How to recover from a fibromyalgia flare-up with help from a physical therapist

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that can be debilitating, especially when you experience flare-ups. These usually cause musculoskeletal pain, tenderness and fatigue. These symptoms can put a damper on life and even interfere with your sleep. Fibromyalgia flare-ups usually occur during times of increased stress. Examples include after sustaining an injury, or in the wake of an illness. 

Are you wondering how to recover from a fibromyalgia flare-up? Physical therapy can be an effective and safe way to promote recovery from a flare-up. It can also help reduce the symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. 

How physical therapy may help you recover from a fibromyalgia flare-up

Since fibromyalgia is a cluster of symptoms and not one disease, it can be difficult to treat with only one remedy. Doctors often prescribe medication to help manage fibromyalgia symptoms. But physical therapy can also be an effective treatment. 

Some of the most common methods used by physical therapists are:

• Exercise — Low-impact exercise has a range of benefits. It can help reduce the pain associated with fibromyalgia flare-ups. Using a treadmill, swimming or other exercises can increase blood flow. This helps improve the cardiovascular system. It may even reduce the stress that could trigger a flare-up. A physical therapist can help identify individualized exercise plans to help improve blood flow and reduce pain.

• Strength training — Fibromyalgia may inhibit you from strengthening your muscles. Yet this can cause muscle weakness, which puts increased stress on nearby joints. Low-impact strengthening exercises can help reduce pain and discomfort in those affected areas.

• Manual therapy — Think of manual therapy like a targeted message to the affected area. This can help ease the tension of affected muscles, which can decrease the pain associated with fibromyalgia. 

These are just some of the methods used by physical therapists to help you treat a fibromyalgia flare-up. 

Advent Physical Therapy is ready to help you recover from a fibromyalgia flare-up

Fibromyalgia can be difficult to live with, but Advent Physical Therapy is ready to help you recover from a flare-up. We can treat your flare-up with a combination of different techniques to reduce the pain or discomfort you’re experiencing. Our team of expert physical therapists is prepared to build you a personalized treatment plan to address your fibromyalgia. 

Contact our team today for more information about how physical therapy can help treat fibromyalgia flare-ups, or to schedule an initial appointment.