Fibromyalgia Treatments That Work

Jan. 6, 2012 - PRLog -- Fibromyalgia Treatments That Work

Fibromyalgia treatments that work are varied, as some things work better for some and less for others. Generally, medications are used to manage the pain, antidepressants to help manage depression and/or stress and often times, sleep-aids to help improve the quality of sleep on a consistent basis. It is advisable to start with the safest and lowest dose of medication possible, then work your way up if those are not effective. The less medicine the better. If you start off with a narcotic, you may end up over medicating yourself when Tylenol might have been effective in relieving your pain. Individual preference plays a role here also. Everyone has a different pain tolerance. Some would prefer to deal with a little pain rather than take too many medications and there are others who simply need good pain control to perform their activities of daily living. Physicians will often need to try different things to get the right medication or combination of medications that give you the best relief.


Provided here are some of the more common fibromyalgia treatments that work for many.

Pharmacological Fibromyalgia Treatments

■Pain Management: Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Naprosyn, Tramadol, Vicodin, Lyrica and/or Neurontin.
■Antidepressants: Amitriptyline, Cymbalta and/or Celexa for stress management and general coping.
■Muscle relaxers: Flexeril commonly used.

Natural Supplement Treatments

■Pain Management: MSM, glucosamine.
■Antidepressants: Sam-E. This supplement can help your mood, but often helps relieve joint pain also.
■Sleep-aid: 5-HTP, melatonin and/or valerian root.

Alternative Fibromyalgia Treatments

■Acupuncture: This treatment has helped some. Small thin needles are placed in certain areas, which some practitioners say increases energy flow and some say it releases pain fighting chemicals. At any rate, some find relief with this treatment.
■Massage: This can help increase warmth and blood flow to painful muscles. It can also release the muscles and enhance your mobility and posture, which can further help with pain management. Many find this treatment helpful, although can be uncomfortable when the therapist first begins. There are some insurance companies that will allow this form of treatment.
■Yoga and tai chi: These forms of exercise have helped. You can purchase a beginner DVD.

General Fibromyalgia "Treatments" Or Habits

These are things that will need to be strived for on a consistent daily basis and improved upon throughout life. Some things may change throughout life and you may need to be flexible in your approach to always find the best balance for you.

■Nutritious diet avoiding foods that you have found make symptoms worse. (see http://besthealthfunwealth.com/fibromyalgia-and-the-foods...).
■Light regular, low impact exercise or activity such as walking, swimming or biking.
■Adequate sleep.
■Keep stress to a minimum.

As mentioned, there are varied fibromyalgia treatments that work, but peoples’ bodies respond differently to different things, both chemically and physically, so you may have to try things to evaluate what the best options for you will be. The general daily fibromyalgia “treatments” or habits have been found to be beneficial to everyone with fibromyalgia and is a good place to start. (see http://www.wackywellness.com/fibromyalgia-nutrition-program/) Remember that if you are going to try an over-the-counter or a natural supplement, be sure to discuss this with your doctor. Work on improving the general daily habits and discuss these and other fibromyalgia treatments that work with your physician in order to discover the best fibromyalgia treatment options for you.