Although fibromyalgia symptoms are often written off as being sleepy, it’s actually a much more serious disorder than it seems. With more than 5 million Americans over the age of 18 diagnosed with fibromyalgia, it’s clear that the fibromyalgia requires more treatment than just taking a nap. Finding the right treatment is dependent on the individual, but the risks of not treating fibromyalgia at all can be devastating and more dangerous.
Worsening Symptoms
A major risk of leaving fibromyalgia untreated is that symptoms such as chronic pain, fatigue, headaches, and depression, can become excruciatingly worse over time. Anxiety and mood disorders can also worsen if you don’t treat fibromyalgia. The chances of all or any of these symptoms disappearing or improving on their own, without any treatment or medication, are very slim. In fact, fibromyalgia symptoms can also lead to permanent changes in your body.
Disruption of Pain Signaling
It isn’t just the symptoms themselves that can worsen. If left untreated, the chronic pain associated with fibromyalgia can lead to permanent changes in the way your body perceives pain resulting in increased sensitivity to stimuli and abnormal pain sensitivity. In order to prevent further disruptions in the way your body’s pain-signaling system works, it’s crucial that you seek out treatment for fibromyalgia immediately.
Difficulty Getting Relief from Fibromyalgia
The longer you wait to treat your fibromyalgia, the harder it will be to get relief from the symptoms. Research has shown that those who treat pain associated with fibromyalgia earlier, react the best to certain drugs and treatments. In fact, waiting too long to treat fibromyalgia can make it more difficult to heal or experience any relief from the pain, no matter which treatments or medications you try. For this reason alone, it’s best to develop a plan for treating and managing fibromyalgia symptoms you are experiencing as soon as possible.
Permanent Lifestyle Changes
Because the symptoms of fibromyalgia can become debilitating and worsen over time, especially if left untreated, you risk permanent lifestyle changes. The pain, headaches, and depression likely won’t allow you to stay employed or participate in day-to-day activities. These types of changes also affect your family members and relationships. When dealing with fibromyalgia, the worst thing you can do is ignore it and hope it goes away.
Fibromyalgia is a difficult and complicated disorder to live with and is even harder to explain to friends and family, or those without fibromyalgia. It’s important that you remember you aren’t alone and are diligent in taking every step possible to treat fibromyalgia symptoms the best way you can. Waiting and leaving it untreated can only lead to negative results. At Greenwich Replacement Therapy Center, we provide solutions to managing fibromyalgia. Our doctors and specialists can provide testing and help you figure out the best methods to manage your fibromyalgia and help you start feeling better today.