Fibromyalgia Causes and Treatment
Fibromyalgia is a condition that leads to general fatigue and irregular sleeping patterns. Also, pain is felt in the muscles and bones. This chronic health condition is primarily diagnosed in females.
Symptoms of Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is characterized by regions of pain where a consistent, dull ache is felt in the lower abdomen. In addition, bladder problems in the form of interstitial cystitis develop. The affected person experiences fatigue, insomnia, rash, depression, and dry eyes. This condition directly affects the emotional and physical well-being of an individual.
Fibromyalgia Causes
Presently, healthcare professionals and researchers are in a dilemma in determining the causes of fibromyalgia. However, recent research has attributed the causes to a genetic disposition that thrives through infection, trauma, or depression.
Families with a history of fibromyalgia are vulnerable. This is attributed to gene mutations which play a significant role. Scientists have gone to the extent of identifying genes that possibly influence the distribution of chemical pain signals among nerve cells.
Furthermore, individuals who have suffered severe physical or emotional trauma are likely to develop fibromyalgia. Other illnesses such as flu, pneumonia, Epstein-Barr virus, and gastrointestinal infections are also linked to fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia Treatment
Fibromyalgia is an incurable condition. However, remedies are available that alleviate the pain and improve an individual’s quality of life. Pain relievers, anti-seizure drugs, and antidepressants help the symptoms.
- Pain Relievers: They play a significant role in relieving pain and bringing down inflammation. For mild pain, visit your local pharmacy to buy acetaminophen(Tylenol), aspirin, ibuprofen(Advil, Motrin), and naproxen(Aleve, Naprosyn).
- Antiseizure Drugs: Nerve cells are blocked from transmitting pain signals by Pregabalin(Lyrica), an antiseizure drug. An off-label drug such as Gabapentin(Neurontin) can also be used to treat fibromyalgia symptoms. This drug is used for epilepsy treatment but has not been approved by the FDA to treat fibromyalgia; hence it is called an off-label drug.
- Antidepressants: Duloxetine (Cymbalta) and milnacipran (Savella) are instrumental in treating pain and fatigue caused by fibromyalgia. Also, they rebalance neurotransmitters and normalize the sleeping patterns of an individual.