Several million people in the U.S. suffer from fibromyalgia, with the majority of cases found in women aged 25-45. As of this writing, the fibromyalgia syndrome remains a medical mystery. Researchers have not been able to identify the cause or find an effective cure.
Signature symptoms include muscle pain, chest pain, insomnia, swollen lymph nodes and depression. Other symptoms in some cases include irritable bowel syndrome and abdominal pain. This is often a debilitating condition. If you have a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, your doctor may prescribe a variety of modalities to treat fibromyalgia. Due to the complex nature of this syndrome, it may take some time to establish those that work for you.
Some research suggests that fibromyalgia may have its genesis in your endocrine system function, so be sure to discuss this factor with your doctor.
Here is a summary of the front line therapies your doctor may use to treat fibromyalgia.
Medications:
Simple OTC meds, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, may be used first, upon diagnosis. While these might provide minimal relief, clinical studies have shown that these medications are not usually effective.
Your physician may prescribe muscle relaxers to treat fibromyalgia symptoms, as well as any of the antidepressants, if your symptoms include depression. Caution is recommended before you start a program of antidepressants, as they can cause serious side effects.
Exercise programs:
Rigorous exercise is not recommended to treat fibromyalgia, as it creates too much stress and is painful. Programs which prove most helpful include yoga, aerobics and stretching exercises, which, while improving muscle tone and circulation, provide the element of relaxation. Swimming can be most effective, as very little stress is placed on joints and muscles.
Dietary changes:
Your doctor may also recommend a vegetarian diet which includes, preferably, organic fruits, vegetables and a variety of unsalted nuts and seeds. Using such a diet to treat fibromyalgia has met with considerable success in controlled studies. A significant number of patients realized substantial decreases in pain and levels of depression, as well as decreased use of painkillers and other meds.
MSG has been implicated in exacerbating the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Although research is in the preliminary stage, a small study demonstrated that all of the fibromyalgia patients reported quite substantial improvements when MSG was eliminated from their diets. Interestingly, in all cases, symptoms returned when MSG was reintroduced.
Nutritional supplements:
Many doctors do not treat fibromyalgia patients with nutritional supplements, although there is evidence that certain nutritional deficiencies are commonly found in patients with fibromyalgia. Among these, thiamine and thiamine-related enzyme function, low serotonin levels, magnesium in combination with malic acid, melatonin and vitamin E are of particular interest. While clinical studies are limited to date, supplementation has produced beneficial results in some patients, worth discussion with your doctor.
Alternative therapies:
Studies seeking to find ways to treat fibromyalgia seem to consistently show that stress is a significant factor in exacerbating fibromyalgia symptoms. You may want to explore options that relieve stress. Meditation and biofeedback are just two.
Hopefully, further research will discover the cause of this condition and eventually, a cure.
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