| Fibromyalgia Syndrome or FMS is a condition that | | | | What is the Treatment for Fibromyalgia? |
| seems to be becoming more prevalent. FM is akin | | | | As has been mentioned before, FM doesn't have a |
| Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS, previously called, ME) | | | | cure. This means that treatment is aimed at coping |
| but has the added extra of pain. It involves feeling | | | | with and lessening the symptoms. Fibromyalgia is |
| exhausted and being in pain. Its sensations can | | | | treated with a combination of medicines drugs, |
| appear to affect the entire body. Today, there isn't a | | | | complementary therapies and changes to lifestyle. |
| cure for Fibromyalgia. | | | | The medicines issued can be anti-depressants for |
| A dictionary definition for "fibromyalgia" says it means | | | | mood, and paracetamol and or codeine for pain. FM |
| the fibrous tissues (fibro) in the body and pain | | | | patients need to discover what works for them as |
| (myalgia). | | | | not all sufferers react in the same way to the |
| The tendons, ligaments and muscles, or basically all | | | | medical support offered. |
| the soft tissues, are the areas where pain manifests. | | | | Drugs that help the muscles to relax and sleeping pills |
| Quite often a patient will complain of pain in their | | | | may be offered to ease muscle tension and alleviate |
| whole body and not necessarily in a single area of | | | | sleep problems. |
| their body.. Muscles can feel tight and stretched and | | | | Lifestyle Changes That Assist FM Management |
| occasionally involuntary twitches in muscles may be | | | | Forced changes to lifestyle occur anyway to the FM |
| noticed. | | | | patient. It is vital the FM sufferer accepts that life will |
| Who Contracts Gets Fibromyalgia? | | | | be different and they cannot continue at the pace |
| There are certain personality traits that may make | | | | and stress they experience before they got |
| someone more vulnerable to inducing FM. Some | | | | Fibromyalgia. They are encouraged to relax more and |
| studies have found a correlation between Type-A | | | | to pace themselves. Cognitive changes are |
| personalities and FM. Type-A personalities have a | | | | encouraged also to aid less frequent or dramatic |
| need to do things that add stress to their lives. Some | | | | mood swings. |
| might even relish stress. Typically these people can | | | | Fibromyalgia and the Role of Hypnotherapy |
| be driven, ambitious, hard-working, constantly taking | | | | Excess and prolonged stress will have been a large |
| action and competitive. | | | | contributor to the onset of FM. It is important to |
| What doesn't help is that Type-A personalities are | | | | start and maintain a way for the FM patient to |
| unlikely to own up to their stress and being unable to | | | | manage their stress levels and learn to relax. |
| cope. They find it even harder to confider relaxing | | | | Hypnotherapy is very effective in this area. Self |
| more and slowing down the pace of their life. | | | | hypnosis in particular, when used regularly helps lessen |
| Certain mood disorders are also noticed in | | | | stress and brings with it a sense of well-being and |
| Fibromyalgia patients. This may mean that there has | | | | calmness. |
| been evidence of depression which may not have | | | | An experienced hypnotherapist who offers help for |
| been dealt with early enough. They may be | | | | FM patients, will also provide help to enable a change |
| emotionally vulnerable and hurt easily by other people. | | | | of perceptions about life. This enables the FM patient |
| This may lead to them being people pleases and | | | | to perceived life in a different and more healthy way. |
| doing too much for others. Getting emotionally upset | | | | A hypnotherapist may use regression, to redress any |
| can start an FM episode and they are then forced to | | | | past upsetting events or experiences that the FM |
| rest. | | | | patient may still be affected by today. |
| Some research points to a greater prevalence of | | | | The practice of self hypnosis is taught to assist pain |
| women to men who get fibromyalgia. However there | | | | reduction and to ease soft tissue tension. It also aids |
| is no age distinction and it can affect all ages. | | | | sleep. |