Living with chronic pain can place significant challenges on the sufferer. Chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia are often complex, making treatment and management of symptoms challenging. Every patient’s manifestation of the condition differs, with widespread musculoskeletal pain being the most unifying symptom. It’s often accompanied by sleep issues that cause significant fatigue and mood and memory effects. Pain Management Services support these patients with treatments and management techniques to mitigate symptoms and improve quality of life.
Non-Pharmaceutical Approaches To Fibromyalgia Management
Medication is a common approach to treating symptoms of fibromyalgia. The efficacy of this treatment method varies from patient to patient, with some experiencing minimal relief from medications that benefit other patients. In addition, some patients cannot take the necessary medications or prefer non-pharmaceutical approaches to care. For these patients, there are therapeutic approaches that don’t require medication.
The primary goals of non-pharmaceutical treatments for fibromyalgia are to improve sleep, reduce pain, and lower stress levels. These approaches can be combined with traditional medications or on their own.
Non-pharmaceutical approaches include the following:
- Low-impact exercise, including walking, yoga, and swimming.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on reducing negative thought patterns.
- Mindfulness practices to reduce stress and heighten awareness.
- Improvement of sleep quality using sleep hygiene practices.
- An improved diet aimed at boosting overall health.
These methods take a more holistic approach to the treatment of fibromyalgia. Holistic approaches consider the whole patient experience rather than merely focusing on the disease or treatment. Ongoing studies have proven that a holistic approach to care typically produces notably superior results. This is due to the complex and interwoven nature of our overall health.
However, it’s important to set proper expectations in terms of results. These non-pharmacological approaches to treatment have been shown to be effective for many fibromyalgia patients. The degree of success varies from patient to patient and treatment to treatment. While yoga may be effective for one patient, it may be ineffective or triggering for another patient.
This is another benefit of a holistic approach to treating patients. A series of different treatments known to be generally effective can be tried. Rather than following established practices of care in a “one-size-fits-all” approach, treatment is tailored to the patient’s response to the methods used.
See Us About Non-Pharmacological Approaches to Fibromyalgia Management
Pain Management Services is committed to helping our patient family experience improved quality of life with effective treatments for chronic pain. Fibromyalgia is a challenging disorder to manage and can significantly impact our patients’ daily lives. Using various treatment approaches is the best way to handle these complex conditions.
To learn more about non-pharmaceutical approaches for the treatment and management of fibromyalgia, reach out to our offices today. You can call (314) 821-8644 to schedule an exam and consultation with our team. During your visit, we’ll go over your symptoms, discuss current approaches to treatment, and determine which ones provide the greatest degree of relief. You can also stop by our offices in Ballwin, MO, to meet our staff and tour the facility.
