What a Good Day Looks Like With Fibromyalgia — And How to Have More of Them

Fibromyalgia is a challenging condition that doesn’t have a cure and is difficult to treat. But with guidance and personalized treatment, your symptoms can improve, allowing you to enjoy more good days.

Our pain management experts at Centers for Pain Control & Vein Care in Hobart, LaPorte, Munster, Valparaiso, and Merrillville, Indiana, work closely with people struggling with fibromyalgia, helping to improve their wellness and quality of life. Here, we explore what it means to have a good day and how to have more of them.

Good days with fibromyalgia

Defining a good day with fibromyalgia is highly personal and varies with each person. Healthcare providers ask patients to rank the following symptom on a scale: 

• Pain
• Fatigue
• Stiffness
• Concentration and thinking
• Mood
• Quality of sleep
• Ability to socialize
• Ability to complete daily activities

The results of a ranking scale reflect how each person feels on that day, but they don’t define good versus bad days due to individual variables.

On a scale from 0-10, an 8 might reflect a good or bad day, depending on each person’s experience. For example, an 8 may be a good day for someone struggling with constant, extreme symptoms. It could also be a bad day for someone who has less frequent symptoms.

As a general guideline, a good day with fibromyalgia includes days when you:

• Got a good night’s sleep
• Have mild or manageable pain
• Have mild stiffness and can move without a struggle
• Have enough energy to get through the day without crashing
• Can think clearly and stay focused
• Don’t feel depressed or anxious

Many fibromyalgia patients use a symptom tracking sheet every day, keeping a log that helps them see patterns such as what triggers symptom flares and the effect of treatment.

Having this information is a valuable tool for making informed lifestyle and treatment decisions that can improve your health.

How to improve fibromyalgia

A multimodal approach — a treatment plan that includes several different lifestyle and medical therapies — is the best way to improve your health and have more good days than bad.

While there are many treatments to choose from, we can guide your decisions and help develop a care plan targeting your needs.

These are some of the treatments frequently recommended for fibromyalgia:

Mindfulness meditation

Mindfulness meditation eases fibromyalgia symptoms such as pain, depression, and anxiety. It may also improve your sleep and overall well-being.

Meditative movement

Tai chi and yoga, two types of meditative movement therapies, combine gentle and controlled exercise with a focus on breathing, achieving a relaxed state, and clearing your mind of stressful thoughts.

Therapeutic massage

Therapeutic massage stimulates circulation and relaxes muscles, helping to relieve pain, reduce stiffness, and improve mood in people with fibromyalgia.

Stress management

Stress frequently triggers a fibromyalgia flare-up. If it’s a trigger for you, learning techniques to reduce and manage daily stress will go a long way toward reducing your pain and symptoms.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

CBT is a type of talk therapy that can help you identify thoughts associated with pain, change unpleasant thoughts, and reduce your pain.

Nutritional supplements

People living with chronic pain often have deficiencies in vitamins and minerals, including:

• Vitamins A, C, E, and K
• Vitamin B12 (and other B vitamins)
• Vitamin D
• Magnesium
• Selenium
• Zinc

These nutrients support the health of muscles and nerves, with deficiencies contributing to issues such as muscle fatigue and spasms, as well as nerve-related pain.

Exercise and/or physical therapy

Engaging in regular exercise is crucial for managing fibromyalgia. Exercise eases pain, relaxes tense muscles, boosts overall energy and stamina, and improves sleep.

A consistent exercise program helps you survive flare-ups and maintain long-term wellness. However, don’t start exercising before consulting with us or your healthcare provider.

It’s essential to have an exercise program that meets your needs without draining your energy. Overexertion can trigger a fibromyalgia flare-up.

Medicines

Several medications help ease the pain of fibromyalgia, including:

• Antidepressants (duloxetine and milnacipran ease pain, fatigue, and depression)
• Pregabalin (calms overactive nerves contributing to muscle pain)

Many patients taking 450 mg of pregabalin daily experience a 50% reduction in their pain.

Pain management

Our team offers crucial fibromyalgia management.  A few examples of our fibromyalgia services include:

• Functional movement exercises
• Ultrasound therapy
• Electrical stimulation
• Topical medications
• Trigger point therapy
• Interventional therapies for chronic headaches and joint pain

If you need help with fibromyalgia, schedule an appointment online or call Centers for Pain Control & Vein Care today.