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The Current Fibromyalgia Treatment Options

By Janelle Burnett


Fibromyalgia commonly affects the musculoskeletal system. Pain is the predominant symptom but there may be other symptoms that include fatigue, memory, sleep and mood disorders. Patients have a lowered threshold for musculoskeletal pain such that even small stimuli are perceived as being very painful. Triggering factors include infections, trauma and stress. There are several fibromyalgia treatment options that can be used to improve symptoms.

The exact cause of the condition remains unknown. There are a number of risk factors, however, that have been identified through research. Genetic factors are believed to play a significant role. The disorder runs in families and a number of genetic mutations have been found in susceptible individuals. Some infections are also thought to trigger the development of the disorder as do physical and emotional traumatic episodes. Gender is also a risk factor as the disorder is more common in women than men.

Patients with mild symptoms are usually treated with NSAIDS. Paracetamol, which is available as an over-the-counter drug, helps relive muscle pain. Other NSAIDS that may be used are ibuprofen, naproxen and diclofenac. In the event that the NSAIDS are ineffective, stronger analgesic agents such as opioids are used. These include drugs such as codeine and tramadol. Tramadol is highly effective for pain relief but may lead to side effects such as fatigue, diarrhoea and withdrawal symptoms.

A number of antidepressants are also effective. These antidepressants help in increasing the amount of neurotransmitters in the brain. They include, among others, dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin. Research shows that low levels of neurotransmitters may play a role in the lowering of the threshold for pain. Increasing their amount, therefore, helps reduce the pain. The commonly used antidepressants include amitriptyline, duloxetine and fluoxetine.

Anticonvulsants have a similar effect to anticonvulsants though the mechanism of action is different. Pregabalin is a drug that reduces the amount of glutamate, a neurotransmitter in the brain. The drug is effective in the treatment of epilepsy, a condition where patients experience recurrent seizures. The effect of this drug is a reduction in pain perception as well as other symptoms. Its main side effects include constipation, nausea, dryness of mouth, weight gain, vomiting, constipation and blurred vision.

There is strong evidence that fibromyalgia has a psychological component. For this reason, psychological treatments should be considered alongside chemical treatment if maximum benefits are to be realised. Depression is a fairly common finding in affected persons. Treatments like cognitive-behaviour therapy have been shown to be quite effective in these patients. The affected persons are able to adopt a more positive attitude which in turn improves response to therapy.

When seeking treatment for fibromyalgia, the main concern for the affected individual is often the constant pain. It should also be remembered that the other symptoms also need to be treated. These include, among others, fatigue, depression, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, endometriosis and anxiety. For this reason, patients are advised to seek the help of various specialised medical professionals to sort out these symptoms.

Patients have to live with the condition for a long time. Symptoms often improve with time but they may also worsen. There is a need for psychological counselling of affected individuals to help them cope better with the associated challenges. A major challenge to treatment is the fact there is no known prevention method as yet. Several patients undergoing fibromyalgia treatment report to have benefited from alternative medicine. This is an encouraging development for the affected individuals.




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