Many people who have fibromyalgia simply want relief from the symptoms, but don't know how. If you took all the advice given by doctors and other medical practitioners, you could probably summarize their advice into 3 helpful tips for reducing the symptoms of your fibromyalgia.

Here are the big three taken from Medicinenet's Fibromyalgia article :

1. Self-education. Understanding the battlefield is often half the battle. As persons with fibromyalgia develop a better understanding of their condition, it becomes far easier to cope with and address. Furthermore, for some, simply the realization that the condition does not threaten the body's organs and often improves over time can greatly relieve anxiety. The anxiety is often due to concern about the cause of the frequent pains of fibromyalgia.

2. Stress reduction. Reducing stress can help with muscle relaxation and improve non-Rapid Eye Movement (non-REM) sleep. Inadequate sleep of this type is felt to play a central role in promoting the symptoms of fibromyalgia. The response to stress differs from person to person. The reduction of stress in the treatment of fibromyalgia must be individualized for each patient. Stress reduction might include simple stress modification at home or work, biofeedback, relaxation tapes, psychological counseling, exercise activities such as yoga and/or support among family members, friends, and doctors. Sometimes, changes in environmental factors (such as noise, temperature, and weather exposure) can exacerbate the symptoms of fibromyalgia, and these factors need to be modified.

3. Exercise. Aerobic activities that exercise the muscles can work together with the methods above to greatly relieve the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Many experts on fibromyalgia feel that exercise works by promoting the non-REM sleep that is commonly deficient in patients with this illness. Low-impact aerobic exercises, such as swimming, cycling, walking, and stationary cross-country ski machines can be very effective. For patients who are unfamiliar with exercising options, a physical therapist can provide an ideal source of instruction. With any new exercise program, it is important to understand that a mild increase in aching in the first two weeks is expected. This increased aching is especially likely to occur when the patient has not been exercising and the muscles are deconditioned. Sometimes, applications of cold packs to sore muscles and tendons after exercising can help relieve muscle inflammation and soreness.

To read the whole article, go to: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=18697

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