Top 10 Things to do to Manage Fibromyalgia Symptoms

Fibromyalgia (FMS) is an intense musculoskeletal pain disorder that is accompanied by several other symptoms including accumulated fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. The pain experienced from fibromyalgia is widespread, and can be quite devastating, as the condition is one that arises from the brain’s inability to properly process and transmit pain signals.

Several patients have reported waking to immense body pain and fatigue even after sleeping deeply thought the nights. Sleeping disorders such as sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome are also a symptom of fibromyalgia. In the case of fibromyalgia, women are more likely to suffer from the condition over their male counterparts, and the symptoms of fibromyalgia is often accompanied by irritable bowel syndrome, tension headaches, depression, anxiety and temporomandibular joint disorders.

Fibromyalgia is currently not curable, and the symptoms are prevalent in both victims that are involved in strenuous activities, and in some cases, these symptoms may advance without a trigger. Generally, improvement and management of the symptoms of fibromyalgia can be sought through the introduction of several lifestyle changes that can benefit victims in many ways. Here is a list of the top 10 things to effectively manage the conditions and symptoms of fibromyalgia, both from a psychological and physical perspective.

Understand your body

Living with fibromyalgia can and will be very challenging. Coming to terms with the fact that you aren’t really able to control how you feel is the first step to understanding your body and progressing with your condition. With FMS, there will be on and off days, and as such, try to key into the periods where your body demands nothing but rest. Start each day with an assessment of how you feel and write down symptoms. Plan your day using how you feel as a measure of your ability to get tasks done that day. Strenuous activities should be rescheduled for days where you feel less fatigued while simple chores may be run through if the risk of triggering a flare is low.

Engage in exercise and workouts

Fibromyalgia can be painful and tiring, but it definitely isn’t a criterion for being sedentary. People may ask, well how am I supposed to exercise when I feel so exhausted? Generally, movement and exercises are energy-based actions that can leave patients feeling energized and proactive after a workout. Try to engage in simple exercises at a slow but steady rate. Workouts should also be timed to morning periods to help heighten a patient's mood and energy for the day. Exercises can be as simple as strolls, walks, swims or stretches, and under no circumstances should people with fibromyalgia attempt to task their body beyond their capacity.