Are You Living With Fibromyalgia?
You Don’t Have to Live in Pain Any Longer
It’s natural to feel pain every now and then. You can be exhausted after a strenuous workout, or you might stub your toe on a piece of furniture by accident. You may usually shake it off or take ibuprofen to get back to your normal routine.
Despite your best efforts, if your pain is widespread and persistent, it is unlikely to go away. This can have a big influence on your life that anti-inflammatory drugs won’t be able to fix.
Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes persistent pain, exhaustion, mood fluctuations, and unpredictable sleep habits.
Because the symptoms of fibromyalgia differ from person to person, it can be difficult to diagnose. Fortunately, our therapy methods can help with fibromyalgia pain alleviation.
If you have already been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, or if you believe you may have it, please contact us right away to make an appointment with one of our physical therapists in Ahwatukee, Biltmore or Tempe, AZ.
What is Fibromyalgia?
You may have heard of this condition before, but what is fibromyalgia, really?
Fibromyalgia is a blanket term that describes a person’s condition when they have a specific set of symptoms.
While the exact reasons for fibromyalgia occurring are unknown, some medical experts believe it is caused by an overactive sympathetic nervous system, or the part of your body that triggers “fight or flight” responses.
Although this concept has never been clinically validated, it makes sense because patients appear to develop their initial indicators of fibromyalgia after enduring a physical or emotionally traumatic incident.
Some persons with fibromyalgia start off with chronic stress or sadness, and then acquire other symptoms over time. The NIAMS website states that with this condition, you may develop “two or more chronic pain conditions at the same time, such as:
- Chronic fatigue syndrome.
- Endometriosis.
- Irritable bowel syndrome.
- Interstitial cystitis.
- Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ).
- Vulvodynia.”
Fibromyalgia often appears to affect more women than men, and the risk of experiencing it increases when you have a family member with the same disease.
Commonly experienced symptoms of fibromyalgia:
- Sensitivity to touch/numbness
- Chronic and/or sharp muscle pains
- Tender areas of the body
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Disrupted sleep cycles/irregular sleep schedules
- Fluctuations in mood
- Forgetfulness or disorientation
How physical therapy can help to alleviate fibromyalgia symptoms
There is no single streamlined treatment for fibromyalgia because it is a collection of symptoms rather than a disease. Physical therapy, fortunately, has been demonstrated to assist people in efficiently controlling their symptoms.
Primary care physicians would usually prescribe a pain reliever or an antidepressant to manage symptoms; however, these medications do not address the chronic nature of the condition or the loss of function that chronic pain and depression commonly induce.
At Orthopedic Sports Therapy, we will provide successful care for both long-term symptom management and restoring full body function.
Physical therapy will typically begin with pain-relieving techniques designed to provide relief and aid in the healing process. This may include trigger point therapy, massage, stretching, electrical stimulation, or other therapeutic methods your physical therapist may think is beneficial to your recovery.
Our physical therapist in Ahwatukee, Biltmore or Tempe, AZ will assess your physical capacity, review your medical history, and address your current symptoms to design a treatment plan that is tailored to your specific needs.
After you’ve completed your passive pain management therapies, you’ll go on to active therapies like strength training, range-of-motion exercises, and mild-moderate aerobic activities.
We realize how tough it can be to take the initial step toward pain treatment. That’s why we’re here to reassure you that you’ll be in good hands when you see our physical therapists.
The pain relief you’ve been searching for…
Fibromyalgia can take a massive toll on your physical, mental, and emotional health…but it doesn’t have to. Physical therapy can make your life easier and your pain more manageable, no matter where you are on your pain relief journey.