If you have fibromyalgia, you know that life is 10 times harder. The complex chronic pain disorder affects every part of your day. You’re tired, achy and can’t think straight. So how can you cope? From exercising to herbs and supplements, here are 7 ways to tame symptoms. Plus, how much do you know about fibromyalgia? Take our quiz to find out...
It’s bad enough that you have fibromyalgia, a painful, puzzling disorder. What’s worse is that every symptom – from brain fog to pain, fatigue and depression – hurts not only yourself but also your relationships, work life and physical, emotional and mental health.
There's no cure, which means you just have to learn to live with fibromyalgia pain and take steps to ease its symptoms.
“Effectively treating fibromyalgia requires a combination of medication and lifestyle skills,” says Daniel Clauw, M.D., fibromyalgia expert and professor of anesthesiology and medicine at the University of Michigan. He’s also director of the Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center there.
Here are 7 expert tips to ease fibromyalgia pain and fatigue:
1. Start exercising.
Working out is recommended for most everyone, but it can especially help fibromyalgia sufferers, who often feel stiffness (especially after waking in the morning) and restless leg syndrome.
Exercising regularly – whatever you can manage on a routine basis – can boost mood, ease pain, improve sleep, reduce fatigue, improve circulation and strengthen your heart. Among recommended activities for fibromyalgia patients: stretching, walking, yoga, cycling, swimming, water aerobics and strength training.
“Take small steps toward becoming more active as your symptoms begin to improve,” Clauw advises.
But be careful: Sometimes exercise can be counterproductive, says Stephen MacPherson, N.D., a naturopathic doctor at the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Center in Seattle, Wash. Many are so fatigued, that it makes it difficult to exercise.
Know your limit, he advises, and consult your doctor before starting or changing an exercise program.
2. Try various therapies.
Fibromyalgia patients suffer pain more intensely than other people do. They may feel it all over their body or in multiple tender points.
Water therapy, light aerobics, application of heat or cold, acupuncture, and osteopathic or chiropractic manipulation have helped fibromyalgia patients, say the experts at the National Fibromyalgia Association. So has physical therapy.
It can increase mobility, improve physical function and ease pain. Experts at the National Pain Foundation believe that physical therapy can help people regain their muscle tone and flexibility.
Massage may help some people, but not everyone should have one because even light pressure could worsen the pain, MacPherson advises. “A medium-pressure massage can make a person feel like they’ve been hit by a truck the next day.”
Like exercise, all therapies must be gradually implemented, he says.
3. Eat a healthy diet.
Eating lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats and dairy also will energize you, lower weight and improve overall health as you battle fibromyalgia.
Janet Horn, M.D., Lifescript’s women’s health expert and a practicing physician in Baltimore, suggests eliminating the following foods, which appear to bother some people with fibromyalgia:
Food additives like MSG and nitrates (the preservative in hot dogs and bacon)
Aspartame (NutraSweet)
Sugar
4. Get enough sleep.
Pain, stress and anxiety can rob you of the ability to sleep. But that’s exactly what you need to manage one of fibromyalgia’s major symptoms: fatigue.
Many of MacPherson’s patients have sleep apnea. “We sometimes recommend that people go to a sleep study and get checked out,” he says.
Talk to your doctor to see whether sleep meds are appropriate for you. And try to implement good sleep habits. Here are some suggestions from the University of Maryland's Sleep Disorder Center:
Make your bedroom comfortable by reducing noises and extreme temperatures.
Use light and comfortable bed linens and garments.
Begin rituals to help you relax at bedtime, such as taking a soothing bath or enjoying a light snack.
Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, including weekends and holidays.
If you nap, keep it to less than one hour and take it before 3 p.m.
Avoid caffeine, alcohol and cigarettes.
Stay away from fatty, spicy foods that may upset your stomach or cause heartburn.
Set aside time during the day to get all your worries out of your system.
Go to bed only when you're sleepy and reserve the bed only for sleeping and sex.
5. Pay attention to your sex life.
Women with fibromyalgia commonly experience pain with their menstrual cycles and during intercourse. Pain or joint/muscle stiffness may interfere with their ability to enjoy intimacy.
On top of the physical challenges, negative changes in self-perception, such as feeling unattractive, uncomfortable or simply not feeling sexy, may lead to a loss of desire.
Plus, stress and anxiety can get in the way of good sex.
If you’ve fallen into a habit of avoiding sex for these or any other reasons, talk to your doctor.
Your sexual health is as important as your physical, mental and emotional health. A physician will not only help you troubleshoot the problem, but recommend ways to boost your libido and self-esteem and help you manage the pain or discomfort.
6. Reduce stress.
Fibromyalgia can affect memory and cause “fibro fog,” an inability to think clearly, which can be particularly frustrating when you’re trying to perform simple tasks.
“Constant stress can drain the endocrine system and alter hormone levels,” which may be a cause of fibromyalgia, MacPherson says.
Try these tips to manage your stress load:
Pace your daily activities. Fibromyalgia patients sometimes unknowingly exacerbate pain and fatigue by overdoing it when they’re feeling well, Clauw says.
Try relaxation techniques. Methods that help reduce stress and pain include breathing and relaxation exercises, meditation, aromatherapy and biofeedback. The latter uses a machine to help patients read their body’s signals to reduce anxiety and pain.
Set boundaries. You may want to speak to your supervisor at work about modifying your schedule, reducing your workload or simply identifying and communicating your needs to your boss and coworkers, according to the KnowFibro guide.
See a behavioral cognitive therapist. This form of psychotherapy examines how our thinking influences how we feel and what we do. Fibromyalgia sufferers can have a lot of emotional distress, MacPherson says, and therapy may help to manage it.
7. Try herbs and supplements.
Magnesium and acetyl-L-carnitine may help ease symptoms, says Suzy Cohen, R. Ph., Pharmacist and author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist.
“Magnesium reduces nerve pain and muscle pain,” she says. “When the mineral runs low, the body experiences more pain.”
It's also used to make ATP, an energy molecule, which may help with fatigue, she says.
“And the body uses acetyl-L-carnitine to make another hormone, acetylcholine, which is used in the brain to improve mood, memory and concentration difficulties, which often coincide with fibromyalgia.”
Always check with your doctor about any supplements, herbs, or other therapies you’re considering.
For more information and expert advice, visit our Fibromyalgia Health Center.
How Much Do You Know About Fibromyalgia?
Described by Hippocrates in ancient Greece, fibromyalgia is one of the world’s oldest medical mysteries.
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