My mom has it and the meds hurt her stomach lining, and she is now refusing to take them as it has so many side effects - is there a natural way to deal with the pain for her? Treatment includes the following:
Change in diet and nutrition
Supplements geared toward Fibromyalagia
Exercise: Gentle stretching such as warm water stretches and light aerobic activity, if possible.
Physical Therapy under the guidance of a Chiropractor or Naturopathic
Massage Therapy
Avoidance of activities that over stress the body (Consider keeping a journal)
Regulate sleep patterns
Avoiding emotional stress
Nutrition is very important with this condition as with any serious physical condition. Avoid caffeine products, sugar, processed foods and fried foods. Low blood sugar (Hypoglycemia) is often a factor in causing the person with Fibromyalgia to feel fatigued. That is why a good nutrition program is very important, eating frequent small meals with some protein is very important in keeping the blood levels even.
Whole grains, seeds, nuts, yogurt, chicken, Turkey, organic beef, eggs, natural cheese and cottage cheese should form the base of your diet. Accompanied by Appropriate vegetables and a minimum amount of fruit.
A good quality multi-vitamin is absolutely essential with this condition. It's important to replace what the body loses daily. If a person takes no other supplement but a multi-vitamin they're helping to support their body daily. Co Q 10, in soft gel form 100mg, taken three times daily can help increase the energy.
There's no definite cure for Fibromyalagia but there are certainly many alternative methods that can help you improve the quality of your life. I find that deep tissue massage therapy performed regularly really keeps down the pain. When I鈥檓 going through a really bad time I always get a massage. It works better than any medicine.
Physical therapy that is performed at home is very important for Fibromyalgia. Warm water stretches performed at least three times weekly can be of tremendous help keeping the joints and muscles flexible. A Jacuzzi or hot tub is without a doubt one of the best treatments you can do at home, not only does it improve circulation you can also perform warm water stretches in it. If you have access to one and can use this daily you would see a tremendous change in the body. Using a moist heating pad on areas of pain for 20 minutes can ease the pain.
I also find that chiropractic care can bring tremendous relief. I always recommend people with Fibromyalgia seek out a Chiropractor who uses the activator method for physical therapy and pain relief. If you would like to find out about a doctor of chiropractic in your area who uses this method go to http://www.activator.com/qualified_docto...
Take a proactive role in learning about fibromyalgia to help control it, and be vigilant about following your treatment plan. Emotional support is very important too. Living with fibromyalgia may be difficult if your family, friends or employer do not understand the condition. Seek out supportive family, friends, clergy, support groups or a mental health counselor. Good Day!
Natural or Alternative Treatment for Fibromyalgia
Lifestyle
* Guided exercise program. Women who undergo regular exercise are more functional and have less pain. Regular exercise also gives you an increased feeling of control over the disorder.
* Coping skills education. Coping skills and stress management are an important but overlooked treatment. For example, chronic stress leads to increased stress hormones that disturb the HPA axis. In addition to stress management, a valuable coping skill is finding a support group. Women who are in support groups tend to do better than those who are isolated.
Dietary
* FMS diet. FMS appears to be partly a defect in oxidative phosphorylation, which is a biochemical pathway that is required for proper function of your cells. Some women also have a disordered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This group of glands plays a central role in balancing and controlling biochemical processes in your body. Good dietary choices can favorably influence both oxidative phosphorylation and the HPA axis.
* Identify and eliminate food allergies, which can cause a number of symptoms.
* Avoidance of all sugar and refined carbohydrates (white flour products and starches) improves energy overall.
* Increase magnesium rich foods such as legumes, tofu, seeds, nuts, whole foods, and green leafy vegetables.
* Focus on a whole foods diet comprised mainly of good quality protein (lean animal protein, fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
* Food Additives. Some patients with FMS are very sensitive to the food additives MSG and aspartate, and experience complete or nearly complete resolution of their symptoms after eliminating them from their diet.
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Nutritional Supplements
* Selective vitamin therapy. In some cases, such as smokers, specific nutrient therapy may be indicated in order to provide the precursors necessary for improved muscle cell metabolism.
* Magnesium. Impaired mitochondrial energy production is a factor in fibromyalgia. This may be related to magnesium deficiency. People with FMS often have a magnesium deficiency.
* Vitamin D deficiency can be a cause of fibromyalgia. Symptoms improve with supplementation in many people. Vitamin D should only be supplemented with a physician鈥檚 supervision and after a blood test to assess levels.
* S-Adenosylmethionine (SAM-e). This compound has anti-inflammatory, pain-killing, and anti-depressant effects and helps to reduce pain and improve mood. SAMe should not be taken in conjunction with certain medications. Consult your physician before taking SAM-E if you are taking any medications, particularly Carbidopa or antidepressants.
* Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). Patients with fibromyalgia often have problems with the production of the hormones serotonin and melatonin. 5-HTP is an amino acid which the body converts to these hormones. With supplementation, FMS patients experience improvement in all their symptoms. 5-HTP should only be supplemented with a physician鈥檚 supervision. Consult your physician before taking 5-HTP if you are taking any medications, particularly Carbidopa or antidepressants.
* Melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone involved with sleep. People with fibromyalgia may have lower than normal melatonin, which can contribute to poor sleep at night and fatigue during the day. With supplementation, there may be improvement with sleep, energy, and pain. Melatonin should only be supplemented with a physician鈥檚 supervision.
* Thiamine. Symptoms of thiamine deficiency are similar to symptoms of FMS. Supplementation improves symptoms in some patients.
* Myer鈥檚 Cocktail. Intravenous nutrient formula that is beneficial for treating fibromyalgia.
* Ascorbigen and broccoli powder. Ascorbigen is a dietary nutrient (an indole) derived from cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. In a small study, fibromyalgia patients treated with ascorbigen showed a 20% decrease in their physical impairment score and a mean 18% percent decrease in their symptoms, reduced sensitivity to pain, and improved quality of life.
* Malic acid. Malic acid is an important substance for producing energy in the cells. Apples are one source of malic acid. Clinically, malic acid has been found to reduce the fatigue and pain of fibromyalgia. A typical dosage for FMS is 1200 to 2000 mg per day, taken in divided doses.
* CoQ10. This supplement helps promote energy production in the cells and improves mitochondria function, which is sometimes not working well in fibromyalgia.
* B-Complex Vitamins help support energy production in the cells.
* Vitamin B5 and Vitamin C both support adrenal gland function. This may be supplemented in FMS when cortisol levels are low.
Botanical (Herbal) Medicine
* Adaptogenic herbs such as ginseng, licorice, rhodiola and cordyceps all help support adrenal gland function and promote overall well-being, energy, and balance.
* Anti-inflammatory herbs and supplements such as Boswellia, Curcumin, Quercetin, and bromelain may be used effectively to decrease pain and inflammation.
* Other herbs may also be used depending on the complete symptom picture. Herbs may be used to detoxify the liver and blood and to support mood. Yes ,i think ive answered this sort of question before,its a really painfull condition,and as i told someone before the good news is ,you wont die of it,however that is not to say you have to put up with the auful thing constantly nagging at you,I too stopped taking the drugs for it as it was bad enough having the condition without the upsett stomach as well,Tell your mom to ask her G.P to refer her to a pain management clinic,it will help,But she has to keep herself agile by walking ,swimming,and any excercise she can do that she can cope with,Honestly its the only way,it will not go away but it does help to ease it,I know its not easy as ive had the condition for approx 10 yrs,and it affects different parts of the body from day to day,Ihope she will find some help in my answer,You can also look it up on the internet,there is some good write up,s on it there,Hope she can find something to suit her need,My sympathy and Blessings.ps..her sleep may be affected aswell,and it makes me feel lethargic all the time,so i can only stress how important it is for her to keep herself mooving as much as it alloes her to,and by the end of the day to chill out for a while to let her body relax before going to bed. I also have FMS..have for over 15 years..you're seeking natural or your mom? I've found that combining both natural and regular medicine works best...in FMS patients..if a medication hurts the stomach, which is normal, using a medication called Ranitidine helps a great deal
, aka Zantac. She needs to go into a pain treatment program where she will learn much about how to control pain in her body, both naturally and with Meds..there is alot to be learned in a pain treatment program when it comes to FMS...MY BEST to YOU BOTH...hugs, hope, health and HAPPINESS |
