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Fibromyalgia Treatment
Generally speaking, treating this disease can be as "fuzzy" as diagnosing it.
The symptoms are so varied that trying to treat fibromyalgia using the same
method for every individual is extremely difficult.
Your first line of defense against the pain of this disease lies in
analgesics. Specifically, acetaminophen – as found in Tylenol – may help to
alleviate some of the pain – at least in some individuals. Others find it
remarkably ineffective. If that's the case for you, your doctor may prescribe
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – commonly referred to as NSAIDs. These
may include something as simple as aspirin or ibuprofen or even naproxen
sodium – which goes under the brand name of Aleve and Anaprox. The sad part is
that analgesics alone don't seem to help much. This line of treatment is most
effective when combined with other treatment.
Your physician may also prescribe antidepressants. This may include
amitriptyline, nortriptyline or doxepin to help you sleep. Fluoxetine – sold
as Prozac – has been used in combination with amitriptyline and has been
effective in controlling symptoms. Additionally, it has been noted that
Sertraline (Zoloft) and paroxetine (Paxil) – may also help for depression.
Your physician may also prescribe muscle relaxant medication. The drug
cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), prior to going to bed, seems to help reduce the
muscle pain and the spasms. These relaxants, though, normally aren't
recommended for use for long periods of time.
Another medication that may be prescribed for you is a pregabalin, which goes
under the brand name of Lyrical. It's an anti-seizure medication and appears
to not only reduce the pain associated with fibromyalgia, but also helps
people to deal with the details of their life more effectively. This is the
first drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat fibromyalgia
specifically.
Clinical trials have shown that pregabalin is quite effective at reducing the
symptoms of this disease. In one study nearly half of the participants who
took the medication realized a substantial improvement in their symptoms.
(Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fibromyalgia/DS00079/DSECTION=8)
Side effects of pregabalin include dry mouth, swelling of the feet and hands,
drowsiness, as well as difficulty concentrating, blurred vision, weight gain
and dizziness.
Your doctor, additionally, may prescribe sleeping pills. However, you want to
be careful in using these. They really aren't suitable for long-term use. Your
body eventually gets adjusted – and even immune – to these medications and
they simply lose their effectiveness. Besides, using sleeping pills for any
length of time usually only triggers more problems with sleep in many
individuals.
The one class of medications physicians try to avoid prescribing is that of
narcotics, because of their powerful addicting potential. Corticosteroids
aren't usually prescribed either. These drugs just don't seem to provide any
long-term benefits.
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