21 Jul What is Fibromyalgia? How a Multimodal Approach Works

If you’ve been suffering from musculoskeletal pain with accompanying symptoms such as memory loss, fatigue, and mood swings, you might have fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a disorder that impacts your brain’s ability to process pain, amplifying painful sensations. In most cases, symptoms of fibromyalgia manifest after a significant event such as surgery, physical trauma, or infection. More rarely, symptoms develop over time without a trigger moment.

Fibromyalgia is more common in women and individuals who experience depression, tension headaches, and irritable bowel syndrome. Scientists and medical researchers are currently looking for a cure. There are, however, many treatment options available to reduce the pain fibromyalgia creates and control its symptoms. Most patients find that a new, holistic approach to healthcare and pain control also helps, as regular exercise and stress-relief generally alleviate pain.

The most common symptoms of fibromyalgia include:

• Widespread pain. Compared to other diseases like as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, fibromyalgia is notable because of the constant dull ache it creates. This widespread pain can last as long as three months and significantly impact all aspects of life.
• Inexplicable fatigue. Even if you get your full 8 hours of sleep each night, you will likely waken tired due to fibromyalgia. Pain disrupts the sleep cycles, preventing the body from truly re-energizing during REM sleep cycles. This can also trigger other sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome.
• Mental fog. Long-term pain negatively impacts quality of life, making it difficult to accomplish even the easiest tasks. Many people suffering from fibromyalgia have difficulty paying attention or concentrating. Lack of proper sleep can also contribute to cognitive difficulties.

Fortunately, a multimodal approach offers significant pain relief to fibromyalgia. Patients should prioritize a healthy lifestyle focused on exercise, proper nutrition, and other self-management strategies. When coupled with cognitive-behavioral therapies, patients will experience robust improvement in the ability to complete daily activities and an alleviation of symptoms. Since the symptoms of fibromyalgia are widespread and build upon one another, a multimodal approach is necessary to address these inter-connected issues.

While medications certainly play an important role in patient care, they are not the only option. For patients suffering with mild or severe fibromyalgia, regular exercise can be a leading contributor to pain relief. This helps build overall strength and conditioning, which fights back against the pain. Acupuncture and biofeedback also contribute to a holistic approach to healthcare and pain management.