When living with fibromyalgia pain, attitude and trial-and-error can mean the difference between being completely disabled by the disorder or having a relatively normal lifestyle. It is well known in psychology that the way one approaches chronic pain determines, to a significant degree, how debilitating the pain will be. An individual who gives in to the pain, surrendering any control and defining themselves by the pain, is usually found to be the one who experiences the most pain and feels that his pain gets in the way of everything in his life.
On the other hand, the person who has the attitude that she will take control of her life and pain, actively seeks and works hard at finding what will alleviate the pain so that she can go on with life as normally as possible. This type of person usually uses minimal pain medication and views herself as part of the treatment team along with the doctors instead of viewing herself as a passive patient.
Eight Steps Towards a Workable Program for Living Well with Fibromyalgia
- Manage Stress- Managing stress is essential for anyone with fibromyalgia. Stress will increase pain or the perception of pain.
- Control Treatment- The more a person with fibromyalgia feels they are part of the team (along with the doctors and therapists) and in control of their treatment the less pain they will be experience.
- Stay Well Informed- It will give a person new things to try and find what works for them.
- Don't Expect Others to Be Aware of Your Pain- Other people can’t read minds. It's up to the individual with fibromyalgia to communicate about their pain in order to better manage it.
- Experiment- There is still a lot to be learned about fibromyalgia. Being willing to try different treatments and methods to deal with pain is highly recommended. There is no standard treatment that works for everyone with fibromyalgia.
- Change Thinking- What people say to themselves about their condition has a tremendous effect on how they feel. A positive attitude and thinking will help diminish pain.
- Change Lifestyle- Sometimes a person has to be willing to change their lifestyle to live better. A lifestyle of hurried, stress and anger, for example, will do little to help with pain.
- Count Blessings- Remember that fibromyalgia is not a death sentence. There are probably many good things about life that could be focused on instead of the pain.
Treatment Options for Controlling Fibromyalgia Pain
There are still few answers about fibromyalgia, however, there are a number of treatment options that have been found effective for many people with chronic pain. Each individual must experiment to find what works for them. Here are a few things to try:
- Moist heat
- Exercise/Yoga/Stretching
- Massage
- Chiropractic medicine/Acupuncture
- Psychotherapy/Support Groups
- Good nutrition
- Meditation/Relaxation/Spirituality
- Sound sleep
- Fun and laughter
- Healthy relationships
- A competent, caring doctor
- Enjoyable work
- Time management/Stress Management
Learning how to manage fibromyalgia pain is the first step towards decreasing pain.
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