Fibromyalgia “The F Word”
Fibromyalgia is a difficult disease to those afflicted in a multitude of ways. It’s invisible and only apparent to those dealing with the tenderness and stiffness as a result of the disease process. It is difficult to diagnose in that you have to rule out the disease processes before you make the diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Furthermore, it can be especially difficult to treat. It is a chronic pain disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and tenderness in specific areas of the body. It is often accompanied by sleep, mood, and memory issues. The exact cause of fibromyalgia is not known, but it is thought to be related to a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors. Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that requires ongoing management, which may include medications, lifestyle changes, and therapy
Treatment
The treatment of fibromyalgia usually involves a combination of approaches, including medications, lifestyle changes, and therapy. The goal of treatment is to reduce pain, improve function, and enhance overall quality of life.
Medications: There are several medications that have been shown to be effective in the treatment of fibromyalgia. These include pain medications, such as acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and tricyclic antidepressants. Other medications that may be helpful in the treatment of fibromyalgia include anticonvulsants, such as pregabalin, and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), such as duloxetine and venlafaxine.
Lifestyle changes: Lifestyle changes can also be helpful in managing fibromyalgia. These may include getting regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and finding ways to reduce stress.
Therapy: Therapy can be an important part of treatment for fibromyalgia. It can help patients learn coping skills, such as how to set goals, manage stress, and communicate effectively with others. Psychotherapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), can be particularly helpful in managing the emotional aspects of fibromyalgia.
Complimentary Alternative Therapies
Another option for pain control is low level laser therapy (LLLT) applied to the affected areas. In randomized control trials this therapy has shown significant improvement in pain control. However, the difficulty has been determining what level of energy to use for each application as there are a variety of manufacturers all using different energy levels.
As a review, the goal of LLLT is to deliver light energy to damaged cells using infrared radiation to stimulate the release of nitric oxide. This improves cellular energy by stimulating ATP production, and increase cell growth and metabolic activity. LLLT laser use near infrared non-thermal lasers with a wavelength between 600-980 nm. The frequency is important because the higher frequencies reduce absorption by hemoglobin and melanin. The thinking is that a more powerful laser could theoretically function at longer wavelengths to stimulate larger tissue areas. This would also penetrate more deeply into soft tissue.
Currently, there is a study being performed at UT Southwestern to further investigate how effective this therapy can be in a larger case study. Results should be published soon, and I’m hopeful this can become an effective alternative to pharmacotherapy to provide patients a way to control their chronic discomfort in a safe, non-habit-forming way.
