Fibromyalgia: An Overview of Symptoms and Treatment Options
Often a questionable diagnosis, fibromyalgia affects millions of Americans each year. Originally considered a condition of psychological implication, the common day theory is of a combination origin, of mind and body, to reach creating this “all over” debilitating pain factor. For sufferers and family members, understanding the symptoms of fibromyalgia, the treatment recommendations and prognosis will further aid the patient in finding the appropriate treatment plan.
Fibromyalgia symptoms range from mild to severe with some patients suffering a debilitating impact on life activities. Described as a widespread, “all over” body pain, fibromyalgia frequently leads to exhaustion and fatigue in patients. Found more commonly in women than in men, and developing in the middle adulthood, fibromyalgia is generally not progressive and can be alleviated with appropriate fibromyalgia treatment options. The cause of fibromyalgia is generally not known however, many healthcare professionals believe, the conditon developed from an imbalance of chemicals within the brain or the result of injury or infection.
With no known cure, treatment of fibromyalgia involves relief of symptoms including over the counter pain relievers, such as Tylenol, prescription anti-depressants and muscle relaxants. For fibromyalgia patients suffering from pain induced sleep deprivation, a mild, short term sleeping aid may be considered. With the psychological component, fibromyalgia is generally treated with a cognitive-behavioral therapy approach in which the patient is trained in methods for dealing with stress and anxiety so often attributed to exacerbation of the fibromyalgia symptoms.
With the home setting, fibromyalgia treatment, generally recommended by the physician, include obtaining plenty of sleep, reducing stress levels, exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet with limited caffeine and alcohol intake. Additionally, studies have shown the use of specific dietary foods such as coconut, carrots, squash, zucchini and pumpkin may also provide an added benefit through the anti-inflammatory mechanism. When suffering from fibromyalgia symptoms, the doctor may run a variety of tests to rule out conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis as this type of condition may be co-morbid in the fibromyalgia patient leading to further health complications.
When suffering from fibromyalgia symptoms, the key for optimal daily living lies in the improvement of daily living habits while seeking the proper health care to ensure optimal recovery results. In most cases, fibromyalgia symptoms will dissipate progressively, but not disappear, over time. For the sufferer, learning to control the fibromyalgia symptoms will improve the function of daily living activities of the and, thereby, improve the quality of life
