Introduction
The American Physical Therapy Association says that physical therapy makes people learn self-management skills with any health condition including fibromyalgia. Physical therapists help people with fibromyalgia to manage pain and stiffness that occur every day. Physical therapy also helps the person to enhance strength and range of motion. Physical therapists help the affected people to get relief from severe muscle pain. The article helps us understand better how physical therapy helps people with fibromyalgia.
What Is Meant by Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a chronic health condition that causes pain and stiffness throughout the body. It can also result in musculoskeletal pain and fatigue. The symptoms related to fibromyalgia show up in episodes. It feels very challenging and exhausting to survive in this condition. The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but few people think stress and lifestyle changes can cause this condition.
What Is Meant by Physical Therapy?
Physical therapy helps people to manage, heal, and prevent injuries. Physical therapy helps people with fibromyalgia with lifestyle alteration rather than focusing on the long-term pain, fatigue, and stiffness. The therapist would teach proper posture to ensure efficient muscle functioning. Slow stretching physical exercise will help people to increase their muscle flexibility. Relaxation exercise can help to lower muscle tension.
What Are the Symptoms Associated With Fibromyalgia?
The most common symptoms are
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Pain: Long-term pain is the most common symptom, usually affecting the neck and back. Any injury, tissue damage, or inflammation does not cause this pain. The pain can be aggravated at the slightest touch and increased by stress or other activity.
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Fatigue: Another common symptom of fibromyalgia is severe fatigue and lack of energy. This can result in poor sleep, and the person can feel exhausted. This form of fatigue can affect everyday activity.
Other symptoms are
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Headache.
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Disturbed sleep cycle.
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Diarrhea, nausea, and constipation.
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Dizziness.
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Clumsiness.
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Stress, anxiety, and depression.
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Lower concentration, memory problems, and communication issues.
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Light, smoke, and alteration in weather can result in fibromyalgia.
How Is Fibromyalgia Diagnosed?
Fibromyalgia cannot be diagnosed through blood tests, image tests, or muscle biopsies. Many health conditions can result in fatigue and muscle pain, so fibromyalgia should be diagnosed correctly by eliminating other conditions. Other conditions that cause pain and fatigue are ruled out with the help of the main symptoms experienced by the person, like severe fatigue, pain in tender points, which causes pain to touch, memory issues, problems with the sleep cycle, and anxiety. Physical therapists can diagnose this condition through regular physical examination and health history.
How Does Physiotherapy Play a Role in Fibromyalgia?
A trained physical therapist will know the anatomy and movements. When a person has fibromyalgia, the physical therapist will customize stretching and strengthening exercises according to the individual needs. Physical therapists help adults and infants with this condition retain function, enhance mobility, reduce pain, and prevent permanent disabilities.
There is no permanent cure for fibromyalgia, but physical therapy can help people manage the signs and symptoms caused by this condition. Physical therapy also helps to manage fatigue and stiffness. Along with physical exercises, physical therapy uses many resources like cold and heat packs, tissue massage, etc. With the help of these resources, physiotherapy can help people use their muscles more, enhance flexibility, and increase the range of joint motions.
What Are the Physical Exercises That Can Help Fibromyalgia?
Regular exercise is very important to manage fibromyalgia. Decreasing body mass index helps prevent the occurrence of fibromyalgia. Some treatments that help fibromyalgia are
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Aerobic conditioning.
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Stretching.
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Strengthening physical exercise.
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Yoga.
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Aquatic exercises.
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Deep breathing.
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Manual therapy.
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Recreational activities.
The physical therapist will customize the exercise depending on the patient's requirements. The therapist will teach the person how to
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Start slow.
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The pace.
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Set goals for exercise and other physical activities.
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Alteration of the program at the time of stress.
Physical therapy helps the person improve fitness and enhances one’s quality of life through aerobic exercise, which improves the heart and lung muscles as aerobic exercise involves brisk walking, swimming, cycling, etc.
How Do Special Techniques Help to Manage Fibromyalgia?
The best method to manage fibromyalgia is through a combination of treatments. Proper and regular exercise, correct medication, and mind-body technique can help improve the condition. Some methods, like cognitive behavioral therapy and medication, can alter the response to pain and cause relaxation. Therapists use biofeedback, which helps manage muscle tension and reduces pain with the help of a device that provides information regarding the amount of muscle tension present. The physical therapist can also help with the sleep cycle of the person.
Why Does a Physical Therapist Use Hydrotherapy?
Hydrotherapy performed with heat and cold packs triggers the body’s healing factors. In the case of a cold compress, the swelling can be reduced as it constricts the blood vessels. In contrast, heat packs over the painful region can reduce the pain by dilating the blood vessels, which helps to enhance the flow of blood, nutrients, and oxygen. Hydrotherapy can eliminate the pain caused by fibromyalgia for a short period. Cold packs can help to reduce pain caused due to sprains and strain. Heat packs can help to reduce chronic muscle pain caused due to fibromyalgia. Heat packs work well just a few minutes before and post stretching or aerobic activities.
Can Fibromyalgia Be Prevented?
The actual mechanism and cause of fibromyalgia is still not clear. Because of this, there is no specific way or method to prevent the occurrence of this condition. However, early diagnosis of this condition can help the healthcare providers to manage the signs and symptoms.
Conclusion
Fibromyalgia is a health condition that causes pain and stiffness of muscles throughout the body. This condition has no permanent cure, but treatment can help manage its symptoms and signs. Physical therapy plays an important role in managing the pain caused by this condition. Physical therapy helps the affected person by increasing strength and range of motion and reducing pain.
