Although there is no official cure for fibromyalgia, many people have greatly reduced or eliminated their symptoms. Here are a few of the fibromyalgia remedies people have tried:
Pharmacological Medications
No one suffers from a prescription drug deficiency. Nearly all drugs are foreign to the body and all of them have potential side effects. Drug therapy can be useful but drugs only cover up the symptoms. You should only use them for the short-term. Types of drugs commonly prescribed for the treatment of fibromyalgia include analgesics, sleep aids, antidepressants, tranquilizers, benzodiazepines (for anxiety), anticonvulsant drugs (to block nerve-related pain) and stimulants.
Orthomolecular Medicine
Dr. Rodger Murphree has treated thousands of fibromyalgics at his clinic in Alabama using orthomolecular medicine. Orthomolecular medicine is a nutritional replacement therapeutic program. Linus Pauling, a biochemist who won two Nobel Prizes, defines it as “the preservation of good health and the treatment of disease by varying the concentrations in the human body of substances that are normally present in the body.”
Fibromyalgia sufferers often are deficient in certain vitamins, minerals, amino acids and essential fatty acids that when properly supplemented provide profound results. A few of the more common deficiencies are magnesium, human grown hormone, DHEA, tryptophan, B vitamins, DL-phenylalanine, vitamin D and GABA (gamma-amino butyric acid).
Acupuncture
Some fibromyalgics have successfully reduced pain through acupuncture. Acupuncture may work by inducing relaxation and promoting sleep. The procedure can also reduce migraines, a common problem for fibro sufferers.
Myofascial Therapy
Myofascial therapy is also called trigger-point therapy or myotherapy. Trigger points are tight, highly irritable spots in a band of muscle that can cause pain. Myofascial therapy uses a combination of stretching and deep manual pressure to the trigger points to relax the tight muscles. The therapy is often combined with heat, ice, ultrasound or electrical stimulation. A medical practitioner can teach you how to perform the treatments on yourself. If done twice a day, it can dramatically improve your control over pain.
Massage
Massage is the manual manipulation of the soft tissues. There are several forms of massage. You will want to check that your therapist has experience with fibromyalgia patients and that they do not use deep tissue massage, which you will probably find too rigorous for you.
Herbal Remedies and Homeopathy
Many herbs may help your fibromyalgia symptoms. Most herbal remedies, however, have not had any testing and are not regulated by any agency. Potency and purity may not be consistent or guaranteed. It is important to discuss all treatments with your medical practitioners in case of interactions with any prescriptions or nutritional supplements.
Neurostimulators
An electric neurostimulator is a physical therapy device that can alleviate pain. The stimulation is applied to the muscle tissue and not to the skin providing electrical massage.
Exercise
Whether you exercise at home, a gym or with some other organized group, exercise can decrease muscle pain. You may want to work with a physical therapist to custom design your exercise program. It should include stretching but may also include low-impact floor exercises, pool exercise and walking.