In Control of my Fibro: Symptoms tracker, pacing advice and notebook for Fibromyalgia warriors

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Painkillers - such as paracetamol, anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen, or stronger painkillers such as codeine - are often tried to reduce pain. However, they often do not work very well in fibromyalgia. This is because painkillers work in the periphery (on muscles, skin etc) and do not affect the hypersensitivity of the CNS (brain) pain receptors seen in fibromyalgia. Anti-inflammatory painkillers, in particular, showed no evidence for benefit, and can themselves be harmful if used in the long term. Fibromyalgia sometimes occurs with other conditions and also has many symptoms common in other conditions. We examine these here. Myofascial Syndrome and Fibromyalgia

Your doctor may recommend a talking therapy called cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). It helps to challenge negative thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and how you manage pain. You may be able to see a CBT therapist or access the treatment online. Complementary therapies We are funding work at the University of Liverpool investigating how the brain processes pain signals. It has been found that in people with long-term pain such as fibromyalgia there are differences in the structure and activity in the parts of the brain that process pain signals. Using mathematical modelling, this work could help to match people up with the best treatment option for them. There is a limited availability of NHS specialist pain services with access to these multi-disciplinary teams in many areas in the UK. Natural remedies for fibromyalgia ExerciseFind a support group in your area or an online forum for people with fibromyalgia. Talking about your experiences with other people who understand can help. There is little evidence to show that some of these therapies are effective. However, some people with Fibromyalgia find such treatments help them in some way. If you are considering embarking on any complementary therapies, you should discuss this with your GP beforehand. Wolfe F, Clauw DJ, Fitzcharles MA, et al. The American College of Rheumatology preliminary diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia and measurement of symptom severity. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2010; 62(5):600–10. doi: 10.1002/acr.20140 Depression or anxiety develops in some people. 90% of people with fibromyalgia describe depression, anxiety or both.

All drugs have potential side effects. It’s important to talk to your doctor about how to get the best balance between pain relief and any unpleasant effects. If you feel like a treatment isn’t helping you, talk to your doctor. Joanne's Fibro Philosphy: "Each journey with this chronic illness is different, as of late doing my job is extremely tough. I just hope that it will become easier again sometime soon. My philosophy about it is ‘ be kind to yourself, only you know how much you can do, be patient with people who don’t understand, how could they possibly ?’" There isn’t a cure for fibromyalgia, but there are treatments and things you can do that can help ease your symptoms. Often a number of health professionals will be involved in your care, and your treatment will involve a combination of different therapies. As you get to understand your condition better, you can work together with your doctors and therapists to find the best treatments for you. Exercise Fibromyalgia’s cause is not clear. Researchers think that people with certain genes are affected by a trigger (e.g., physical or emotional stress or an illness). Then, the pain signals sent through their central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) get turned up too high, called centralized pain or central amplification. That’s why people with fibromyalgia react more strongly to pressure, heat, sound or light than people without the condition.Fibromyalgia doesn't only impact adults.Young people can develop fibromyalgia tooand the condition can impact many aspects of their lives such as education, socialising with friends etc. Our Young Persons booklet has detailed information I get as much sleep as I can. In the morning I’m still tired and my legs feel like lead, but I must get on and walk the dogs. Heat pads on my waist really help me walk. I always feel much better out in the fresh air. There is a lot of evidence in favour of CBT although the trials themselves were not felt to be of high scientific quality, so EULAR cautiously recommended this treatment. It is unlikely to cause harm, but its benefit has not been clearly proved. Other therapies