The Fibromyalgia Self Care section is designed to offer you ways to get relief from your FIBROMYALGIA symptoms – take special steps in following the daily habits:
Reduce Stress – Develop a specific plan to avoid or limit over-exertion and emotional stress. A specific time must be allotted daily for self care, take time out to relax. This may mean learning how to say no without guilt. An fms patient must refrain from changing their routine totally. Often a patient who quits their occupation or drops all activity tends to do worse than those who remain active. Practice stress reduction techniques such as breathing exercises or meditation.
Balance Sleep Patterns - Fatigue is one of the main complaints of patients with Fibromyalgia symptoms, getting sufficient sleep is absolutely essential. In addition to allotting enough time for sleep, practice proper sleep habits, such as going to bed and getting up at the same time each day, limiting daytime napping.
Regular Exercise - Regular exercise improves fibromyalgia symptoms, especially pain. Appropriate exercises include walking, swimming, biking and water aerobics.
Keep a Steady Pace - Try to maintain activity on an even level. If too much is done on a good day, take time off the following day and rest or watch a funny movie to avoid bad days.
Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle - Eat a balanced diet (see Diet – Nutrition), limit caffeine intake, try to quit smoking, get adequate rest, exercise regularly, and try a leisure activity such as laughing, it can be enjoyable.
Use Eyedrops - Use eyedrops when needed. If dryness in the eyes is experienced, use over-the-counter drops for relief. These preparations should resemble tears and contain substances that hold water in the eye. Choose eyedrops that are preservative-free.
Balanced Supplements - When balancing the body chemistry with medicine, use safe and balanced fibromyalgia medications, we suggest Natural Products for your health and well-being.
We want to help you with your Fibromyalgia Self Care program. The following pages contain several alternative self help options. Choose the one that works for you and stick with it.