Wrapping one’s head around the condition of fibromyalgia is nearly impossible. The reason that it is so difficult to understand fibromyalgia is because there is very little information available on the topic. Fibromyalgia is a mystery even to medical professionals and all that one can do is make educated guesses on the various causes and treatments of this otherwise miserable condition. What we do know about fibromyalgia is that the condition is a painful one and with it comes several complications that only add to misery that is known as fibromyalgia. Besides living in chronic pain an individual that has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia often has to worry about the following complications as well.

 

 

 

•  Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Memory or Cognitive Problems
• Tension or Migraine Headaches
• Impaired Speech
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Endometriosis

Each of these complications only causes life to be more stressful and the need for treatment greater. With so little information known on the topic of fibromyalgia any information can be useful and hopefully the information in this article will prove to be helpful to someone reading it. We will first start with the pain and symptoms of fibromyalgia and then quickly move into the various treatments that can be implemented to help lessen the pain of fibromyalgia and keep the individual moving forward with his or her life.

Pain And Symptoms

The pain and symptoms of fibromyalgia are easy enough to communicate because it can be summarized in four letters – PAIN. Those that have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia experience pain in what feels like the joints when in fact the pain is stemming from the soft tissue. The pain starts in the soft tissue and spreads out from there until it encompasses the whole limb or area of the body. Studies have shown that there are 18 locations on the body where soft tissue exists and where a fibromyalgia may experience pain.

Because there is so much controversy about the condition known as fibromyalgia the diagnosis process can be a little challenging if not aggravating. In order for a diagnosis to be handed down the individual seeking diagnosis must endure 3 months of consistent pain in at least 11 of the 18 tender spots. A tender spot is the name given to the locations on the body where soft tissues exist and pain radiates from. Areas would include the knees, neck, back, stomach and even the buttocks. Symptoms or the pain descriptor words that most fibromyalgia patient agrees with would include sensations or feelings like:

•  Deep Ache
• Shooting Pain
• Burning Pain
• Painful Joints
• Numbness And Tingling in the hands and feet

Treating The Pain Naturally And Simply

Life gets busy and trying to orchestrate weekly therapy appointments can be difficult this is why most fibromyalgia patients do not experience long lasting relief form their pain. So why not make things as uncomplicated as possible and treat fibromyalgia with a natural product that is not only safe but is also simple as well as effective. There are several natural ingredients that can used to relieve fibromyalgia pain.

St. John’s Wort

One of the many symptoms of fibromyalgia is depression. Hypericum perforatum extract, or more commonly known as St. John’s wort, can be taken in both pill and liquid form. It is commonly used as an anti-depressant supplement. St. John’s wort is comparable to anti-depressants in the tricyclic family and the SSRI anti-depressants. Because of this, St. John’s wort should not be used with anti-depressants. As always, the advice of a healthcare professional should be considered because St. John’s wort may react with other prescription medications.

St. John’s wort extract should be taken in dosages between 900 to 1,800mg each day.

 

 

5-HTP

5-HTP is said to work by increasing serotonin in the brain which can reduce the number of trigger points in fibromyalgia sufferers. Based on studies, it appears that 5-HTP converts to serotonin and alters brain chemistry. 5-HTP should be taken about a half hour before bedtime and on an empty stomach. However in some studies, fibromyalgia patients were given 5-HTP three times a day. Around 50 percent of the patients involved saw a good improvement in their fibromyalgia symptoms.

 

Magnesium

Many fibromyalgia sufferers suffer from low magnesium levels. Magnesium is a part of several hundred enzymatic reaction in the body. Most of these enzymatic reactions are the processes that produce energy, but also protein formation and cellular replication. A common symptom to fibromyalgia is low energy levels which can result in exhaustion. The most effective magnesium supplement is magnesium citrate.