The diagnosis of fibromyalgia is one that can be illusive for people. Persistent pain, fatigue and tender points in ones body are signs, but doctors must rule out other medical issues before uncovering the diagnosis. There are five ways to fight the battle of fibromyalgia and find answers.
When a person aches for months or years on end with no relief, they often find themselves in a state of frustration and depression. The general well-being has changed for them without a reasonable explanation. Many times they search from doctor to doctor to hear repeatedly that there is nothing physically wrong and basic what is happening must be in their mind.
The answer is frustrating when a person in chronic pain hears a health care professional tell them what they are feeling isn’t real.
One begins to feel a bit overwhelmed by the fatigue, pain and other symptoms, and their doctor says you are imagining what you experience. Sitting in a doctors office hearing this can bring you to tears and anger at the same time. The plan to get help and be normal has gone out the window so you feel hopeless. How do you fight back and find the truth?
The first way to fight the battle of fibromyalgia is to keep searching for a health care professional that will listen. It can take several tries to find someone, but keep searching even if you have to drive to find them. You know your body best. If test show there is no major cause for concern, but you are still feeling symptoms then you need to find someone who will listen.
The second thing one must do to fight the fibromyalgia battle is that they must begin to help themselves.
Fibromyalgia is incurable, but one can find relief from some of its symptoms. Finding a healthier diet and lifestyle is a good place to begin to find these answers. Exercise, a whole-food, plant based diet, and less chemicals in your environment is important to fighting your battle.
Thirdly, learn to be in touch with your feelings. An important part of the healing with fibromyalgia is being able to communicate what is really happening inside their body. Finding a counselor is one way to do this work of learning to be in touch with ones feelings. Another way to sort through the emotional side of fibromyalgia is to journal through the feelings behind your past, your present, and current reality.
The fourth method for fighting ones battle with fibromyalgia is knowing triggers that bring on ones flares.
It takes a little while living with chronic pain to become aware of the cycle of these flares. Once the cycle is discovered then one can grasp that a change in weather, family/friend dynamic, stress, environment can all be factors in bringing on a flare. Once one knows these times are coming then you can better prepare to handle them. If a big travel weekend has happened, you know those cause pain or extreme fatigue then you can prepare for rest.
Lastly, to be ready to fight the fibromyalgia battle one needs to have their comfort “helps” ready. What does this mean? If you are in the midst of a fibro flare what brings you comfort? A heating pad, a few hours of uninterrupted sleep, soft pajamas, a weighted blanket, roll on pain relief, fuzzy socks, certain foods or drinks, there are many things that can help one survive their worst days. Keep those things nearby and handy so that they are easily accessible.
Fibromyalgia is a battle at times. It is not one that has an easy plan for victory, but you can find answers that make fighting more tolerable. What are methods that you have found to make your fibro battle easier to bear?