What Is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia has no known etiology. However, it is assumed to be caused by how the nervous system interprets pain. Trauma, surgery, illness, arthritis, or acute mental stress may precipitate it or develop gradually over time.

Signs and Symptoms

Fibromyalgia is a complicated ailment characterized by various indications and symptoms. These are the symptoms if you have fibromyalgia:

Generalized discomfort is frequently described as a dull ache across both sides of the body above and below the waist.

Sensitive spots on your head, neck, chest, shoulders, elbows, hips, or knees; these “tender points” may move about or come and go.

  • Muscle stiffness, especially first thing in the morning.
  • Headache
  • Issues with cognition and memory.
  • Fatigue
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Abdominal or pelvic pain or cramping
  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
  • Irritable bowel syndrome.
  • Sleeping problems; waking up tired.
  • Temporomandibular (jaw joint) discomfort.
  • Tingling or numbness

Stress can frequently aggravate your problems.

Physical Therapy for Fibromyalgia

A registered physical therapist has a foundation in anatomy and kinesiology, which is the study of movement. If you have fibromyalgia, the therapist can customize stretching and strengthening exercises for you at home or the Physical Therapy clinic.

Physical therapists deal with patients of various ages, from newborns to adults. They provide health treatments that aid in the restoration of function, the improvement of mobility, the relief of pain, and the prevention or limitation of persistent physical impairments in specialized physical therapy centers. Physical therapists help clients regain their total fitness and health by working one-on-one with them.

Physical Therapy to Help Relieve Pain of Fibromyalgia

While there is no treatment for fibromyalgia, physical therapy may alleviate pain symptoms. Physical therapists employ various services and exercises, such as deep tissue massage and cold and heat packs for hydrotherapy in physical therapy clinic Plano tx. Physical therapists can utilize these instruments to assist fibromyalgia patients in engaging their muscles, stretching for flexibility, and moving their joints through range-of-motion exercises.

Physical therapy has the advantage of allowing a person with fibromyalgia to work closely with a skilled practitioner who can build a fibromyalgia-specific treatment plan. When you complete “homework” or exercises at home, the therapist records your progress and assesses whether you practice healthy therapeutic habits, alignments, and movement patterns.

The ultimate objective of physical therapy is to learn the precise treatments and exercises and then perform them at home daily or as required.

Physical Therapy clinic P5perform
Physical Therapy clinic P5perform

Exercise Can Help You Manage Your Symptoms

Regular, moderate exercise is essential in the treatment of fibromyalgia. Reducing one’s BMI can lower one’s risk of acquiring fibromyalgia.

According to research, the following therapies can reduce pain while also improving function, overall health, and sleep in patients with fibromyalgia:

  • Aerobic exercise.
  • Water exercise.
  • Stretching and strength-building exercises
  • Yoga
  • Taijiquan
  • Take deep breaths.
  • Sports and recreation.
  • Massage treatment.

Your physical therapist will create an exercise regimen tailored to your specific needs. The therapist will instruct you on how to:

  • Begin slowly to guarantee your success.
  • Take your time.
  • Set attainable fitness and physical activity objectives.
  • In times of stress, modify your regimen.

What is the purpose of hydrotherapy in the hands of a physical therapist?

Hydrotherapy with wet heat or cold packs stimulates your body’s natural healing energy. Cold compresses, for example, decrease edema by restricting blood vessels. Warm, moist compresses sore regions, on the other hand, widen blood vessels.

Hydrotherapy may assist give short-term pain relief for those who have fibromyalgia. Cold compresses can help relieve the discomfort of an injury such as a sprain or strain. Moist heat may relieve persistent muscular pain or trigger point discomfort associated with fibromyalgia. A wet heating pad, a warm, damp cloth, or a hydrocollator pack can be used. In the shower, you may also stand or sit on a stool and allow warm water to touch the sore part of your body.

Your physical therapist may advise you to apply moist heat for a few minutes before and after stretching or resistance, or aerobic training. It is possible that doing so will make the workout less uncomfortable and more effective. If you want to utilize moist heat to relieve fibromyalgia pain, do it twice a day for 15 minutes each time. To gain the maximum benefit from cold compresses and sweltering heat, some persons with fibromyalgia-like alternate them.

What Other Fibromyalgia Treatments Does a Physical Therapist Use?

With fibromyalgia patients, the physical therapist may employ a variety of strategies, including:

  • pain relief exercise
  • deep tissue massage
  • stretching and strengthening exercises
  • low-impact aerobic conditioning

It is critical to determine if your health insurance plan covers visits when looking for a Physical therapy clinic. Many health insurance companies have physical therapists on their provider lists. Following that, seek a skilled expert who is licensed to practice in Plano. It’s also a good idea to locate a Physical therapy center in Plano that has dealt with fibromyalgia before. Alternatively, speak with friends or family members who have had biological treatment.