Living with fibromyalgia means dealing with constant widespread pain and tenderness in the body. Many describe it as a persistent ache that never truly goes away. If this speaks to your experience, you’re not alone. Countless individuals face the daily challenges of fibromyalgia. But even amid this condition, there’s hope to improve your quality of life.
Managing fibromyalgia pain is possible, and with the right approach, you can lead a more comfortable, fulfilling life. Eastshore Healthcare professionals have the expertise and compassion to provide effective pain management solutions tailored for you. With us by your side, reclaiming a life not dominated by fibromyalgia pain is achievable.
If you have Fibromyalgia Call (717) 652-5550 now to learn about our natural pain relief options
Signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia
Some of the common symptoms of fibromyalgia include:
- Stiffness and pain all over your body
- Tiredness and fatigue
- Anxiety and depression
- Problems sleeping
- Problems with concentration, memory, and thinking
- Migraines and headaches
- Numbness and tingling in your feet and hands
- Pain in your jaw and face. This pain may be associated with temporomandibular joint syndrome.
- Digestive issues like constipation, bloating, abdominal pain, and irritable bowel syndrome
Causes of fibromyalgia
While the exact causes of fibromyalgia remain a subject of ongoing research, several factors are believed to contribute to its onset. These include:
- Genetics: Fibromyalgia tends to run in families, suggesting a genetic predisposition to the disorder.
- Infections and illness: Certain infections and illnesses, like the common cold, trigger or exacerbate fibromyalgia symptoms.
- Physical or emotional trauma: Traumatic events like car accidents can sometimes trigger fibromyalgia. Emotional stressors might play a similar role.
- Central sensitization: This theory proposes that the brains of those with fibromyalgia become more sensitive to pain signals, leading to increased pain perception.
- Neurotransmitter imbalances: Abnormal levels of certain chemicals in the brain, like serotonin and norepinephrine, might contribute to the pain and fatigue associated with fibromyalgia.
- Hormonal fluctuations: Changes in hormones, particularly a decrease in cortisol produced by the adrenal gland, might play a role.
Risk factors
Some factors that predispose you to fibromyalgia to make it worse include:
- Age: While fibromyalgia can affect people of all ages, it is most commonly diagnosed in individuals between 30 and 50.
- Gender: Women are more likely to develop fibromyalgia than men.
- Rheumatic disease: Those with a rheumatic disease, like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, might have a higher risk of developing fibromyalgia.
- Traumatic physical events: Accidents, surgeries, or other traumatic physical experiences can sometimes precipitate the emergence of fibromyalgia symptoms.
- Chronic illness: individuals suffering from depression, osteoarthritis, anxiety, and irritable bowel syndrome are most likely to get fibromyalgia.
Treatment of fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia pain can be serious enough to affect your daily activities. Luckily, there are fibromyalgia treatment options to help you manage the pain.
Medication
You can opt for over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen, naproxen, sodium, and aspirin to reduce the pain of fibromyalgia. Aside from relieving pain, the medication can help reduce inflammation, improve sleep quality, and reduce inflammation.
Depending on your symptoms, you can also get antidepressants and anti-seizure drugs. As you consider these options, keep in mind that they could cause side effects, including weight gain, nausea, swelling, and dry mouth.
Therapies
Physical therapy focuses on strengthening muscles and enhancing overall mobility. It can be a game-changer for many fibromyalgia patients. Occupational therapy seeks to adjust one’s work environment or the way specific tasks are performed to reduce bodily strain.
Suffering from fibromyalgia can cause emotional stress. As a result, counseling is an essential component of comprehensive treatment. This provides individuals with coping strategies and offers a platform for emotional support. You can attend talking therapies, including acceptance and commitment therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Lifestyle therapies
Regular, low-impact exercises like walking or swimming can serve dual purposes: strengthening the body and reducing chronic pain. Relaxation is equally vital. Techniques such as deep-breathing exercises and meditation can be invaluable stress-management tools.
Also, refining one’s daily routine—like ensuring a consistent sleep pattern and limiting caffeine—can help manage the fatigue and sleep disturbances characteristic of fibromyalgia.
Alternative therapies
Some individuals have found relief through alternative avenues such as acupuncture, chiropractic care, or massage therapy. While these might not be the primary treatments, they can complement traditional approaches and offer additional comfort.
Contact Eastshore Healthcare
Since there is no permanent cure, our goal is for you to cope with the symptoms, which requires permanent lifestyle changes; trigger point injections, joint manipulation, and myofascial release techniques (using physical therapy to relax the muscle) are among the treatments we use.
We ensure that you have planned activities of self-management exercise therapy based on your physical and mental limitations. If you or a loved one are looking for non-surgical treatment for fibromyalgia in Harrisburg, Lancaster, Reading, or any nearby area, call us today at (717) 652-5550 to schedule a complimentary consultation.