An estimated 2-4 percent of the population suffers from fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a sometimes controversial diagnosis based on wide spread pain, joint stiffness and fatigue. Fibromyalgia pain is also often experienced with a variety of other symptoms, including difficulty swallowing, bowel and bladder problems, numbness or tingling, and cognitive dysfunction. Fibromyalgia suffers also often suffer from psychological disorders like depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress syndrome.
A fibromyalgia diagnosis is controversial because of the lack of medical consensus regarding the cause of the disease, but as anyone who has ever experienced fibromyalgia or who has known someone who suffered from it, it is very clear that fibromyalgia patients suffer chronic, wide spread pain and fatigue. Fibromyalgia pain is wide spread, and may affect many areas of the body. However, the pain is also sometimes localized in the shoulders, neck, lower back and hips. Many patients also experience fibromyalgia pain in their face. Fibromyalgia is a disease identified by the widespread pain experienced by the patient, and relief for fibromyalgia pain is one of the primary goals of treatment.
Because the causes of fibromyalgia are unknown, fibromyalgia is treated symptomatically. Fibromyalgia pain relief can be difficult to find, since the underlying problems are unknown and difficult to identify. Many different treatments can be recommended for fibromyalgia pain relief. These treatments can range from medications, to physical treatments such as massage and acupuncture, to life style changes; all of these treatments may be able to reduce fibromyalgia pain in some people.
Some doctors believe that fibromyalgia is the result of underlying psychological disorders, and psychological/behavioral treatments have had some success at providing relief for fibromyalgia pain for patients in randomized controlled trials. Along with exercise, cognitive behavioral therapies have been seen to provide fibromyalgia pain relief in some patients. Some doctors claim that only accepting psychological treatments can do this. In related treatments, the use of pharmaceutical antidepressants to provide fibromyalgia pain relief and to treat fibromyalgia related fatigue, cognition problems, and related depression was shown in 2007 to be somewhat effective. Antidepressants showed small improvements in fibromyalgia related pain and fatigue.
Anti-seizure medications have also been used to treat fibromyalgia pain. Pregabalin, originally developed to provide relief for the nerve pain associated with diabetes, has been approved as a form of fibromyalgia pain relief. A small number of those who take anti-seizure medication for fibromyalgia pain relief will experience significant improvements. A larger number will find that it gives them a more moderate amount of fibromyalgia pain relief.
Dopamine agonists provided fibromyalgia pain relief in only a small minority of patients tested, and often at the risk of significant side effects, including changes in their impulse control abilities. More medications are currently being tested for their possible benefits in providing fibromyalgia pain relief.
Some people seeking relief for their fibromyalgia pain prefer to make only life style changes, such as exercising sleeping more. Massage and acupuncture in addition to this may bring some people fibromyalgia pain relief. Chiropractic methods of treating fibromyalgia pain are not recommended.
When seeking fibromyalgia pain relief, it is important to consider whether the benefits are worth the possible side effects. There are numerous different options when treating fibromyalgia pain, and one may not be right for every fibromyalgia sufferer. For some people, life style changes may be enough to satisfy their needs, for others finding fibromyalgia pain relief is worth risking weight gain, behavioral changes, and other side effects associated with fibromyalgia treatments. Fibromyalgia pain relief can be difficult to find, and many fibromyalgia suffers still live with pain because they have not yet found the right treatment for their fibromyalgia pain.
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