CHRONIC PAIN- Getting On Top of Fibromyalgia Pain. 4 ways to cope with this mysterious illness. Reviewed by Ray Parker

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KEY POINTS-

  • Research suggests that mindfulness can offer fibromyalgia patients mild benefits.
  • Some people find that medication helps them manage pain, while others find that exercise helps.
  • There's no one-size-fits-all approach, so it's important for people to find what works best for them.
Tumisu/Pixabay
 
Source: Tumisu/Pixabay

Fibromyalgia causes severe pain throughout the body. But scientists do not know the precise mechanisms that create this suffering.

The pain usually develops gradually but can also seem to come out of nowhere. Often, it comes and goes in a pattern unique to the individual.

If you have fibromyalgia, you know the pain is often maddening and relief may seem perpetually out of reach. Fibromyalgia seems to afflict up to 13 percent of people who also suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and some 15 percent of people with type 2 diabetes.

 

Some scientists consider it a brain malfunction that amplifies normal nerve responses. Fibromyalgia also seems to be related to chronic inflammation, an immune system reaction linked to many illnesses. Emotional responses to stress play a role, as they do in many illnesses.

None of this means the pain is “all in your head,” implying that you can will it away or that psychotherapy or meditation will cure you if you only try hard enough.

 

But you possibly can cut symptoms through your choices. And as with all illnesses, the feeling that you're "stepping up" and "doing your best" can be therapeutic in itself.

Stay Active. If you’re always exhausted, you may have a hard time getting yourself to work out. You may be afraid exercise will aggravate your symptoms. In fact, gentle exercise could cut your pain and make you healthier and happier. Ask your doctor and start slowly, perhaps with a half hour of brisk walking, dancing, or water aerobics, three times a week.

 

Strength training is also important. Consider kettle balls or elastic exercise bands, and have a personal trainer teach you how to use them. Yoga, pilates, tai chi, and dance classes will also get you moving.

Mindfulness. We all can benefit from becoming more self-aware and aware of the world around us, rather than moving through the day on “auto-pilot.”

 

Mindfulness training aims to help you recognize negative thoughts and feelings and move your mind elsewhere. You might practice eating breakfast very slowly, without any distractions, noticing the tastes. You might teach yourself to slow down your reactions to other people. Meditation and yoga can boost your ability to be mindful throughout the day.

 

Research suggests mindfulness programs offer fibromyalgia patients mild benefits in managing depression, anxiety, and sleep quality. You may see programs labeled "mindfulness-based cognitive therapy" or "mindful-self compassion." They typically last eight weeks and teach techniques you continue on your own. Early brain scan research has found that fibromyalgia patients showed less brain activity associated with anxiety after undergoing a training program, and they had better results than a control group.

 

Biofeedback. In this practice, you become aware of your bodily reactions. You place electrodes on your body to measure muscle tension or brain activity and monitor these measurements on a screen. You’ll learn to influence them by consciously relaxing your muscles or thinking particular thoughts. A study with 40 fibromyalgia patients, who underwent an eight-week program, found that it significantly cut the severity of their pain and helped them fall asleep more quickly and sustain their attention, compared to patients who only received emotional support.

Relaxation. There are plenty of ways to become more relaxed that don’t require specialized equipment. You might simply concentrate on certain groups of muscles, consciously tensing and then relaxing them. You’ll move on to another group of muscles. In autogenic training, you picture parts of your body and focus on how they feel, then consciously relax them. If you become an expert on this, you could even influence your heartbeat.

 

Guided self-hypnosis and visualization techniques can help as well.

Who Develops Fibromyalgia?

Some four million American adults have fibromyalgia by one estimate, but other sources put the number much higher. Women are twice as likely to develop this condition, which is usually diagnosed in midlife. But men and children have it, too.

Car accidents, repetitive stress injuries, viruses, obesity, stressful or traumatic events like abuse, and family members with fibromyalgia, all increase your risk.

Medication

The FDA has approved three drugs specifically for treating fibromyalgia, including pregabalin (Lyrica), duloxetine (Cymbalta), and milnacipran (Savella). However, other medications—amitriptyline (Elavil), cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), or gabapentin (Neurontin)—are considered first-line treatments. You might also look into low-dose naltrexone, a medication for alcohol abuse.

 

What about cannabis (also known as pot or marijuana)? Many people say they can cut back on pain medications by substituting cannabidiol (CBD) products, which don’t make you high but provide the relaxing ingredient of the plant. People who use products that also contain THC, which makes you feel high, report more symptom relief, in one study.

 

Medication is only a start if it doesn’t solve your problem. It’s best to take an open-minded and open-ended approach to relieving your pain. The National Fibromyalgia Association can help you find appropriate medical care and support.

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