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Expert HERWriter Guide Blogger

Anon - Thanks for your question and welcome to EmpowHER. Fibromyalgia can be very painful, but there are many things that you can do. Some of the standard treatments recommended by doctors include the following:

Physical and Behavioral Therapies

* Physical therapy (gradual aerobic exercise and stretching regimen)
* Heated pool treatments—Aquatic training in warm water (eg, strength, aerobic, and relaxation exercises) may help improve symptoms. )
* Application of heat to painful areas
* Alternative treatments, such as massage , acupuncture , relaxation training , trigger point therapy, biofeedback
* Cognitive behavioral therapy

Lifestyle Changes

* Eating a healthful diet
* Learning to cope with physical and mental stress
* Doing regular, moderate, low-impact exercise with your doctor's approval
o Gentle exercise that does not strain painful areas, such as:
+ Walking
+ Biking
+ Swimming
* Doing regular stretching exercises
* Maintaining a regular sleep schedule

Medications

These medications may help to improve symptoms:

* Weak opioids (eg, tramadol , paracetamol)
* Antidepressants (eg, amitriptyline , fluoxetine , duloxetine , milnacipran, moclobemide , pirlindole)
* Pain relievers (eg, tropisetron, pramipexole , pregabalin )
* Sodium oxybate (eg, Xyrem), a central nervous system depressant

Additionally, I encourage you to visit our Fibromyalgia community where you can learn more from the information provided by other women, including articles like this one on living beyond the pain: https://www.empowher.com/fibromyalgia/content/fibromyalgia-living-it-living-above-it

Let us know if this helps and good luck to you!
pat

November 19, 2010 - 5:10pm

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