Dietary And Lifestyle Changes For Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition involving widespread pain throughout the joints and muscles. Those affected often also deal with fatigue regularly! People may also find they have anxiety, concentration issues, and headaches too. Though the reason isn’t fully understood, women are affected more than men. This condition involves experiencing pain throughout the body for at least three months with no identifiable cause.
Of course, it is possible to get fibromyalgia pain relief! Taking pain medication, medication to stop seizures, and even antidepressants can help. Those affected often also visit a rheumatologist and fibromyalgia specialist. There are also several dietary and lifestyle changes that can help manage fibromyalgia.
Go To Physical Therapy
Regular physical therapy is an important factor to add to fibromyalgia treatment. This is because it helps teach those affected how to move without causing more pain. There are even physical therapists who specialize in treating people with fibromyalgia! After a thorough physical assessment and introduction, the physical therapist will start teaching women appropriate exercises for their condition. This includes specific exercises to strengthen affected joints and muscles without causing damage.
Improving flexibility and stamina are keys here! Both help people improve their posture and overall use their muscles more efficiently. This helps reduce pain and fatigue! Physical therapists who specialize in this condition will use exercise bands. Many will use the water as well.
Get Low-Impact Exercise
Yes, exercise can relieve a lot of the pain this condition causes! Of course, it should be a low-impact exercise to make sure there are no unwanted side effects. The best kinds of low-impact exercise women with fibromyalgia should add to their life include swimming, pilates, walking, and even some gentle yoga. Low-impact exercises help improve the body’s flexibility, stamina, and even muscle strength. They even release endorphins, which are often called happy hormones. This is because they reduce anxiety and depression.
Swimming, as mentioned, is a great choice since the water helps protect the joints during the exercise session. Yoga is also good since it is performed at a slower speed. In fact, yoga also helps with lowering stress!
Manage Stress
Stress is a serious trigger for pain due to fibromyalgia. Thus, managing stress is key to lessening this pain! Stress relief will look different from person to person. With that said, however, there are some generally accepted great places to start. One such example is gentle yoga, which allows people to focus on their breathing while they practice. It’s also a form of low-impact exercise, which, as discussed, also helps as it stretches muscles and joints safely, improving flexibility.
People with fibromyalgia looking to manage their stress should also consider meditation and mindful breathing. Finding an enjoyable and relaxing hobby is also a great idea! Once people find the most effective stress relief method for their needs, they should stick with it.
Keep An Eye On Sleep Quality
Since fatigue is a major symptom of fibromyalgia, sleep plays a vital role in managing the condition. Those with this condition need to put more emphasis on their sleep! This means developing and maintaining a healthy sleep hygiene routine. A healthy routine looks like keeping the bedroom only for sleep and not for doing work or watching television. It also means shutting off electronics at least an hour or two before bed.
Many also have routines like drinking herbal tea and going through a relaxing skincare routine before turning in for the night. Of course, brushing teeth is also important! Keeping the bedroom cool also helps with sleep, and the choice of sheets can have an impact as well. Getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night is ideal.
Go to bed at night and wake up each morning at the same time! A good bedtime routine signals the body to get ready to sleep at the same time. Waking up at the same time in the morning also helps the body wake up naturally. Doing both reduces fatigue and keeps the body running efficiently. It also lowers stress levels!
Limit Caffeine Consumption
Caffeine is a controversial topic when it comes to dealing with fibromyalgia. Many pain medications contain some caffeine, since they help boost their effectiveness. However, drinking too much caffeine and then stopping will result in withdrawal. The most common symptom of this is a severe headache. No one needs that, least of all someone with fibromyalgia!
Additionally, caffeine can interfere with sleep quantity and quality. These are the major reasons why those with fibromyalgia must limit how much caffeine they drink. Of course, reducing caffeine intake over time is the best for avoiding withdrawal. Even if it takes a while, working down to just one cup of coffee or tea with caffeine a day is ideal. This cup should be in the morning so it doesn't interfere with sleep.