Home Remedies and Herbs for Fibromyalgia Syndrome

Fibromyalgia syndrome, also known simply as fibromyalgia, is a condition characterized by long-term and widespread musculoskeletal pain.¹ It affects approximately two percent of the population and is more common in women than in men.² Fibromyalgia is usually diagnosed in middle age and gets worse over time.² In fibromyalgia syndrome patients, pain occurs on both sides of the body even when there is no injury.³ It leads to chronic long-term pain, and there is unfortunately no cure.³

What Causes Fibromyalgia Syndrome?

Doctors haven’t been able to pinpoint fibromyalgia syndrome causes. However, there are several theories. It’s believed that sensitive nerve cells may be among fibromyalgia causes.³ Others theorize that the pain may be due to chemical imbalances in the brain or due to a disruption of hormones as a result of not getting enough deep sleep.³ Fibromyalgia causes may also be attributed to the way your brain interprets pain signals.⁴ Fibromyalgia may occur after a trigger event, such as significant psychological stress, physical trauma, infection, or surgery.⁴ It can also occur gradually over time.⁴ Risk increases for women ages 20 to 50.⁵

Fibromyalgia Syndrome Symptoms

Fibromyalgia syndrome is accompanied by a variety of symptoms. In addition to widespread musculoskeletal pain, fibromyalgia patients may experience fatigue, memory problems, sleep issues, and changes in mood.⁴ It can also come with tension headaches, anxiety, depression, irritable bowel syndrome, and temporomandibular joint disorders.⁴ Stiffness, trouble falling asleep, skin sensitivity, pain after exertion, and difficulty concentrating are other common fibromyalgia syndrome symptoms.¹ Fibromyalgia may be accompanied by or have similar symptoms to depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, lyme disease, sleep disorders, and hypothyroidism.⁵ If you’re experiencing these symptoms, it’s important you talk to your doctor to receive a proper diagnosis. Your doctor will first check for signs of other related conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune diseases, and lupus.³ A fibromyalgia diagnosis is made if you’ve experienced more than three months of widespread pain and your pain is accompanied by fatigue, sleep problems, or memory problems.⁵

Symptoms can come and go. For some people, fibromyalgia symptoms flare when they’re stressed, when they work their bodies too hard, or when the weather is cold and damp.³ While there isn’t a fibromyalgia cure, there are fibromyalgia syndrome treatment options that can help patients deal with the pain and reduce symptoms. These treatment options range from prescription drugs to lifestyle changes. Lifestyle changes that help with fibromyalgia include exercise or physical therapy and stress-relieving techniques as well as changes in diet, such as taking fibromyalgia herbal supplements.^1,4

References

1. http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/fibromyalgia
2. https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/fibromyalgia.htm
3. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/fibromyalgia/basics/definition/con-20019243
4. http://umm.edu/health/medical/ency/articles/fibromyalgia