what help can be given for fibromylagia?

Question

I have fibromylagia in my back i am finding it very difficult to deal with always hurts no matter what pain killers i take can any one advise please

Answer 1

I worked for the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue center in Las Vegas. At our center we used primarily holistic treatment because pain killers seem to just mask the pain. I have seen a lot of people get better there but it is costly. The website is www.fibroandfatigue.com they have info on all docs and locations. They also sell their vitamin supplements online.

Answer 2

I have tried massage therapy for my fibromyalgia in the past in the time I've been under the care of Pain Management and found that it was pretty helpful. Even though I do use painkillers for that and other reasons I also have a muscle relaxer and an anti-inflammatory (when I am able to use it) to help with some of my fibromyalgia pain.

I would recommend consulting a Pain Management dr that has experience with fibromyalgia and yes some of them offer alternative treatments such as massage therapy.

A couple of good books I recommend when it comes to fibromyalgia are:

Fibromyalgia for Dummies and also Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain: A Survival Manual by: Devin Starlanyl and Maryellen Copeland

Devin's site is: http://www.sover.net/~devstar and there's a ton of good info there as well.

Answer 3

First and foremost, do not get fibromyalgia treated by a rheumatologist. A lot treat it when they should not. Fibromyalgia should be treated by an Internist and once you have seen the internist, your General Practioner can give you the prescriptions you need. This was told to me by a Rheumatologist who has fibromyalgia.

The best drug for fibromyalgia relief is Valium, it has the least side-effects and that actually works. Muscle relaxants don't work on myalgias because it is a problem with the nervous system, not the muscles themselves. If muscle relaxants work for a friend or family member, you will be pressued to use them and "get on with life."

However getting back to treatment, Doctors are reluctant to start with Valium. Tricyclic antidepressants are also very effective and the Internist will likely start you off on a tricyclic. It will help with the pain a lot. However the tricyclics have such bad side effects for some people (not all but some), they stop taking them. Tricyclic antidepressants help the body make more neurotransmitters and therefore help the nerves pass signals along. Beside being effective, they are the cheapest.

If you do suffer from bad side-effects from tricyclics, you will likely be switched to valium. But internists don't like to start with Valium. There are good reasons for doing so. Valium is the only anti-anxiety that helps with myalgia family. Secondly Physicians don't know why it works while other anti-anxiety drugs do not. To complicate the issue some Physicians prescribe other anti-anxiety medications for the placebo effect which usually means they can't find anything wrong with their patient's back. The problem with Valium is that while it works and has fewer iside effects, the body builds up a tolerance to the point it doesn't work anymore. So the Internists almost always start you off on tritricyclic antidepressents because your body does not build up a tolerance to them.

You will get advice from people is to go see a Physiotherapist or a Chiropractor. Physiotheyapy usually doesn't do much good for something caused by the nervous system. However registered Physiotherapist who gives massage therapy and registered massage therapists will give you relief. Furthermore your insurance company will pay for registered massage therapist. Massage therapists who are certified take a three year course and learn where all the "points" are and learn how to work along a particular nerve. A registered massage therapist or a physio who gives massage therapy will give you pain relief, the problem is that it doesn't last more than a few days. But they are a godsend when you have really bad pain.

However, most long-term myalgia patients end up on pain killers. There are about a million self help and support groups on the internet. It's good to participate because you will see others have been through the process. Should the time for pain killers come, belonging to a self-help group helps you by giving you a reality check when "breakthrough" pain starts to happen. They will encourage you to go back to the Doctor to see what has changed. The Doctor will change your meds and perhaps up the dosage when you get breakthrough pain, but what they don't want you to do is hoard pills on not so bad days and use them over and above your regular amounts for bad pain days. Self help groups are good at reminding you that breakthrough pain should be treated by a Physician, not yourself.

If your fibromyalgia gets worse, there will be some activities you won't be able to do anymore. Support groups also help when this happens and the people there will give you tips on how to talk to your family and friends so they understand why you can't do what you used to or when it happens that you could do something a week ago but can not do the same activity today because you are in severe pain.

You may get a lot of advice from people who have back muscle problems which have the same symptoms but are not real myalgias. Some of them can be quite dogmatic and frankly insulting and tell you how they got rid of the disease. The number one suggestion with a bullet is exercise. Exercise has no effect and in some cases can do more harm than good. There are books that show what kind of streching may help. Most internet support groups have a great letter you can give to people who give you advice (frankly it reminds them they are not doctors and their advice can cause you harm). I've handed it out to dozens of friends and family who have back problems and get angry why I won't take the same pills or treatments they do. The letter explains how fibromyalgia is different and explains why what works for them will not work for you.

Answer 4

Exercise. I have found that staying active and moving is the best form of pain relief. Keep flexing the muscles of the back (or whatever part of the body hurts) I try to stay busy mentally also. I am also a fibro person and I do understand. I rarely take pain killers because they rarely help.
Your sleep is very important. You may think that you are getting good sleep but, perhaps, you are not. You need the deep, restorative sleep. My doctor has ordered me a pill that does help. (Nortriptyline)
Good luck.

Addition: After thinking on your question and reading your profile--my opinion--some of your pain is due to your hobbies. When I am on the net for a period of time, my back and neck hurts much more--the unuse of those muscles. If I keep those muscles active/moving the pain is much less. Keep flexing the back muscles--keep turning the head--just keep those muscles loose--they seem to tense up without use--because of the pain. Again--Good luck. Just me and my opinion.

Answer 5

Drink Mangosteen juice as a daily regimen.

The Mangosteen contains a COX-2 inhibitor, the only botanical reliably proven by research to possess such properties. The COX-2 enzyme is always present in the cerebro-spinal fluid and is directly involved in pain perception.

The suppression of COX-2 by Mangosteen is the presumptive means by which fibromyalgia pain is modified. However, the speed with which it acts varies widely from individual to individual. Some experience improvement in a week or two while others may need to wait up to three months for its effects to be felt.

Other problems arise from fibromyalgia, such as fatigue, sleep abnormalities and tender points, all improve due to the healing properties of Xanthones.
In clinical experience, Xanthones help restore normal sleep patterns and provide an excellent energy boost.

Drugs are dangerous and foods, as supplements, are not.

http://www.goxanthones.com

Answer 6

start doing any mount of exercise you can i know this hurts but if you can start to exercises even a little bit 3-5 min at home to start and increase as tolerated you will most likely improve