Things I’ve Learned

I have suffered with the chronic pain condition, Fibromyalgia for two and a half years now, and I’ve learned a lot about my condition as well as what does and does not work in terms of pain relief for myself.  I want to share with you what I’ve learned about things to do and not do when it comes to naturally relieving fibromyalgia pain.  I hope this information is useful to you or to someone you know.

Exercise

Exercise is good for individuals with fibromyalgia, but not the kind of exercise other healthy individuals do.  Doing strenuous workouts will likely hurt you more than help you.  Good type of exercise for people with fibro include yoga, mat pilates, and stretches.  You can learn how to stretch and exercise in ways that won’t hurt you in physical therapy.  You will need to get a referral from your doctor to see a physical therapist.  You should ensure your physical therapist specializes or has experience in treating people with fibro. 

The Arthritis Foundation has an exercise program with water and mat exercise classes available, which are also good for individuals suffering from fibro.  You will need a doctor’s note to participate in any of the classes offered by the Arthritis Foundation. 

Pain Patches

Some people think utilizing over-the-counter pain patches is a good, natural way to relieve fibromyalgia pain.  However, I’ve found that most of the pain patches actually cause a lot of pain when you put them on instead of relieving it.  IcyHot caused my skin to feel as if it were burning off, for instance. 

Salonpas Pain Patch are the only known pain patches one can get over-the-counter that do not cause pain or burning sensations for many individuals suffering from fibromyalgia.  I have not yet tried this patch personally, so I am not able to give you a personal review of Salonpas at this time. 

Don’t Overdo It

A common mistake many individuals with fibromyalgia make is overdoing it, especially in the beginning.  When you are in constant pain, as you are with fibromyalgia, you have to learn how to listen to your body’s signals.  You have to learn to tell when your body is telling you it’s had enough.  If you don’t listen to your body, chances are, you will suffer for it later.

It is easy to think you should do more than you regularly do if you are feeling particularly good on a certain day, so you wash all of your dishes, vacuum the whole house, go out for dinner, and do two loads of laundry.  However, if this is more than you normally do, chances are, you have pushed yourself too far, and you will be in more pain for overdoing it for the next few days. 

Get Enough Sleep

Another thing to remember about fibromyalgia is to get enough sleep.  Individuals who suffer with fibro may need more sleep than the average person.  It is even believed that individuals who suffer with this chronic pain condition never achieve REM sleep, which helps the body heal and restore itself each night.  You might find you need more sleep at night and/or need to take naps during the day if you have fibro.  Again, it is important to listen to your body. 

I’ve found depriving myself of even a couple of hours of sleep puts me in increased pain for days or weeks afterward.  So, make and keep a regular sleep schedule to help yourself get as much rest as you need. 

I hope these tips on what to do and not do to naturally relieve fibromyalgia pain help you or someone you know.  If you have additional tips, please feel free to add them in the comments section of this post.