Fibromyalgia is a disorder affecting 5 million Americans over age 18, with 80 to 90 percent of them being women. People with this disorder experience pain in their bodies and often have fatigue and trouble sleeping. Studies show that aerobic exercise can help a number of fibromyalgia symptoms, though the reasons why are less clearly understood, according to the federal government's source for women's health information.
Causes of Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes aches and pains all over the body, according to the Women's Health website, the federal government's source for women's health information. If you have fibromyalgia, you will have "tender points" throughout your body. The points are specific places on the back, neck, shoulders, hips, arms and legs that hurt when pressure is applied to them.
The causes of fibromyalgia are not known, but it has been linked to family history. It is also associated with being involved in traumatic or stressful events, such as repetitive injuries, car accidents, being sent to war or infections or illnesses, according to the Women's Health website.
Symptoms
In addition to consistent pain, fibromyalgia patients might have symptoms including fatigue, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, trouble sleeping, morning stiffness, numbness and tingling of hands and feet, sensitivity to temperature, loud noises or bright lights, restless legs syndrome or cognitive and memory problems, referred to as "fibro fog."
Pain and fatigue symptoms common with fibromyalgia are also common in several other conditions, and it often takes many trips to doctors before it is correctly diagnosed on two criteria: a history of widespread pain lasting more than three months, on both sides of the body and above and below the waist, and the presence of 11 or more out of 18 "tender points," the Women's Health website says.
Aerobic Exercise
Controlled trials on fibromyalgia and exercise found that when compared to no exercising, aerobic training may improve overall well-being by seven points on a scale of 0 to 100, according to a summary of the findings in Cochrane Reviews, produced by the Cochrane Collaboration, an international network of health care stakeholders. Those studies also found aerobic training helps improve the ability to perform aerobic exercise by using more oxygen when walking on a treadmill; increase the amount of pressure that can be applied to a tender point before pain onset; reduce pain by 1.3 on a scale from 0 to 10; have unknown effects on fatigue, depression or stiffness. The review included 1,264 subjects assigned to the exercise interventions.
A study of 132 people in the British Medical Journal in 2002 compared fibromyalgia patients who participated in aerobic exercise for three months with patients who participated in relaxation and flexibility for that time. The patients involved in aerobic exercise patients rated themselves as much or very much better after three months. They also had greater reductions in tender point counts and in scores on a fibromyalgia impact questionnaire.
Treatment
Treatment of fibromyalgia often requires a team approach with possibly a doctor, rheumatologist and physical therapist. Three medications -- Lyrica, Cymbalta and Savella -- have been approved by the FDA to treat fibromyalgia. Sometimes nonnarcotic pain relievers or low-dose antidepressants are used.
Sleep management is a large part of fibromyalgia treatment as people with this disorder are poor sleepers, which aggravates symptoms. Individual counseling and support groups can help with the stress of living with a chronic condition. Complementary therapies such as massage, water therapy, yoga, herbs, nutritional supplements, light aerobics and chiropractic care can also assist sufferers, according to Women's Health.
Cautions
Consult with your doctor before beginning any exercise program; this is especially true of fibromyalgia patients. It is difficult for fibromyalgia patients to begin exercise because of pain and fatigue they experience in the beginning due to repetitive movements. Usually those who can persist beyond the soreness and fatigue in the beginning find exercise to be a help in the maintenance of the disorder, according to the study.
Member Comments