Non-Pharmacological Approaches To Managing Fibromyalgia

 

Chronic pain significantly impacts the lives of those experiencing it. Fibromyalgia is a condition that can be both challenging and complex to manage. Cognitive difficulties, pain, and fatigue often impact those living with it. While some medications can help control the symptoms, they aren’t the only approach. There are non-pharmacological methods that have been indispensable in the management of some patients’ symptoms. Here are Delaware Valley Pain & Spine Institute, we help our patients find relief from their symptoms and work to improve their quality of life.

 

Non-Pharmacological Approaches To Managing Fibromyalgia

While pharmaceutical approaches to treating fibromyalgia can be very effective, their impact is often enhanced by including therapies and lifestyle modifications. These approaches work to reduce the patient’s stress and discomfort, while improving the quality of sleep they get. These treatments can be used either in combination with medication or on their own.

 

Some of these non-pharmacological approaches include:

• Maintaining an active lifestyle
• Getting cognitive-behavioral therapy to alter negative thought patterns
• Sleep hygiene practices aimed at improving sleep quality
• Improved diet 
• Practicing mindfulness to achieve stress reduction

 

Fibromyalgia and other sources of chronic pain often be managed through a holistic approach. Holistic medicine is an approach to treatment that considers the entire patient experience. Rather than focusing on symptoms, lifestyle, environment, and other factors are considered.

However, no two chronic pain experiences are the same. Some approaches may be effective in treating one patient’s symptoms and utterly ineffective in another. This makes taking a holistic approach to treating chronic pain essential. Only by considering the full patient experience is it possible to effectively manage the patient’s symptoms.

Which non-pharmacological interventions will be effective for several factors that influence you? Ongoing studies have shown that certain types of approaches are more effective for certain symptoms. For example, pain seems to respond well to exercise of any kind. However, only those exercises that strengthen muscles and get the heart rate to aerobic levels to help with insomnia and sleep. 

Acupuncture is another non-pharmacological approach that has proven effective in relieving some fibromyalgia symptoms. Acupuncture and massage therapy impact symptoms based on the peripheral and central pain systems. In addition, they have been shown to have benefits for the majority of symptoms of fibromyalgia. 

Another factor that impacts the effectiveness of these treatments is the stage of the condition. These approaches are often most effective when fibromyalgia symptoms first start to appear. Starting at this point helps to offset the need for less conservative approaches and can prolong the early stages of the condition.

 

Speak To Our Team To Learn More

If you’re ready to explore the potential of non-pharmacological treatment approaches for fibromyalgia, contact our office today. You can contact us at (215) 489-9170 to schedule your consultation and exam. During your visit, we’ll discuss your medical history, your symptoms, and what approaches to treatment have already been attempted. You can also stop by our offices in Chalfont, PA, to tour our facility and meet our staff prior to treatment.