Fibromyalgia Treatment

May 22, 2008 by Tammy

Fibromyalgia treatment must be individualized due to the fact that the symptoms of fibromyalgia vary so much from patient to patient. Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterized by extreme pain and tenderness in multiple muscles and joints. The pain occurs in areas where the muscles attach to bone or ligaments.

The pain of fibromyalgia is felt all over spreading out from the spine over large areas of the body. The pain can be a muscle twitching to a burning sensation. Fibromyalgia pain can continue throughout a person’s lifetime.

Fibromyalgia treatments should combine trigger point therapy, stress reduction, regular exercise and medications. Trigger point therapy is a technique where pressure is applied to tender muscle tissue in order to relieve pain and dysfunction in other parts of the body.

There are two basic types of trigger points: active and latent. Active trigger points cause muscular pain and will refer pain and tenderness to another area of the body when pressure is applied. Latent trigger points only exhibit pain when pressed upon, they do not refer pain to other areas of the body. Trigger point therapy is used to eliminate pain and to re-educate the muscles into pain free habits.

Stress reduction with the use of relaxation techniques is another type of fibromyalgia treatment. This is used to ease muscle tension and anxiety in the body. There are three major types of relaxation techniques that can be used. Autogenic training is a technique that uses both visual imagery and body awareness to move a person into a deep state of relaxation. Progressive muscle relaxation involves slowly tensing and then releasing each muscle group individually. The third type of relaxation technique is meditation. This is the most popular form of relaxation techniques.

Another form of fibromyalgia treatment is regular exercise. Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do if you have fibromyalgia. You should begin with stretching exercises and gentle, low impact activity such as walking or bicycling. Don’t be surprised if the exercise makes your pain worse. Some muscle soreness is normal when you are starting to exercise. Eventually as you progress you will become more comfortable. The goal of regular exercise is to gain relief from pain and improve sleep.

Medications are another form or fibromyalgia treatment. Medications are used to help you sleep better, relax muscles, and relieve muscle and joint pain. Examples of medications that may be prescribed are tricyclic antidepressants, such as Amitriptyline or Elavil, muscle relaxants like Flexeril and nonprescription pain relievers like Advil or aspirin.

Fibromyalgia treatment should be tailored to meet individual needs. Some people with fibromyalgia have mild symptoms and need very little treatment while others require a comprehensive care program. There are many options available for fibromyalgia treatment so looking for a comprehensive answer to fibromyalgia pain is the best.