Fibromyalgia

What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia syndrome is a combination of life-disrupting symptoms that causes chronic pain, tenderness, and even fatigue. Affecting mostly women, fibromyalgia can be debilitating at times, impacting the quality of your life. Chronic, widespread muscle and joint pain along with fatigue and depression are typical symptoms of this syndrome.

Fibromyalgia is difficult to diagnose because there’s not always a clear cause. It is often misdiagnosed as other conditions and viewed with a social stigma that it’s not a “real” disease. Sometimes symptoms begin after trauma, surgery, or illness. Other times, there’s no apparent trigger.

What are the symptoms of fibromyalgia?

Common symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome include:

• Muscle tenderness
• Fatigue
• Widespread pain throughout your body
• Abdominal pain
• Chronic headaches
• Inability to concentrate, memory problems
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Overactive bladder
• Numbness or tingling in fingers and feet
• Joint stiffness
• Anxiety and depression
• Sleep disturbances

It’s important to first rule out or diagnose any other coexisting health conditions you may have that could be worsening your fibromyalgia symptoms. These include illnesses such as lupus, thyroid disorders, and rheumatoid arthritis. The Center Point Medicine team recommends that you work with your primary care provider or specialist to determine any other existing conditions so they can treat the underlying causes of your pain.

What are the treatment options for fibromyalgia?

There are medical and natural treatments for fibromyalgia pain and symptoms, including pain relievers, physical therapy, massage therapy, hypnosis, and counseling. For patients with medical conditions like fibromyalgia, hypnosis offers a method of coping and even resolving symptoms as a result of developing a more positive outlook regarding your illness and life in general and using specific imagery techniques to help you cope better with your pain.

Because stress often triggers the symptoms of fibromyalgia, hypnosis can help reduce your daily stress through relaxation techniques and through developing a better understanding of what’s causing your symptoms so you can take steps to improve or resolve them. Dr. Anbar’s comprehensive approach to treating chronic conditions like fibromyalgia through counseling and hypnosis is effective at helping adults establish a more fulfilling, calmer lifestyle.

If fibromyalgia symptoms are making it challenging to get through your day, call the office or schedule a consultation online to take the first step toward healing yourself physically and emotionally.