Are You Dealing With Fibromyalgia Pain?
Physical Therapy Can Help You Find Relief
It’s natural to feel a little pain from time to time. You may feel tired from exercising so much, or you may bang your toe on a piece of furniture. Most of the time, you’re in a position to shake it off or take ibuprofen and go about your day.
If the pain you feel is widespread and persistent, it most likely does not lessen despite your best efforts. This can have a huge effect on your life that anti-inflammatory medications just won’t remedy.
If you have chronic pain combined with fatigue, mood swings, or erratic sleep habits, you may have a more severe physiological disorder known as fibromyalgia.
Sometimes it is difficult to know if you have fibromyalgia as the signs can differ from person to person. Our therapy methods can help to alleviate your fibromyalgia pain.
If you have been diagnosed already, or think you may be dealing with fibromyalgia, please contact us today to request an appointment with one of our Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill, Dauphin, Shrewsbury, and Hershey, PA physical therapists.
What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is an umbrella word used to identify the condition of a person with a certain combination of symptoms.
While the precise causes of fibromyalgia are still uncertain, some medical professionals agree that it could be triggered by an overactive, sympathetic nervous system, or the portion of your body that causes ‘fight or flight’ reactions.
This hypothesis makes sense, as people appear to experience their first signs of fibromyalgia after experiencing a physical or emotionally painful incident, although it has never been clinically confirmed.
Some people who develop fibromyalgia begin with chronic stress or depression, while other symptoms build up over time.
Fibromyalgia often appears to affect more women than men, and the risk of experiencing it increases when you have a family member with the same disease.
The most common symptoms of fibromyalgia include:
- Nausea
- Disrupted sleep cycles/irregular sleep schedules
- Sensitivity to touch/numbness
- Chronic and/or sharp muscle pains
- Tender areas of the body
- Fatigue
- Fluctuations in mood
- Forgetfulness or disorientation
How can a physical therapist provide relief from fibromyalgia?
Since fibromyalgia is not a disorder, but rather a series of symptoms, there is no single, safe treatment for the condition. Physical therapy has, however, been shown to help people control their symptoms effectively.
Primary doctors will normally prescribe a form of pain medicine or antidepressant to manage symptoms; however, these treatments do not resolve the chronic nature of the disease or loss of function that chronic pain and depression generally trigger.
At Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy, we will provide successful care for both managing symptoms over the long term and restoring the full function of your body.
If you have fibromyalgia and visit our clinic, our physical therapists will assess your physical capacity, evaluate your medical history, and address your current symptoms in order to design a treatment plan that suits your particular needs.
Physical therapy will usually begin with pain-relieving techniques to provide relief and facilitate healing. This may include the use of trigger point therapy, massage, stretching, electrical stimulation, or other therapeutic methods that our physical therapist feels may be helpful to your recovery.
After this, the procedures will move to active therapies, such as bodybuilding, range-of-motion movements, and cardiovascular exercises.
We recognize that sometimes taking the first step towards pain therapy can be the hardest part. That’s why we’re here to reassure you that you’re in good hands when you come to Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy in Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill, Dauphin, Shrewsbury, and Hershey, PA.
Finding relief is easier than you think
No matter where you are on your journey to pain relief, physical therapy can make your life easier and your pain more manageable. Contact us today at Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill, Dauphin, Shrewsbury & Hershey, PA Centers for your appointment today to find out how we can get you started on the path to recovery.
