbances. Amitriptyline, Cyclbenzaprine, Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Effexor, Serzone, and Celexa are some used for treatment. Milnaciran and Duloxetine are newer antidepressant Norepinephrine Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors. Many people find that the side effects can be bothersome: dry mouth, dry eyes, drowsiness, visual disturbances, weight gain, and other physical effects.
Antacids – Zantac, Tagament, Tums these may help treat IBS, acid reflux, and other stomach ailments associated with a sensitive stomach
Anti-Anxiety Medications- Klonopin, Ativan, and Sanax
Anticonvulsant –Help to treat neurologic fibromyalgia pain, can include: Pregabalin, Neurotin, and others
Anti-inflammatory – Advil, Alleve, Motrin, prescription non- steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, and other analgesics. Many people do not find these useful as fibromyalgia does not cause inflammation as once thought, but can work after physical activities that cause pain at fibromyalgic tender points .
Anticonvulsants –These can be used to treat the neuropathy pain that is generated by the nerves themselves. Many fibromyalgia pain sufferers complain of burning, hot, shocking, and electric buzzing sensations in their hands and feet. Neurontin, Dilantin, Depakote and Tegretol.
B-12: Natural Nutritional Supplement can help treat fatigue, neurologic symptoms, boost the immune system
Biofeedback – Helps with relaxation and stress
Epidurals – Epidural Steroid Injections can be used for sever back pain due to disc problems, or pinched nerves.
Exercise – Believe it or not, but once you start gentle exercise you will feel better. Walk, use resistance bands, water therapy, ride a bike, and stretch. Exercise can exasperate fibromyalgia tender points, take it slow and easy.
Flaxseed, Borage Oil, Fish Oil, Evening prim oil: Natural Nutritional Supplement helps with joint pain
GABA – Natural Nutritional Supplement helps treats adrenal fatigue, assists with sleep disturbances, natural HGH, increased memory, increases energy, fibro fog, treats low growth hormone levels, and increases sexual desire and performance.
Good Nutrition: helps with stomach problems, pain, weight gain, fibro fog
Hypnosis: Helps with pain, relaxation and stress
LYRICA : also called Pregabalin? This is an analgesic and anti-convulsant drug that can help manage the fibromyalgia pain, and neuopathy Lot’s of side effects can affect cognitive thinking, and has many side effects
Magnesium and Calcium: Natural Remdies for fibromyalgia, this combination can help with relaxation, stomach problems, energy, muscle pain, muscle spasms, headaches, migraines, and natural deficiencies
Magnetic Therapy: Used to decrease fibromyalgia pain, inflammation, reduce pain in fibromyalgia tender points, and boost blood flow to joint
Massage: Helps with relaxation, decrease pain in fibromyalgia tender points, and toxin release
Melatonin: Natural Nutritional Supplement helps with sleep disturbances
Moringa: 100 % Natural Herbal Remedies Supplement, Capsules, Teas from the leaves of the Moringa Tree
MSM: Natural Nutritional Supplement helps with helps with pain in the joints
Muscle Relaxants: Flexeril, Soma, Skelaxin and Robaxin.
Narcotics – Help dull the pain, but are used sparingly due to the fact that they are habit forming.
Nerve Blocks – A mixture of anesthetic and a steroid are injected into a specific inflamed nerve root area.
Over The Counter Analgesics – Tylenol, Aspirin helps treat fibromyagia pain
Physical Therapy: decrease fibromyalgia pressure points pain, and increase flexability
SAM-e : Natural Nutritional Supplement can help with depression, and decrease pain
Sleep Aid Medications- Restroil, Ambien, Sonata, Melatonin – Long tem dependence, and side effects limit their long term use
Topical Medications- Can include Lidoderm, and specially create compound pain creams- may help with neurological and surface pain by anesthetizing the nerves below the skin
Used for treating the myofasciaol pain that fibromyalgia sufferers experience in the neck or shoulder areas.
Myofascial pain is a type of pain or sensitivity in a specific are of the body. The trigger point is where the muscle or the junction of the muscle and the fascia join or meet or joint creating tender or painful areas. It is in these areas that the injections will be administered, and the medications can include 1-2% lidocaine, or Botox administered by a physician.
Injection Treatments: Botox – Used on to treat tender points-Epidural Steroid Injections – Used to treat lumbar pain associated with disc problems, or nerve irritation
Injections – A mixture of anesthetic and a steroid are injected into the facet specific regional vertebral joints.
Valerian Root – Helps with sleep disturbances, and muscle relaxation, and IBS (irritable bowl syndrome)
Fibromyalgia can be treated with: Fibromyalgia medication that have been found to help with the pain associated with this chronic condition. It can include natural remedies for fibromyalgia such as natural supplements, vitamins and minerals. Alternative treatments can be used, and will be discussed in another post. Fibromyalgia treatment can be hard to pin down as stated earlier that no one treatment for fibromyalgia will work for everyone. Please look for other posts that will delve deeper into the herbal remedies for fibomyalgia.
Stay Positive, and keep moving, and don’t give up……
Fibromyalgia How Do You Cope?