MANAGING WIDESPREAD PAIN IN FIBROMYALGIA

Susan Alvis



Chronic, widespread pain can often be the hardest and most frustrating challenge of living with Fibromyalgia. Coping mechanisms often fail because people with Fibromyalgia often have difficulty explaining to others what they are going through. They are quick to avoid stressful situations, and because of deep-seeded depression, begin to sink into a feeling of helplessness.

Typically, people with Fibromyalgia complain of “hurting all over” and because there is no known cure for Fibromyalgia, there is no way to remove the pain. Managing the pain is the only option given to sufferers with this medical condition.
Support groups offer plenty of encouragement, but if someone suffers from widespread pain, he or she is the only person that can decide what treatments and management techniques work best for them.

Relaxation exercises, heat therapy, self-hypnosis, stretching exercises, medications, and self evaluation with the ability to develop a personal pain analysis of a person’s own pain are often recommended in controlling and being in control of the pain. People with Fibromyalgia must learn to describe their pain to physical therapists and their family physician. Keeping a journal of all activities and medications along with any noted difference before or after the activity or change in medication is very helpful when trying to pin point what works and what doesn’t.

One of the most disabling effects of widespread pain is the ongoing daily existence of fatigue. Most people who deal with Fibromyalgia must accept the fact they will wake up every morning feeling tired. For people battling FMS, (Fibromyalgia Syndrome) everyday activities are often difficult. Preparing meals, walking to the mailbox, putting on make-up all seem overwhelming and drain what energy the person has available.

Managing Widespread Pain is very complicated because in order to do it effectively, people with FMS must plan everything ahead of time. Ordinary tasks must be prioritized, often even handed over to someone else who is willing to help. In corporations, often the phrase, “work smarter, not harder,” is used as a motto. In the lives of people dealing with FMS, this is something they must realize can vastly improve their quality of life, so they must plan ahead.

In developing a plan to manage pain, the person living with the pain should speak out about the medications they need to make their lives more comfortable. Read up on the medications available, and ask for specific medications by name. Zoloft, Sinequan, Flexeril, Prozac, Xanax, Klonopin, Ambien, and many others are medications that may provide FMS sufferers with the relief they need temporarily. Often some of these medications can help significantly more than a temporary fix so people with the pain need to talk to their doctors about what is working for them.

Flexibility and Creativity are two important elements in managing widespread pain and living a more productive, energetic, and happy life. The person, who believes in their ability to manage FMS, will be able to live a more fulfilling life while managing their daily activities at their own pace.