A lot of traditional Fibromyalgia treatment tends to focus on relieving symptoms. Moreover, because Fibromyalgia is a syndrome, different people will often experience a different set of symptoms.
Unfortunately, there is no scientifically evidenced treatment or cure for Fibromyalgia yet.
However, with the right help and support, people with Fibromyalgia can begin to lead normal lives once more and some do fully recover as indeed did Thor A Rain the founder of The Helpful Clinic who suffered with Fibromyalgia (and ME/CFS) for over six years.
Some or more of the following will often help people with Fibromyalgia:
- Supported activity
- Some physical therapy
- Acupuncture
- Lifestyle changes
- Psychotherapy
- Chiropractic care
- Massage
- Medication, such as antidepressants and painkillers
A key factor underpinning sustained improvement or full recovery is what’s called Root Cause Analysis. This is to investigate and explore the factors contributing to the onset of Fibromyalgia. As this is a multi-systemic condition, it is likely that there are a few root causes that need to be understood and addressed.
If you decide to start your journey to recovery with us, we will work together on six key areas of your health – symptoms, sleep, mood, nutrition, activity and relationships – to understand the root causes contributing to your illness and help you achieve an improved state of physical, mental and social wellbeing (and where possible, full recovery).
Feeling alone and confused about what you’re experiencing? There’s a chance we can help.
We regularly work with people who are in the same position as you, many of whom are gradually improving and some recovering fully.
Book your free Discovery Call with us now and find out how we just might be able to help you begin a journey towards better emotional and physical health.
What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia, also known as Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), is a multi-systemic, debilitating, long-term condition that causes pain all over a person’s body. Because of its symptoms, Fibromyalgia is often confused with arthritis. However, the distinct difference is that Fibromyalgia has not been found to cause joint and muscle damage.
While Fibromyalgia can affect people of all ages, it is most likely to occur in those aged between 30 and 50. Moreover, Fibromyalgia is thought to affect around 7 times more women than men.
Although it is not clear exactly how many people are affected by Fibromyalgia, research suggests it is a common condition. In fact, the charity Fibromyalgia Action UK estimates that one person in 20 in the UK could have the condition.
One of the primary reasons why exact figures remain unavailable is because Fibromyalgia is a difficult condition to diagnose. There is no definitive test yet and because its symptoms are similar to other conditions, Fibromyalgia is often misdiagnosed.
Fibromyalgia symptoms
While Fibromyalgia is usually associated with widespread muscle and joint pain, there are other common symptoms. These include:
- Extreme tiredness (fatigue)
- Trouble sleeping
- Jaw pain and stiffness
- Increased sensitivity to pain
- Muscle stiffness
- Headaches
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Memory and concentration problems (known as “fibro-fog”)
- Lower abdominal pain
- Restless leg syndrome (RLS)
- Sensitivity to cold or heat
- Tingling in the hands and feet
Fibromyalgia causes
It’s not clear why some people develop Fibromyalgia, but potential causes are thought to include:
- Chemical imbalances
- Repetitive injuries
- A viral infection
- Giving birth
- Having surgery
- An extremely emotional life event, such as a relationship breakdown or the death of a loved one
- Sleep problems
- Genetics
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Autoimmune diseases such as lupus
- Central nervous system problems
- Temporomandibular Joint disorder (TMJD)
