Zolpidem (Ambien, Ambien CR, Edluar, Intermezzo) is commonly used as a sleep aid in people with fibromyalgia. Benefits and Risks: These medicines slow down the nervous system. Zolpidem will help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. It may also improve restless leg syndrome.
Muscle relaxants
If you have muscle stiffness or spasms (when the muscles contract painfully) as a result of fibromyalgia, your GP may prescribe a short course of a muscle relaxant, such as diazepam. These medicines may also help you sleep better because they can have a sedative (sleep-inducing) effect.
The link between sleep and fibromyalgia
Because getting a restful night's sleep can be a challenge with fibromyalgia, it can seem like symptoms flare up more at night, especially when you may just be lying in bed with nothing else to focus on but the discomfort.
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic musculoskeletal pain disorder. Although pain is the primary chronic symptom, disturbed sleep is also a major symptom of patients with FMS. Patients report difficulty falling asleep, significantly more nighttime awakenings, and unrefreshing sleep (1).
Fibromyalgia can affect your sleep. You may often wake up tired, even when you have had plenty of sleep. This is because the condition can sometimes prevent you sleeping deeply enough to refresh you properly. You may hear this described as non-restorative sleep.
Flare-ups of mild to severe pain come on suddenly and may feel like aching, throbbing, burning, or stabbing. The pain may be present in multiple tender points throughout the body, often affecting the lower back and legs.
Stress. It's one of the most common triggers of flare-ups. While you can't get rid of all stress from your life, you can limit it.
Fibromyalgia has also been linked to two sleep disorders, insomnia and restless legs syndrome.
Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).
They can help with pain, sleep problems, and sad moods. The two main SNRI drugs for fibromyalgia are duloxetine (Cymbalta) and milnacipran (Savella).
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three drugs for use in fibromyalgia: pregabalin (Lyrica), duloxetine (Cymbalta), and milnacipran (Savella). Pregabalin is used to reduce pain and improve sleep.
However, if you sleep on a good mattress that evenly distributes your body weight across the surface, like memory foam mattresses tend to do, then sleeping on your side may actually be comfortable and help relieve your pain.
In some cases, the doctor may recommend a multivitamin that includes antioxidant vitamins A, C, D, E, and the B vitamins, as well as calcium, magnesium, selenium, and zinc to ease symptoms. Coenzyme Q10. This antioxidant, used to convert food into energy, has shown some promise in treating fibromyalgia symptoms.
Most recently, a double-blind study has suggested that high doses of Melatonin taken regularly for six weeks likely reduces fibromyalgia pain. Sixty three women with fibromyalgia were included in the study, all of whom kept diaries throughout the course of the six weeks.
Results: There were four parent stages of FM identified and labeled: 1) regional FM with classic symptoms; 2) generalized FM with increasing widespread pain and some additional symptoms; 3) FM with advanced and associated conditions, increasing widespread pain, increased sleep disturbances, and chemical sensitivity; ...
Exercise regularly.
But doing it gradually and regularly often decreases symptoms. Appropriate exercises may include walking, swimming, biking and water aerobics. A physical therapist can help you develop a home exercise program. Stretching, good posture and relaxation exercises also are helpful.
The pain may get worse with activity, cold or damp weather, anxiety, and stress. This condition is more often diagnosed in people between the ages of 20 and 50. It is most common in middle-aged women.
Fibromyalgia is often debilitating due to pain that can interfere with a patient's life. For example, many individuals report trouble sleeping, which can lead to exhaustion and fatigue.
A fibromyalgia attack is also known as a flare-up. An attack can come on suddenly and cause mild to severe pain. These attacks may cause aching, burning, throbbing, or stabbing.
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.
Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain and spinal cord process painful and nonpainful signals.