Symptoms of Fibromyalgia and What You Can Do to Reduce Pain

Fibromyalgia flare-ups can derail your life for a day, a week, or months at a time. Pain, fatigue, and other symptoms can make it hard to function, and you may find it hard to enjoy life.

At Berkower Pain and Spine Rehabilitation in Pembroke Pines, Florida, David Berkower, DO, can help you manage your fibromyalgia symptoms so you don’t have to dread each coming day.

Common fibromyalgia symptoms

Fibromyalgia is a complex disorder with a wide array of symptoms. Besides the two most familiar symptoms ― chronic pain and muscle fatigue ― you may also experience any or all of the following: 

• Depression, anxiety, or panic attacks
• Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
• Vertigo
• Sensitivity to light, sound, or temperature changes
• Problems with cognitive functioning, such as an inability to focus
• Bladder issues

Fibromyalgia symptoms can come in waves or be ongoing.

Lifestyle changes to reduce fibromyalgia symptoms

Making lifestyle changes can improve your fibromyalgia symptoms. You can often mitigate pain by taking a holistic approach to your health.

Get good sleep

Getting quality sleep can help reduce stress, improve your mood, and lessen fatigue. You can improve your chances of getting good sleep by setting a sleep schedule, cutting out caffeine, and investing in a comfortable mattress.

Lessen stress

Stress can make many symptoms, including pain, worse and harder to control. You can try stress-reduction methods, such as meditation and deep breathing, to calm yourself and lower your blood pressure.  

Exercise more

Low impact aerobic exercises, such as walking and swimming, can provide great benefits without causing joint pain to worsen. Exercise can give you better mobility and flexibility and help keep your joints from stiffening and swelling as badly.  

Eat a healthy diet

Nutrient-rich foods can give you energy, while consuming an anti-inflammatory diet may be able to help reduce flare-ups. Coffee is linked to increased pain, so skip the java when you can.  

Treating fibromyalgia

Dr. Berkower will work with you to find ways to reduce your pain levels. He may suggest:

• Pain relievers
• Antidepressants
• Sleeping aids

Dr. Berkower may also suggest trigger point injection therapy. Trigger point injection therapy involves injecting an anesthetic or corticosteroid into specific trigger points to help relieve pain. 

If you want to see if you have fibromyalgia or get treatment if you do, book an appointment online or over the phone with Berkower Pain and Spine Rehabilitation today.