Fibromyalgia Treatment

It is a health disorder which causes (myalgia) muscle pain to all parts of the body. The reason for this condition is not known yet. However, it is shown that stress, health conditions and any changes in a person’s lifestyle may cause fibromyalgia.

This chronic musculoskeletal disorder is mostly seen in females than males. Any kind of new muscle pain in the body may be the first sign of fibromyalgia. Approximately 160 million individuals are experiencing this chronic muscle pain. There are various treatment options to get relief from this pain and discomfort.

Symptoms

Fibromyalgia includes some symptoms:-

• Pain in belly, chest, back, arms, butt, legs and head
• Sleeping problem
• Difficulty in concentrating and remembering due to brain fog
• Headache
• Digestive problem
• Muscle pain, stiffness, twitching and burning
• Bladder control issue
• Mental disorder
• Exhaustion
• Sharp or burning sensation due to pain

Causes

There are some reasons which may trigger this painful condition.

• Changes in the DNA sequences which cause mutation
• Immune disorder
• Emotional stress
• Abnormal level of particular chemicals in the brain
• Family history
• Non-genetic like environmental factors

Procedure of Fibromyalgia Treatment

Before starting the treatment, some protocols should be followed by running some diagnostic tests.

Diagnosis

There is not a specific test to diagnose such muscle pain in individuals. However, the American College of Rheumatology has set different criteria. These are as follows:-

1. History of pain throughout the body lasts more than 3 months.
2. There are 18 tender points in which a person may feel pain in these or other areas.

There are some blood tests to rule out other health condition which have common symptoms:-

• Celiac serology
• CBC
• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
• Thyroid function test
• Vitamin D
• Antinuclear antibody

Treatment

A rheumatologist will start its treatment which depends on the symptoms, age, severity and overall health of an individual. It includes the combination of medicines and some self-care planning in the following ways:-

Self-Care

It is advised to do regular physical exercise too control fibromyalgia. You should do stretching, yoga, aerobics, walking, pilates, meditation, tai chi and aquatic training. These should be done in a moderate way and these physical activities reduce stress, pain, enhance mood and improve sleep. You can adjust to your work and perform well by engaging yourself in occupational therapy.

There are some other options which may include acupuncture, chiropractic manipulation and massage to get relief from stress and pain.

Diet

Diet plays an important role to reduce such muscle pain. There is not a specific diet for fibromyalgia. However, there is a requirement to use nutritional supplements. The doctor will check the level of nutrients in your body. Then the healthcare provider will advise you to take vitamin D, C, E and minerals. These are taken to fulfil the deficiencies by using nutritional supplements.

Medicines

This muscle pain is treated with the help of some relieving medicines. There are muscle relaxers, antidepressants and anti-seizures to make you relax and fall asleep. 

Opioid drugs are strong pain killers but not given by a doctor. It is because these medicines can cause dependency side effects in individuals. It is also found that cannabinoids may give some benefits in reducing pain due to fibromyalgia.

It is found that MAOIs can help in reducing muscle pain. SNRIs are also used in treating its symptoms, like depression.

Note: Self-care is important to manage its symptoms.

Risk Factors of Fibromyalgia

Specific reason for this muscle pain is not identified. However, there are some factors which may increase the risk to cause fibromyalgia:-

• There is a risk to develop this condition which occurs in the middle age and is more likely to develop in children.
• It is mostly experienced by women rather than men and the reason for this disparity is unclear.
• Medical history of having rheumatoid arthritis may increase the risk of fibromyalgia.
• The record of family history increases the risk of developing it.