Additional ways to take charge of your fibromyalgia

Depending on your symptoms and your overall health, your healthcare provider can recommend a number of additional ways to manage your fibromyalgia. These can include lifestyle changes such as a healthier diet or a special exercise regimen.

Some of the more common and effective approaches are listed below. Please consult your healthcare provider before incorporating any of these approaches into your treatment plan.

• Exercise: Regular exercise is among the more effective treatments for fibromyalgia. Pain and fatigue may make it more challenging to exercise regularly. Before starting any exercise program, ask your healthcare provider about safe ways to exercise, and start slowly8,9,10
• Diet: Although no specific diet has been shown to relieve symptoms, a healthy and balanced diet can give you more energy and help prevent other health problems9
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT helps patients change the way they think, which helps change how they feel and what they do. In other words, patients are encouraged to act on a new way of thinking to help themselves feel better. During CBT, patients work with a trained therapist on a structured, time-limited basis to achieve specific patient goals. Studies of CBT in patients with fibromyalgia have shown that it can help decrease pain and fatigue while improving function and overall mood10,11
• Complementary therapies: Research on complementary treatments for fibromyalgia is limited. However, some patients find that therapeutic massage can help manage stress and relieve their pain, muscle spasms, and discomfort. Other therapies that may provide relief include biofeedback, acupuncture, chiropractic treatment, and physical therapy9,12