Different medications are used in fibromyalgia treatment even though the FDA has not yet approved any of them specifically for this condition. Some of these medications may be beneficial for some patients and completely ineffective for others. There is no way to know for sure if a drug will help you until you give it a try.*
Below is a list of medications used as fibromyalgia treatment:
• Muscle Relaxers
• Antidepressants
• Painkillers
• Sedatives
• Vitamins
Each one of these medications is used to treat fibromyalgia in a different way to help improve the overall condition of the patient. However, they only help and can’t eliminate the disease.
Explanation of Medications Used
Fibromyalgia affects the muscles causing a lot of pain for its victims. Muscle relaxers are used to help reduce this pain. They can also help you sleep by relaxing the muscles and reducing cramps, tightness and spasms.
Fatigue and depression are two of the main symptoms of fibromyalgia. Antidepressants are used to help a person relieve some of the depression and receive more rest. They can also reduce some of the muscle pain by helping a person to feel calmer. Amitriptyline better know as Elavil is the most common type of antidepressant prescribed for someone suffering from fibromyalgia.
Painkillers are simply used to help reduce the amount of pain a person has to endure. This includes the medications listed below.
• Aspirin
• Tylenol
• Ibuprofen
• Narcotics
Over the counter medications only ease the pain a little and will not eliminate it. Narcotics are more effective for some people but still will not completely get rid of all the pain. Narcotics are usually limited due to the possibility of becoming addicted to them. However, recent studies have found that when taken for chronic pain the person normally does not become addicted.
Sedatives are used to help a patient receive a good night sleep. Many people with this condition find it almost impossible to sleep all night. For the ones who do sleep it is usually not a restful state and they wake up still feeling tired. Sedatives can help them feel more rested and lessen the fatigue somewhat.
Vitamins can aid in the treatment of fibromyalgia in a couple of ways. Vitamin C can help to build up a person’s immune system and can reduce swelling in some people. Vitamin B-12 helps reduce tenderness that is accompanied by this condition along with the tingling sensation many people feel. Using medication as a fibromyalgia treatment along with other lifestyle changes can help improve the symptoms of this condition.
(*As always consult with your Doctor before taking any medications.)