Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia Treatment Understanding Your Condition


Before you can understand the treatments used for fibromyalgia you must have an understanding of the disease. Fibromyalgia is a disease that is not well known throughout the medical profession.

It is linked to arthritis but the symptoms are different. Unlike arthritis which affects the body’s joints this disease affects the muscles. Parts of the body can become tender and sore to the touch due to the muscles in these areas not receiving enough oxygen.

The symptoms are different for each individual and can seem to disappear completely only to return at a later date. Many times the symptoms will be worse at certain times of the day like in the mornings and during the late afternoon.

The weather conditions can also increase your symptoms; damp rainy weather or extreme cold can increase the pain a person feels. The amount of stress that you deal with contributes to the symptoms along with the amount of physical activity you encounter.


Fibromyalgia Symptoms

There are a lot of symptoms that are associated with fibromyalgia which is the main reason it so difficult to diagnose. Below is a list of a few of these symptoms.

* Muscle pain, spasms or leg cramps
* Insomnia or waking up still feeling tired
* Always feeling tired and having little energy
* Being sensitive to one or more of the following, light, sound, noise, odors, foods, cold and medicines
* Dizziness
* Headaches
* Upset stomach
* A feeling of anxiety or depression

Treatments

Finding a treatment that works for a person suffering with fibromyalgia may be rather difficult. Everyone is affected differently and what works for one person may not benefit another at all.

In looking for a treatment you want to find something that will help to reduce the pain making it easier to function.

You also need a treatment that will help to decrease the feeling of fatigue and one that will help increase your sleep. Some of the treatments used are listed below.

* Medications
* Exercise
* Diet
* Rehabilitation

If you suffer from fibro the best way to treat this condition is by setting up a program that allows you to get enough rest, avoid as much stress as possible and eat right.

Understanding your condition and having a set program as part of your fibromyalgia treatment will help you deal with this disease easier.
Fibromyalgia Treatment Tips For Around The House


When you suffer from fibromyalgia, even the slightest relief is a miracle to the suferer. Anything at all that can aid your fibromyalgia treatment or reduce your symptoms or pain is very helpful.

In addition to the fibromyalgia treatment your doctor has set you up for, there are additional steps that you can take even on small things around your home that will help you to feel better

Listed below are some of the tips and techniques that I tried that helped me to recover from chronic fibromyalgia pain.

* Since one common area of pain for fibromyalgia sufferers is the hands, many of these tips relate to easing the tension on the hands.

* Buy easy to prepare foods. It’s often hard – or even impossible- to cook when you suffer from fibromyalgia but eating out all the time is unhealthy and can become expensive. You can buy more “ready-made” meals, pre-cut vegetables, etc to make cooking and preparing meals at home easier for you.
* Use very sharp knives. When you must cook or use scissors, make sure they are very sharp so you use less pressure to make the cut and apply less tension to your hands.
* Use a paper shredder. If you find yourself needing to cut or tear a lot of papers, you will want to use a paper shredder instead. For many fibromyalgia sufferers, even tearing up a receipt can cause pain.
* Avoid excess strain on your hands. It may be hard for you to do things such as sewing, knitting, long periods of typing, etc. If you must do these things, you should try to limit the amount of time you spend on it at once.
* Get ergonomical. Try to keep things such as your office and workplace as ergonomically correct as possible.
* Adjust your home. There are some changes you might want to make around your home and office to help your daily functions be more comfortable. For example, you should angle your computer monitor to eye level. Try different chairs, pillow, etc to make yourself more comfortable and ease pain later.


Making small changes such as these around your home can improve the way you feel and help aid other stages in your fibromyalgia treatment.