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Traditionally, the most effective medications for the treatment of fibromyalgia have been the tricyclic antidepressants, medications often used in treating depression. Tricyclic antidepressants appear to reduce fatigue, relieve muscle pain and spasm, and promote deep, restorative sleep in patients with fibromyalgia. Examples of tricyclic antidepressants commonly used in treating fibromyalgia include amitriptyline (Elavil) and doxepin (Sinequan).

Even though research hasn't shown specific foods that can reduce fibromyalgia symptoms, some patients have found that they feel better when eating certain foods. Patients may find it helpful to keep a food diary and record their symptoms after eating. This will allow them to recognize any foods that may reduce or worsen fibromyalgia symptoms or be related to another illness. As you make changes to your diet, keep in mind that people with fibromyalgia tend to benefit most from taking a variety of approaches to managing their symptoms.

The most important therapy for muscle pain is regular low-impact exercise. Keeping muscles conditioned and healthy by exercising regularly decreases the amount of discomfort. Low-impact aerobic exercises, such as swimming, cycling, walking, and stationary cross-country ski machines can be effective fibromyalgia treatments. Exercise regimens are most beneficial when performed on an every-other-day basis, in the morning. Exercise is the body’s way to create natural painkillers, endorphins, which can also boost one’s mood. Exercise may exert its beneficial effect by promoting a deep level of sleep (NREM sleep). Sometimes physical therapy can be helpful to optimally guide the exercise plan.

Many fibromyalgia patients admit feeling anxious, nervous, and even panicked during a fibromyalgia flare-up. Therefore, stress may play a very important role in triggering fibromyalgia symptoms. It is extremely difficult to measure stress levels in different patients because people react differently to certain events. Stress reduction in the treatment of fibromyalgia must be individualized. This might include simple stress modification at home or work, biofeedback, relaxation tapes, psychological counseling, and/or support among family members, friends, and doctors.

Patient education is an important first step in helping patients understand and cope with their diverse symptoms. Unfortunately, not all physicians are intimately acquainted with the variations of this illness. Community hospital support groups and the local chapters of the Arthritis Foundation have become important educational resources for patients and their doctors.

Although there is no cure for fibromyalgia, treatment can relieve some of the symptoms. Since symptoms are diverse and vary among patients, treatment programs must be individualized for each patient. Treatment programs are most effective when they combine patient education, stress reduction, regular exercise, and medications. There are also alternative remedies and lifestyle habits that may help ease fibromyalgia symptoms. Ultimately, the physician, physical therapist, and patient may all play an active role in the management of fibromyalgia.

It can be challenging for doctors to diagnose fibromyalgia patients because their symptoms are common in many other conditions. Many patients have been misdiagnosed as having depression, inflammatory arthritis, chronic myofascial pain, or systemic exertion intolerance disease. Ultimately, the diagnosis of fibromyalgia is made purely on clinical grounds based on the doctor's history and physical examination.

Fibro fog, fibromyalgia fog and brain fog, is a symptom of fibromyalgia. Fibro fog is a term used to describe the cognitive difficulties brought on by fibromyalgia. Patients experiencing fibro fog have felt as if they had been taking cold medicine constantly. Fibro fog could be related to the patient’s sleep quality, but the definite cause of fibro fog is still undetermined.

Fatigue occurs in 90% of fibromyalgia patients and it can be described as crippling, exhausting, and flu-like. Patients may even feel fatigued after hours of bed rest. Fatigue may be related to abnormal sleep patterns. Normally, there are several levels of sleep and getting enough of the deeper levels of sleep may be even more important than the total hours of sleep. Patients with fibromyalgia lack the deep, restorative level of sleep, called non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Consequently, patients with fibromyalgia often awaken in the morning without feeling fully rested, even though they seem to have had an adequate number of hours of sleep time.

As we know, women are more likely than men to develop fibromyalgia. Women have described fibromyalgia pain as a dull ache that starts in the muscles. Women may also have trouble remembering and concentrating or they may jumble up words when they speak. These symptoms have been called “fibro fog” because their minds often feel foggy.