The best tips for relieving the symptoms of fibromyalgia

A common illness, fibromyalgia combines muscle and joint pain, mood and sleep disorders, extreme fatigue, and so on. All these disorders have particularly harmful effects on the physical and mental health of sufferers. Find out how to relieve the symptoms of fibromyalgia using natural treatments, such as physical activity or electrostimulation.

Relieving fibromyalgia with natural treatments

The causes of fibromyalgia are still relatively unclear. As a result, there is no recognised treatment for the disease. Conventional analgesics are generally recommended to relieve pain, although they are insufficient to treat the disease and improve patients' quality of life. Note that medication must be prescribed by your doctor.

Health professionals recommend certain non-medicinal alternatives to help manage the symptoms of fibromyalgia.

Appropriate physical activity: the best natural treatment for fibromyalgia

In addition to conventional analgesic treatments, the European League Against Rheumatism recommends adapted physical activity.

This is the only natural treatment recognised as being genuinely effective for people suffering from fibromyalgia.

Physical exercise enables the body to produce endorphins. Once released in the body, these hormones produce a feeling of well-being and relaxation, but they also help to relieve pain.

It is recommended that patients be accompanied by a professional in order to carry out physical exercises adapted to their physical condition and the pain they are experiencing.

The most effective physical activities are :

• Water sports (aquabike, aquarunning, aquagym, etc.),
• Walking,
• Cycling under the supervision of a physiotherapist,
• yoga,
• etc.

All sports that require more endurance than performance can be beneficial when supervised by a health professional, as this 2017 study shows.

Relaxation and stress management techniques can relieve the symptoms of fibromyalgia

All the techniques known to be effective in reducing stress and anxiety are beneficial in relieving pain and increasing patients' well-being.

Meditation is a simple relaxation technique that is particularly effective in reducing stress and anxiety. Its virtues are universally recognised as beneficial to the body. By concentrating their thoughts on their breathing, patients are able to reduce the sensation of pain while increasing their sense of well-being.

Massaging the muscles, ideally by a professional, also helps to reduce pain and stress. Hydrotherapy or spa treatments are gentle massage methods that are particularly recommended for fibromyalgia. They use water jets and heat to relax muscles and relieve pain.

Adopt a healthy diet

Eating a healthy diet has no direct impact on the symptoms of fibromyalgia. However, it does give patients the energy they need to carry out daily tasks and a more resilient immune system.

Here are a few tips on eating a healthy, balanced diet:

• Increase your intake of fruit and vegetables,
• Reduce your sugar intake,
• Avoid alcohol,
• Eat plant-based proteins,
• Stay well hydrated (at least two litres of water a day),
• Limit consumption of processed foods rich in fat.

Respecting your sleep

Most people with fibromyalgia suffer from excessive fatigue. A good night's sleep is therefore essential for improving quality of life on a daily basis.

Getting enough sleep at set times helps to :

• Reduce stress,
• Reduce fatigue,
• Increase energy,
• Relieve aches and pains,
• Increase well-being,
• etc.

To promote restful sleep, we recommend avoiding caffeine in the evening, avoiding the use of screens in the evening and sleeping in a dark, quiet room.

TENS electrostimulation to relieve pain

Electrotherapy is not a complete cure for fibromyalgia. However, thanks to its many virtues, it can reduce certain symptoms of the disease.

Totally natural and with no side effects, TENS electrostimulation has been used for many years in the medical and paramedical sector to effectively relieve pain. The transmission of painful signals is blocked by the production of endorphins thanks to the stimulation of muscle fibres.

A study carried out on a group of women suffering from dysmenorrhoea, for example, showed that electrostimulation reduced the pain they felt.

This second study, carried out on a group of people suffering from chronic back pain, also demonstrated the effectiveness of the pain-relieving effect of TENS electrostimulation.

How can Bluetens electrostimulation programmes be used to treat fibromyalgia?

Bluetens has developed a medical device that directly addresses the symptoms of this particularly incapacitating disease. This small electrostimulation device helps to ease the pain of sufferers.

This means they can resume sporting activity more quickly - a real virtuous dynamic! Apply the electrodes like an electrotherapy bandage to your skin, directly to the sore area, for example on part of your back. Then choose your pain relief programme.

Here are a few examples of programmes you can use to relieve fibromyalgia.

The "Endorphin" programme in "CURE" mode

This programme produces endorphins by electrically stimulating muscle fibres. The hormones produced effectively block the transmission of painful signals and inhibit muscle pain.

The 20-minute programme can be used up to five times a day on almost any part of the body, depending on the source of the pain.

In cases of fibromyalgia, it is best to seek advice from a physiotherapist to determine the recommended number of sessions and the intensity of the electrical impulses.

The "Han Method" programme

This electrostimulation programme has been specially designed to relieve pain by combining friction and stimulation. These two effects provide a natural analgesic effect.

You can use this programme up to five times a day. A complete session lasts 30 minutes.