When medications dont quite cut it, many people with fibromyalgia pain turn to other approaches. Before you raise a skeptical eyebrow, know that research has put some science behind these healing arts. So your doctor may be right there to support you in your search for more effective ways to handle fibromyalgia. "When most available medical therapies fail to help, many physicians switch over to alternative treatments," says US-based pain management specialist, Roland Staud, MD. This does of course apply to all of you who live with chronic pain (but not necessarily have fibromyalgia). Here are eleven natural approaches to fibromyalgia treatment that you may want to try, including: Craniosacral therapy ~ This is a very gentle treatment that focuses on specific points on your back, neck and head, calming the over-active nervous system, it is very relaxing. Researchers compared the use of craniosacral therapy with a placebo treatment in 84 patients and found that those who had the massage experienced less pain, anxiety, and depression and also saw improvements in their daily living. Traditional Chinese medicine, which includes acupuncture, is gaining in popularity. A review of existing research — 25 studies involving a total of more than 1,500 people, published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, reveals that acupuncture treatments can reduce the number of tender points on the bodies of people with fibromyalgia. Acupuncture combined with cupping therapy (which applies heat and pressure to select spots on the skin) can cut down on overall pain as well as depression. Cognitive behavioral therapy ~ CBT, long used for fibromyalgia treatment, helps patients identify negative thought patterns and change them. Researchers in Spain who recently evaluated people with fibromyalgia found that both cognitive behavioral therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy combined with hypnosis improve fibromyalgia symptoms such as pain, compared with use of only medications for treatment. Mindfulness training ~ This therapeutic approach is similar to meditation in that you learn to be more aware of your thoughts and your pain in order to change your response to the pain and in turn reduce it, improving your quality of life. Researchers in Canada have developed a pilot computer program they say helps patients reorient the focus of their attention away from their pain. Nick Carleton, PhD, assistant professor in the department of psychology at the University of Regina, says, “Most patients did not know what we were doing, but they benefited from the program.” After two mindfulness sessions a week for four weeks, fibromyalgia patients saw a 40 percent reduction in pain. What to read more? The latest blog post is a guide to using mindfulness to cope and lessen chronic pain: theprincessinthetower.org/blog.html Music therapy ~ Research in Pain Management Nursing suggests that learning to visualize a relaxing scene in combination with specific music on a CD can help ease fibromyalgia pain. This is just one approach to music therapy for pain management, says Joanne Loewy, MT-BC, director of the Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York. Music therapy includes a wide variety of options, including making music with others, singing, and drumming, all of which are promising options for fibromyalgia pain. Follow the link for more natural ways to help reduce your symptoms and visit the recently updated, theprincessinthetower.org for more tips and comfort too
Posted on: Thu, 05 Sep 2013 11:01:21 +0000