Fibromyalgia

To manage your fibromyalgia successfully, you need to disrupt pain signals in the tender, sore, and painful spots on your body. At Innovative Pain Medicine, elite pain management physician Usman Saleem, MD, MSPT, uses the most advanced approaches to fibromyalgia pain relief in four offices in Williston Park in Nassau County, Bellerose in Queens, Midwood in Brooklyn, and Port Jefferson Station, all in New York. Every fibromyalgia sufferer has unique symptoms, and the practice recognizes and understands what you’re going through. Call the nearest office or click online scheduling to get your personalized fibromyalgia pain relief plan now.

What does fibromyalgia pain feel like?

People with fibromyalgia experience aches and pains in many areas simultaneously. Pain can feel like:

• Deep aching
• Muscle tightness
• Muscle knots
• Muscle spasms
• Stabbing pain
• Throbbing pain
• Burning
• Soreness
• Tenderness

Pain points can vary from person to person but often include the neck, back, limbs, hips, and shoulders. People with fibromyalgia experience symmetrical pain (affecting the left and right side of the body evenly) occurring both above and below waist level for longer than three months. With fibromyalgia, the pain points continue hurting even with medication.

Along with the pain, fibromyalgia causes severe fatigue. “Fibro fog” is another common symptom, referring to difficulty paying attention and focusing on mental tasks. 

What causes fibromyalgia?

The root cause of fibromyalgia isn’t known right now, but research shows that the brain and nervous system process pain differently in people with the condition. This includes heightened responses to pain and feeling pain when others would not. 

Although fibromyalgia runs in families, the specific genes involved are still unknown. Most likely, environmental factors play a role as well. Many people develop fibromyalgia following an infection, illness, physical trauma, or ongoing emotional distress like stress and anxiety. 

I have fibromyalgia. What will treatment involve? 

Fibromyalgia is a multifaceted condition, and the treatment usually includes several approaches. Many people with fibromyalgia get help through:

• Physical therapy to boost your strength, stamina, and flexibility
• Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, to help with emotional distress
• Tricyclic or SSRI antidepressants, which can help even if you’re not depressed
• Anti-seizure medications to disrupt pain signals to the brain

Innovative Pain Medicine also offers trigger point injections for pain management when physical therapy and medication don’t provide adequate muscle pain relief. 

Trigger point injections commonly contain an anesthetic that numbs the sore muscle and a corticosteroid that relieves muscle inflammation. The injections can relax tight muscles, decrease muscle spasms, and ease muscle pain. 

How long do the effects of trigger point injections last for fibromyalgia?

The anesthetic in trigger point injections wears off within a day, but the corticosteroid starts working soon after. The effects can last from weeks to months. 

Innovative Pain Medicine recognizes that your fibromyalgia symptoms are unique to you, and the practice works hand-in-hand with you to find a long-term solution that gives you an excellent quality of life. Call the nearest office or book your appointment online today.