Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is well-treated using naturopathic medicine.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by fatigue and widespread pain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons.

Although it’s cause is unknown, present medical opinion is that the brains of persons with fibromyalgia have abnormal levels of certain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that signal pain. Symptoms of fibromyalgia often begin after an infection or physical or emotional trauma, and with time may lead to depression.

Seek professional healthcare if your pain interferes with your quality of life.

Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

Possible symptoms of fibromyalgia include:

  • Constant, dull, aching pain over your whole body (for at least three months)
  • Headaches
  • Abdominal pain
  • Fatigue in spite of adequate sleep
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Depression

Treatment of Fibromyalgia at Toronto Centre for Naturopathic Medicine

At Toronto Centre for Naturopathic Medicine, the goal of fibromyalgia treatment is eliminating pain and fatigue, and preventing symptom recurrence.

Conventional treatment for fibromyalgia may include a variety of medications, including antidepressants, anti-seizure medications and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These treatments may have short- or long-term side effects.

For this reason, you may choose to try natural treatment to possibly avoid use of conventional medications, or together with conventional medications in order to decrease dosages of conventional medications required to manage your fibromyalgia symptoms.

Naturopathic treatment of any chronic health concern must be recognized as a process that involves:

  • Identifying specific treatment goals
  • Development by your naturopathic doctor, of a thorough understanding of all factors affecting your health, including physical, psychological, emotional and lifestyle factors
  • Development of a comprehensive treatment plan
  • Implementation and maintenance of that plan through periodic monitoring and adjustment

At Toronto Centre for Naturopathic Medicine, a typical approach to treating fibromyalgia may be to:

Where appropriate, a number of therapeutic options are available, to be used alone, or more often in a complementary fashion, including:

Treatments provided by naturopathic doctors are covered by most extended healthcare plans.

References

Fibromyalgia [Internet]. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; [cited 2009 Feb 18]. Available from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fibromyalgia/DS00079.

Fibromyalgia [Internet]. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; [cited 2015 Mar 28]. Available from: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/fibromyalgia/basics/symptoms/con-20019243.

GET IN TOUCH