Fibromyalgia? Are there any alternative treatments?

Question

I have recently been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. The doctor started me on antidepressants, but I don't want to take such strong drugs. Do you know if there is anything else I can do to ease the pain?

Answer 1

Here is some info that may help you out and if you want to talk with other people that have fibro I have a free chat room where people with fibro and other diseases come to chat so they maybe able to help you also, just email me at [e-mail] for the link, here is some of that info good luck.

Pain Management: Alternative Therapy
Chronic pain can occur anywhere in the body. Treating chronic pain can be challenging. Alternative therapy has become an option for pain management.
The term alternative therapy, in general, is used to describe any medical treatment or intervention that has not been sufficiently scientifically documented or identified as safe and effective for a specific condition. Alternative therapy encompasses a variety of disciplines including acupuncture, guided imagery, chiropractic treatment, yoga, hypnosis, biofeedback, aromatherapy, relaxation, herbal remedies, massage and many others.

In the past decade, strong evidence has been accumulated regarding the benefits of mind-body therapies, acupuncture, and some nutritional supplements for treating pain. Other alternative therapies such as massage, chiropractic therapies, therapeutic touch, certain herbal therapies, and dietary approaches have the potential to alleviate pain in some cases. However, the evidence supporting these therapies is less concrete.

Mind-Body Therapies
Mind-body therapies are treatments that are meant to help the mind’s ability to affect the functions and symptoms of the body. Mind-body therapies use various approaches including relaxation techniques, meditation, guided imagery, biofeedback, and hypnosis. Relaxation techniques can help alleviate discomfort related to chronic pain.

Acupuncture
Although the World Health Organization currently recognizes more than 30 diseases or conditions that can be helped by acupuncture treatment, one of the main uses of acupuncture is for pain relief.

Sixteenth century Chinese doctors believed that illness was due to an imbalance of energy in the body. In acupuncture, disposable, stainless steel needles are used to stimulate the body's 14 major meridians, or energy-carrying channels, to resist or overcome illnesses and conditions by correcting these imbalances.

Acupuncture is also thought to decrease pain by increasing the release of chemicals that block pain, called endorphins. Many acu-points are near nerves. When stimulated, these nerves cause a dull ache or feeling of fullness in the muscle. The stimulated muscle sends a message to the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), causing the release of endorphins (morphine-like chemicals produced in our own bodies during times of pain or stress). Endorphins, along with other neurotransmitters (body chemicals that modify nerve impulses), block the message of pain from being delivered up to the brain

Acupuncture may be useful as an accompanying treatment for many pain-related conditions, including: headache, low back pain, menstrual cramps, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and myofascial pain. Acupuncture also may be an acceptable alternative to or may be included as part of a comprehensive pain management program.

Chiropractic Treatment and Massage
Chiropractic treatment is the most common non-surgical treatment for back pain. Improvements of people undergoing chiropractic manipulations were noted in some trials. However, the treatments effectiveness in treating back and neck pain has not been supported by compelling evidence from the majority of clinical trials. Further studies are currently assessing the effectiveness of chiropractic care for pain management.

Massage is being increasingly used by people suffering from pain, mostly to manage chronic back and neck problems. Massage can reduce stress and relieve tension by enhancing blood flow. This treatment also can reduce the presence of substances that may generate and sustain pain. Available data suggest that massage therapy, like chiropractic manipulations, holds considerable promise for managing back pain.

Therapeutic Touch and Reiki Healing
Therapeutic touch and reiki healing are thought to help activate the self-healing processes of an individual and therefore reduce pain. Although these so called "energy-based" techniques do not require actual physical contact, they do involve close physical proximity between practitioner and patient.

In the past few years, several reviews evaluated published studies on the efficacy of these healing approaches to ease pain and anxiety and improve health. Although beneficial effects with no significant adverse side effects were reported in several studies, the limitations of some of these studies make it difficult to draw definitive conclusions. Further studies are needed before the evidence-based recommendation for using these approaches for pain treatment can be made.

Dietary Approaches to Treating Pain
Some people believe that changing dietary fat intake and/or consuming plant foods that contain anti-inflammatory agents can help ease pain by limiting inflammation.

A mostly raw vegetarian diet was found helpful for some people with fibromyalgia, but this study was not randomized and was without a control group. One study of women with premenstrual symptoms suggested that a low-fat vegetarian diet was associated with decreased pain intensity and duration. Weight loss achieved by a combination of dietary changes and increased physical activity has been shown to be helpful for people suffering from osteoarthritis.

Still, further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of dietary modifications as a pain treatment.

Nutritional Supplements
There is solid evidence indicating that glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate are effective for knee osteoarthritis. These natural compounds were found to decrease pain and increase mobility of the knee and were well tolerated and safe.

Other dietary supplements, such as fish oils, also show some evidence of benefit, although more research is needed.

Herbal Remedies
It has been difficult to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of herbs. If you decide to use herbal preparations to better manage your pain, it is of critical importance to share this information with your doctor. Some herbs may interact with drugs you are receiving for pain or other conditions and may harm your health.

Things to Consider
Alternative therapies are not always benign. As mentioned, some herbal therapies can interact with other medications you may be taking. Always talk to your doctor before trying an alternative approach and be sure to tell all your doctors what alternative treatments you are using.

Answer 2

I have Fibromyalgia and have been through every medical treatment there is including six years on Guafenesin, which did absolutely nothing for me. I'm enclosing what has helped me over the years.

Nutrition is very important with this condition as with any serious physical condition. Avoid caffeine products, sugar, processed foods and fried foods. Low blood sugar (Hypoglycemia) is often a factor in causing the person with Fibromyalgia to feel fatigued. That is why a good nutrition program is very important, eating frequent small meals with some protein is very important in keeping the blood levels even.

Whole grains, seeds, nuts, yogurt, chicken, Turkey, organic beef, eggs, natural cheese and cottage cheese should form the base of your diet. Accompanied by Appropriate vegetables and a minimum amount of fruit.

A good quality multi-vitamin is absolutely essential with this condition. It's important to replace what the body loses daily. If a person takes no other supplement but a multi-vitamin they're helping to support their body daily. Co Q 10, in soft gel form 100mg, taken three times daily can help increase the energy Levels very quickly. St. Johns Wort is a natural anti depressant medication.

There's no definite cure for Fibromyalagia but there are certainly many alternative methods that can help you improve the quality of your life. I find that deep tissue massage therapy performed regularly really keeps down the pain. it gets rid of the lactic acid that forms on the muscles and are released during massage. When I’m going through a really bad time I always get a massage. It works better than any medicine.

Physical therapy that is performed at home is very important for Fibromyalgia. Warm water stretches performed at least three times weekly can be of tremendous help keeping the joints and muscles flexible. A Jacuzzi or hot tub is without a doubt one of the best treatments you can do at home, not only does it improve circulation you can also perform warm water stretches in it. If you have access to one and can use this daily you would see a tremendous change in the body. Using a moist heating pad on areas of pain for 20 minutes can ease the pain.

I also find that chiropractic care can bring tremendous relief. I always recommend people with Fibromyalgia seek out a Chiropractor who uses the activator method for physical therapy and pain relief. If you would like to find out about a doctor of chiropractic in your area who uses this method go to http://www.activator.com/qualified_doctors.asp

Answer 3

I don't know whether this is recognised in UK. Certainly,from my research on the internet it is in USA. I put myself on Guafenesin which is actually a cough expectorant. I had the pills sent from USA as I don't think they are available in UK. I am certain that I have FM but haven't discussed it with a doctor. I'm not sure if the Guafenesin is working - it may be very slowly but so much damage has been done over the years. The theory is that it gets rid of the phosphates in the cells. That people with FM are not able to excret these phosphates naturally so they build up in the tissues and cause problems. Sounds a logical theory. I don't suppose your GP would recommend them but they are I think pretty harmless. They do make you cough a bit at first. It does annoy me when GP's just give out anti-depressants as that is not getting to the bottom of the problem. Have you tried Osteopathic treatment. That has been my lifeline for years but not a cure. I'm now trying to get facet joint injections where the joints are jammed up as the osteopaths can't move them any more but so far it has taken 10 months to get one spinal level done. The NHS is deplorable.

Answer 4

Wo Shi, go to the Internet look up "Fibromyalgia" there are a few treatments listed that you maybe interesting in, but there should be some health food stores near you. Give 'em a call or a natural cure clinic somewhere in your town or near by. Jimmy.

Answer 5

Fibromalgia is definately not just another form of arthritus. There is still some conflict between doctors about the way to treat it, my mum has it and they say they can only attempt to alleviate the symptoms. Get a second opinion or look into an alternative answer which we are in the process of doing now. Sorry I cant help more. Good luck

Answer 6

Endep is a tricyclic antidepressant--whcih was teh primary treatment about 5-10 yeras ago the ONLY KNOWN treatmenst for fms are Savella, Cymbalta, and Lyrica-- Savella and Cymbalta are SNRI antidepressants and Lyrica is antiseizuure although other medications--especially in teh same classes can be used off label-- i woudl be concerned taht you are misdiagnsoed as the dic is obviosuly an idiot...... pain meds, muscle relaxants sometimes help--but not often-- as teh problem is in the brain fibromyalgai is highly overdiagnsoed by incomepatnt docs

Answer 7

Fibromialgia is not arthritis, it is what was previously called Fibrocitis or muscular rheumatism, and has a wide range of symptoms including widespread pain and fatigue, it's also been linked to other diseases like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and IBS. There is no cure, but several drugs are used to help treat the syndrome, including some antidepressants, sedatives and pain killers.

My mother was diagnosed with fibromyaliga several years ago, and currently does not take any drugs for it as she, like you, does not wish to take strong pain killers or antidepressants. She does however, take a mild sedative to help her sleep.

There is a drug called guaifenesin which some people have found can have huge benificial effects for fibromyaliga, but these can take several years to take effect i believe, and some sufferers (like my Mum) never see any effect. A book called What your doctor may not tell you about fibromyaliga by Dr St. Amand (himself a researcher and sufferer of fibromyaligia) talks about this treatment.

There are pleanty of support groups on the interent for people in your situation. I'm very sorry to hear of your diagnosis as I know how hard this can be for you and for your familiy.

Answer 8

This can so often be the result of infection(s) that doctors so often miss. If you are in the UK the private hospital ,breakspearmedical,would investigate possible causes & maybe offer some alternative treatments.
Chronic borreliosis / lyme disease is one of the main suspects,many people find.

Answer 9

Try a Yahoo search for fibromyalgia + "natural remedies".

Answer 10

Have you heard of St. Johns wart? It is a natural anti- depressant that you can buy at any drug store. Also its more powerful cousin- mangosteen fruit. They both contain Xanthones- it has so many different parts to it that you need to read the research enclosed. I recommend the Mangosteen fruit because it will help with more than depression...

Answer 11

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