Fibromyalgia is a perplexing disorder that has just begun to make
itself known in the medical community. Because of its wide range of
symptoms and often intermittent nature, little is known about
effective treatments for the condition, but there is evidence that
something as simple as a memory foam mattress or topper can help some
FMS patients.
Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread, sometimes debilitating
pain in muscles, tendons and other fibrous tissues. Other symptoms may
include an overwhelming feeling of fatigue, and difficulty with
concentration and complex mental tasks, sometimes referred to as
"fibro-fog." As the medical community struggles to learn more about
FMS, and to separate it from similar disorders like
chronic fatigue syndrome,
patients have been left largely to their own devices for treatment.
Through experimentation, many patients have found treatments that
are effective on their own FMS. For example, there is much anecdotal
evidence to suggest that regular massage therapy from therapists or
mechanical massage chairs can
help to reduce the muscle pain associated with FMS. Other treatments
focus on improving sleep, through the use of pressure point relieving
memory foam mattresses or toppers. There are a wealth of options out
there, so the best thing for FMS sufferers to do is to seek as much
information as possible.
Many doctors believe that the fatigue associated with FMS may be
due in part to poor sleeping patterns. Clinical studies have shown
that those suffering from FMS have repeated disturbances of phase IV
sleep, the deep sleep that we need to feel rested during the day.
There is even some evidence that this lack of deep sleep may be a
major cause of FMS, and not just a symptom. Many FMS sufferers
describe a cycle of sleep loss and muscle pain; those patients who
sleep poorly experience more pain during the following day, and
therefore sleep less at night, which leads to more pain, and so on.
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