Fibromyalgia - What is it...
Fibromyalgia is a soft-tissue syndrome
characterized by widespread
chronic
musculoskeletal pain, morning stiffness, poor sleep and fatigue. Other
symptoms can include anxiety, depression, headache, numbness or
tingling,
and irritable bowel syndrome.
In the
past, fibromyalgia has
also been called rheumatism, fibrositis
and
fibromyositis. Fibromyalgia is thought to affect about 2 percent of
the U.S.
population or about 3.7 million people. It is more common in women,
especially those older than the age of 50. The prevalence of
fibromyalgia
also increases with age, rising to 7.4 percent of women aged 70-79
years.
The diagnosis of fibromyalgia is made based upon the patient's
symptoms.
Although its cause is unknown, fibromyalgia may be triggered by
physical or
mental stress, inadequate sleep, an injury, exposure to dampness or
cold,
certain infections, and occasionally by rheumatoid arthritis or
related
disorders.
There is
no known cure for
fibromyalgia, and no drugs have been
specifically
developed for its treatment. However, a few existing drug treatments
can
produce improvement in 30-50 percent of patients with this disorder.
Goals of
treatment include pain
relief along with improved sleep,
depression
and energy levels. Medications commonly used for this condition
include
antidepressants, cyclobenzaprine (a muscle relaxant), ondansetron (an
anti-nausea drug), corticosteroids like prednisone, sedatives to help
sleep,
pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), NSAIDS (like
ibuprofen and
others), or tramadol (Ultram), and injections with lidocaine, an
anesthetic
agent. Herbal supplements have show to improve symptoms also. In
addition,
non-drug treatments like cardiovascular fitness training, biofeedback
training, and behavioral therapy may be beneficial in some patients
with
fibromyalgia.
This
article was wrote by
Richard Hoffmann....Pharmacist in our area
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I have a mild case of Fibromyalgia and here are the supplements that
help me
to keep the pain down to - well - its gone actually. ( click on the product name for more information on it) one B-Lite Energizer
twice a day, one B-Safe
with each meal. Before bed I take one Morzinga Gold
and 3mg of
Melatonin. Works great!!! I also drink 3 quarts of filtered
water daily
since our muscles/body is made up of 70% water.....I find that Yoga
helps
too :)
For more info on Fibromyalgia visit the link below
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/fibromyalgia/symptoms-causes/syc-20354780
