Fibromyalgia: Facts and Fiction
Controversy surrounds the topic of fibromyalgia. Many people don't understand the condition, making it hard to separate fact from fiction.
Frustrated with Fibro Flare-ups? Here’s How We Can Help
One of the most common symptoms of fibromyalgia is chronic pain all over the body, making it difficult to work, study, or care for yourself or others.
If you struggle to accomplish your goals due to fatigue, pain, depression, and other fibro symptoms, it might be time to consult a specialist with experience managing chronic conditions long-term.
At CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center, with multiple locations in Maryland and Delaware, our providers can help relieve fibromyalgia symptoms while teaching you methods to manage your chronic condition.
What to expect from a fibro flare-up
Diagnosing fibromyalgia can be difficult because it requires a process of elimination to ensure something else isn’t causing your symptoms. The exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but it’s speculated it increases your sensitivity to things like pain.
That can cause pain and tenderness throughout your body, especially within your joints. The pain comes and goes depending on factors like stress, physical activity, and even the weather.
The pain can lead to feelings of isolation and depression as you’re forced to cancel going out or getting together with friends due to last-minute flare-ups.
During a flare-up, you might experience more than just aches and pains. Additional fibromyalgia symptoms include:
- Fatigue, even after sleeping many hours
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder
- Dryness of the skin, eyes, and mouth
- Anxiety and depression
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Headaches, facial pain, and migraines
- Cognitive difficulties, often called “fibro fog”
It can be hard to link together individual symptoms if you don’t know they’re connected. That’s why we recommend you keep a journal of your experiences to help recognize patterns and prevent future flare-ups.
Finding relief from fibro symptoms
There’s no single solution for fibromyalgia. Instead, patients work with doctors to create a multi-pronged approach that suits their needs.
At CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center, we offer services to reduce symptoms and increase quality of life. Your personalized treatment plan may include:
- Biofeedback
- Relaxation techniques
- OTC and prescription pain medication
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Muscle relaxants
- Antidepressants
We also provide chronic pain education to help patients better understand their condition. Once you learn to address pain in a productive way, life with fibromyalgia becomes easier. You can function more normally and do things you want to do as well as your daily tasks.
At CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center, our dedicated team works with you to make lifestyle changes and access solutions for the chronic pain and fatigue that are hallmarks of fibromyalgia.
To learn more, book an appointment online or over the phone today with the CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center location near you.
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