Heat, especially moist heat, may relieve soreness and stiffness from fibromyalgia by boosting blood flow to the places where you hurt. Apply a warm, moist washcloth to the painful area or try taking a shower or soaking in a bath. You also can reduce the deep muscle pain of fibromyalgia with a cold pack.
Heat therapy relaxes stiff joints and muscles; whereas, cold therapy numbs acute pain and reduces inflammation. Switching between heat and cold therapy can help reduce certain types of pain.
Use a shower stool: Sitting down means you'll be doing less bending and stretching, and it could prevent dizziness while conserving energy. Use cooler water in the shower: If hot water has a negative impact on you, you can always dial the temperature down.
Soaking in warm water and exercise are among the many ways to reduce the intensity and frequency of fibromyalgia symptoms. Relaxing in a hot tub is a well-known way to ease muscular stiffness and soreness. Additionally, a routine soak can also help relieve stress; an intensifier of fibromyalgia symptoms.
Cold showering stimulates a body and brain-wide protective response, ensuring sufficient amounts of beta-endorphin and noradrenaline (and lots more) are released into the system quickly. This array of feel-good and analgesic chemicals helps to suppress pain and makes us feel very alert, at least for a short while.
Fibromyalgia: According to the National Fibromyalgia Association, when the weather is humid, fibromyalgia symptoms worsen. Many patients who suffer from rheumatological conditions have a condition known as temperature sensitivity, which means any extreme temps, hot or cold, can lead to worsened symptoms or pain.
Physical and emotional stress are the most common triggers of fibromyalgia flares. Other triggers include lack of sleep, weather changes, and hormone imbalances.
Biofeedback, deep breathing, meditation, self-hypnosis, or even just distracting yourself with a good book or some soothing music can help take your mind off the pain and make coping with a flare more manageable, say experts at the National Fibromyalgia Association.
The central nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves) transmits information all over your body through a network of specialised cells. Changes in the way this system works may explain why fibromyalgia results in constant feelings of, and extreme sensitivity to, pain.
Relaxation. If you have fibromyalgia, it's important to regularly take time to relax or practise relaxation techniques. Stress can make your symptoms worse or cause them to flare up more often. It could also increase your chances of developing depression.
A flare can be over in 1 to 2 days or last as long as a few weeks. Here are some of the most common symptoms of fibromyalgia: Muscle achiness: often in the neck, back, arms, and legs. Joint pain: in your knees, hips, hands, etc.
Fibromyalgia can cause tiredness. This can range from feeling mildly tired to the exhaustion often felt during a flu-like illness. Severe tiredness (fatigue) may come on suddenly and can drain you of all your energy. If this happens, you may feel too tired to do anything at all.
The drugs amitriptyline, duloxetine, milnacipran and pregabalin can relieve fibromyalgia pain in some people. They may cause side effects such as a dry mouth or nausea. Normal painkillers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen (paracetamol) aren't recommended for the treatment of fibromyalgia.
Other researchers believe fibromyalgia is caused by a lack of deep sleep. It is during stage 4 sleep that muscles recover from the prior day's activity, and the body refreshes itself. Sleep studies show that as people with fibromyalgia enter stage 4 sleep, they become more aroused and stay in a lighter form of sleep.
Drinking water helps to flush all the toxins through your liver and kidneys and out of the body. Aim for at least 8 glasses each day – being hydrated will help to fight off fatigue. If you don't like plain water try a squeeze of lemon juice or lime to add some flavour.
Possibly the most common cause of short-term fibro flares can be attributed to changes in the weather. Whenever the barometric pressure changes and a new front passes through, many people with fibromyalgia experience an increase in their symptoms — particularly in their pain level.
Although there's currently no cure for fibromyalgia, there are treatments to help relieve some of the symptoms and make the condition easier to live with. Treatment tends to be a combination of: lifestyle changes, such as exercise programmes and relaxation techniques.
Magnesium
Not only is it credited with keeping the heart, kidneys and bones strong, it also helps us avoid muscle spasms, weakness and back pain, Dr. Teitelbaum says. Women with fibromyalgia may be deficient in magnesium, studies suggest. And magnesium may help relieve fibro pain and other symptoms.
Choose Dark, Leafy Greens, Nuts, and Seeds for Magnesium
Magnesium is found in many healthy foods, including legumes (dried beans and lentils), nuts and seeds, avocado, yogurt, bananas, fatty fish, dark chocolate, and dark, leafy greens.