What Real Sufferers Are Saying Works for Fibromyalgia – Infographic
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By Alexandra Carmichael, Co-Founder of CureTogether
In a surprising finding, patients who live with the painful disorder fibromyalgia have reported that commonly prescribed drugs for this condition actually make their symptoms worse. This is according to a new study by CureTogether, a free resource owned by 23andMe that allows people to share information about their health and treatments.
People in the study said they found that lifestyle changes like rest, heat, and various ways of reducing stress offered the most effective relief. In addition many of those surveyed said that the drug Naltrexone at a low dose worked well. Conversely, well-known fibromyalgia drugs such as Lyrica, Savella, Cymbalta, and Effexor, were reported to worsen rather than improve patients’ symptoms, according to the study.
Most Effective Rated Treatments for People with Fibromyalgia
1. Low-dose Naltrexone (LDN)
2. Rest
3. Hot showers/baths
4. Heating pads
5. Getting enough sleep
6. Hydrotherapy
7. Vicodin
8. Reduce stress
9. Meditation
10. Gluten-free diet
Fibromyalgia affects at least 5 million Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The disorder is characterized by musculoskeletal pain, and other symptoms including fatigue, disrupted sleep, as well as depression. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way a patient’s brain processes pain signals. The condition is poorly understood,, so finding accurate recommendations on treatments can be challenging.
In the CureTogether study, researchers asked 1,401 people suffering from fibromyalgia to rate the effectiveness of 104 different treatments. Participants shared information about their symptoms as well as what treatments worked best for them. We’d like to thank those who participated. And just as they shared their experience with treatments, we’re freely and openly sharing the results of the Fibromyalgia study.
This is part of a regular series of CureTogether research findings.
Source: http://curetogether.com/blog/2010/09/09/the-winning-treatments-for-fibromyalgia-are-not-drugs/
About Author
Ryan Tomlinson | Website | Twitter
I am a Father of 2 wonderful boys and husband to my beautiful wife. My wife was Assessed with fibromyalgia and has been in a lot of pain. I started this blog as place to share my research on fibro diets and treatments. We have decided not to claim this condition and try to beat it naturally. The site is for me and my family just as much as it is for you. I hope these articles help in some small way!
I agree with you eating healthy and exercise are key in the fight against Fibro
Please let folks know that IF they have had a history of “Serotonin Syndrome” (very serious side effect from: Opioids both synthetic and natural, SSRIs, SNRIs, Ambien, Rozerem, and or any other GABA or PreGABA drug, that Low-dose Naltrexone CAN produce an increase in serotonin syndrome, which can lead to death, thank you. They need to see the side effects of serotonin syndrome and the seriousness of it. I would highly suggest you let folks know about this. I only found out, after almost dying myself from it. Its very, very serious. And once you have this condition, you need to alert all your medical professionals of this condition. Also, once you have it, you may not be able to take any form of serotonin inducing drugs without hospitalization to be monitored to avoid death. Thank you, Rev. Mary Miller.