Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia Treatment and Causes – How to Go About It
Like some other body disorders, fibromyalgia’s cause is generally unknown. No solid pathologic evidence was pointed out that would trigger the disease. However, there are some hypotheses and factors which might be related to this disorder. And because the cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, fibromyalgia treatment is no universal cure for the said disorder. We shall discuss below the underlying hypotheses and treatment of fibromyalgia.
According to studies, a factor which would explain the cause of this disorder is genetics. Evidence shows that symptoms of fibromyalgia were concurrent within certain family members. Another possible cause of this condition would be stress. Certain studies and researches showed that stress plays a great factor in the development of the said condition. Sleep disturbance also showed evidence that it would stem out the possibility of fibromyalgia.
Continuous disturbance in sleep patterns is one key factor that may cause or aggravate the already existent condition. Slow wave sleep is very vital in resetting normal functions and disturbing such would trigger the condition. Another hypothesis centers on certain neurotransmitter dysfunctions. Some of these include the central dopamine dysfunction and abnormal serotonin metabolism. Reduced production of human growth hormone (HGH), which is induced by stress related factors, could also cause fibromyalgia. People with this disorder tend to have low levels of HGH. There is also strong evidence that depression and other psychological factors may invoke fibromyalgia symptoms. Some other hypotheses relate the presence of toxins in the patient’s environment towards the development of the disorder.
Since there is no clear evidence on the true cause of the condition, fibromyalgia medications and treatment mainly centers on the symptom management. Most of the medicines given for the disorder are merely to treat the symptoms and not the disorder as a whole. Fibromyalgia specialists may prescribe some medications and these would include analgesics, anti-depressants, anti-seizure, dopamine agonists and the like. Analgesics are given to alleviate fibromyalgia pain.
Anti-depressants are known to increase activities of certain neurotransmitters and this would also eventually alleviate the symptoms of pain. It is also helpful in dealing with depression, fatigue and sleep disturbances. Anti-seizure medications are sometimes given to help reduce pain; however this is specifically prescribed and carefully controlled since some side effects proved to be disadvantageous to a number of patients. Dopamine agonists, in some recent research, have proved to be effective in dealing with some symptoms of the disorder. Certain investigational medicines are also given to treat the symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Besides usual medicines, physical treatment proved to very beneficial to the patient. Exercise yields positive feedbacks in improvement of sleep and pain reduction. Other physical therapy such as acupuncture and massage also proved to be favorable to people with fibromyalgia. Some psychological and behavioral therapies also showed good results in merely alleviating fibromyalgia symptoms. Cognitive behavioral therapy works best when paired up with exercise.
Fibromyalgia may be a disorder of unknown proportions but like other conditions, treatment of this is not instant. It takes time, patience and a whole lot of determination. There is no one-shot treatment for fibromyalgia; cure depends on the stunning perseverance of the patient. It’s patient-centered and not reliant on medications alone.
