Natural Alternatives to Pain Management for Fibromyalgia

Natural Alternatives to Pain Management for Fibromyalgia

For many, the pain of fibromyalgia can be unbearable. Even with treatment, many sufferers still experience pain and other problems of a regular basis. If you’re one of these people, or you just don’t want to use traditional treatment, there are natural alternatives you can try. These can help to reduce or eliminate the symptoms that are destroying your life.

The first, but most difficult step you can take is to make some major lifestyle changes.

* Diet. It is important to eat a healthy a well balanced diet. Try to eat more whole grains, and lean meats. Eliminate or reduce refined sugars, additives and other chemicals (think organic), and any foods you think you may be allergic to.
* Exercise. Not only can the chemicals produced during exercise help relieve pain and reduce fatigue, regular exercise can help you get to sleep faster and have a more restful sleep. Starting an exercise program may be difficult because it can increase fatigue for the first few weeks, but it you stick with it, you’ll be feeling better in no time
* Reduce Stress. Stress can not only make physical symptoms worse, it can also reduce your ability to cope with your symptoms and increase feelings of depression and anxiety. Take some time every day to unwind. You may also want to take up meditation or yoga.

If diet and lifestyle changes aren’t helping enough, you can head down to your local nutrition store and pick up a supplement that might do the trick. Just remember that just because they’re natural doesn’t mean they’re safe. Always talk to your doctor before taking any new medications. Here are supplements that have been helpful for some fibromyalgia patients

* S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe)
* Magnesium
* Vitamin D
* 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)
* Melatonin
* Thiamine
* Vitamin B12
* Capsacin

Remember to check with your doctor before taking any of these supplements. Just because something is natural doesn’t mean it’s safe.

In addition to herbal supplements, you may want to try alternative therapies, including:

* Massage therapy. This allows the muscles to relax and can help relieve some pain.
* Cognitive therapy. This conducted under the supervision of a psychologist and can be used to help you mentally cope with the pain. It may relieve other symptoms and leave you feeling better.
* Acupuncture. While many people are hesitant to try acupuncture and other types of western medicine, others swear by it for stress relief and pain management.
* Physical Therapy. A trained physical therapist can give you specific exercises that are designed to work specific muscles and reduce your pain.

While you probably don’t need to use all these options, you can try different alternative treatments one or two at a time until you find something that work well for you. It may take some experimentation and a lot of patience, but you’re bound to be feeling better in no time.

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