Patients experience widespread musculoskeletal pain if they have fibromyalgia. This pain is accompanied by constant fatigue, memory problems, insomnia, and mood swings. Symptoms of fibromyalgia often start after a surgery, physical trauma, infection, or psychological stress.

Women are more prone to fibromyalgia than men. Although there is no permanent cure for this disorder, its symptoms can be controlled by a variety of medications. Regular exercise, stress-reduction therapies, and relaxation techniques can also help.

Diagnosis of fibromyalgia

Earlier, doctors used to check 18 specific points on the body of a person to see if they caused pained when pressed firmly. Now, doctors don’t require this tender point exam to diagnose fibromyalgia. If you report having widespread musculoskeletal pain for three months, a doctor will ask you to get a few blood tests done. The blood tests one may be asked to take in this situation are as follows:

• Complete blood count
• Thyroid tests
• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
• Rheumatoid factor
• Cyclic citrullinated peptide test

Although there is no laboratory test for confirming fibromyalgia, the above mentioned blood tests will help your doctor to dismiss other conditions.

Treatment of fibromyalgia

Both self-care and medication are essential for the treatment of fibromyalgia. Doctors emphasize on minimizing symptoms of fibromyalgia and improving the overall health of patients.

• Medications

The primary medications for fibromyalgia are given to reduce pain and improve sleep. They are as follows.

• Pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Motrin IB, Advil), acetaminophen (Tylenol), and naproxen sodium (Aleve) are helpful in treating fibromyalgia
• Antidepressants such as milnacipran (Savella) and duloxetine (Cymbalta) can be helpful in easing the fatigue and pain associated with fibromyalgia. Your doctor can prescribe amitriptyline and cyclobenzaprine to improve your sleep
• Anti-seizure drugs like gabapentin (Neurontin) and pregabalin (Lyrica) can also help in reducing symptoms of fibromyalgia

• Therapy

Various therapies can be effective in reducing the effect that fibromyalgia has on your life. They can help you to manage fibromyalgia. They are as follows.

• Physical therapy

  It can be helpful in treating fibromyalgia. Your therapist will teach certain exercises that will boost your strength and flexibility.

• Occupational therapy

  This will help you make certain adjustments in the way you perform tasks at work, help you to work better and without stress.

• Counseling

  This can also help immensely in managing fibromyalgia. Talking to a counselor will help you deal with stressful circumstances and make you feel better.

• Changes in lifestyle

Self-care is extremely important for managing a disorder like fibromyalgia. The changes in lifestyle that you need are as follows:

• Try to get enough sleep at night
• Limit overexertion and emotional stress
• Try meditation and deep-breathing exercises to stay calm
• Eat healthy food and limit the intake of caffeine
• Exercise regularly

• Alternative treatments

You can try some of these alternative treatments if you have fibromyalgia:

• Acupuncture
• Massage therapy is known to relieve stress and anxiety.
• Yoga and Tai chi for meditation, deep breathing, slow movements, and relaxation.

By adopting a healthy lifestyle and with medication, therapies and lifestyle changes, you can treat fibromyalgia without much hassle.

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