Fibromyalgia can be a debilitating illness characterized by widespread pain all over the body. There is a long list of symptoms of fibromyalgia, but because they can be elusive, the condition can be challenging to diagnose.

While the disease affects 4 million Americans, its cause remains unknown. And what’s worse? There’s no cure (as of now). So that means there are millions of Americans walking around in lots of pain, without knowing the cause or how they can feel better.

The good news is, there are ways to feel some relief. No cure, but you can feel better if you suffer from the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Before we get into what can help with fibromyalgia, let’s identify some of those symptoms.

It’s pretty tough to pin down symptoms of fibromyalgia because they differ from one sufferer to the next. But some common symptoms seem to present themselves among lots of people. (Mostly women over 45, but it can affect practically anyone.)

Common symptoms of fibromyalgia include:

• Soft-tissue pain throughout the body
• Pain in the face muscles
• Stiff joints and muscles in the morning after waking
• Difficulty sleeping
• Headache
• Numbness or tingling in the extremities
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Restless leg syndrome (RLS)
• Painful menstruation
• Hot and cold sensitivity
• tiredness/fatigue
• Trouble concentrating or feeling “foggy”

And if that isn’t enough, there’s even more possible symptoms of fibromyalgia:

• Depression and/or anxiety
• Dizziness
• Inexplicable weight gain
• Nausea
• Vision problems
• Skin problems
• Cold symptoms
• Breathing issues

Take a look at those two lists again.

Did you read them?

That’s a lot of possible symptoms, right? Not to mention, many of those symptoms can be mistaken for plenty of other things. Unfortunately, that’s why fibromyalgia often goes undiagnosed.

As discussed earlier, there is no cure for fibromyalgia. But there are ways to reduce symptoms to enjoy a higher quality of life. Of course, it’s always best to consult a doctor before proceeding with any treatments to help with fibromyalgia.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): While the exact cause of fibromyalgia is still unknown, there are theories suggesting people who have experienced a traumatic event are more likely to develop fibromyalgia. This theory points to the mind-body connection in that pain in the mind presents itself as pain in the body.

For this reason, CBT, or talk therapy, helps to bring the mind-body connection to a more comfortable place, helping to ease both emotional and phsycial pain.

• Exercise: While it may seem unlikely to help body pain and stiffness, many people with fibromyalgia say regular exercise helps them lead a better quality of life and even reduce pain and fatigue.
• Stress Reduction: As you probably already know, reducing stress is good for everyone’s heath. But for those with fibromyalgia, it’s especially helpful. That’s because people with the illness experience more pain when under stress.

Many people with fibromyalgia say practicing mindfulness, gratitude, journaling, yoga, and deep breathing helps them reduce stress, and therefore, many symptoms of fibromyalgia.

• Massage: Studies reveal massage as an excellent method to treating the pain symptoms of fibromyalgia. Not only does massage help muscles feel better, but it also helps depression and anxiety.
  
• Weighted Blankets: Ah yes, one of the easiest ways to find relief when you have fibromyalgia is through Deep Pressure Stimulation (DPS), which is a slight pressure on the body - like a comoforting hug. And one of the simplest ways to feel the wonderful benefits of DPS is using a weighted blanket.

You might think to yourself, “How can a heavy blanket help with pain, stiffness, and brain fog?”

It may seem counterintuitive, but weighted blankets for fibromyalgia are actually quite helpful. First off, weighted blankets aren’t simply heavy blankets (at least the high quality ones like those from Weighted Evolution). Rather, weighted blankets are constructed of soft, breathable, duvet covers with an inner blanket made up of stitched pockets filled with weighted material.

Weighted Evolution blankets feature the best of the best in terms of materials. Our breathable bamboo cover and proprietary sensory sand within the double-stitched pockets help the blanket conform to your body, delivering the optimal amount of DPS.

DPS helps ease the pain symptoms of fibromyalgia by optimally raising serotonin, your happy hormone. And for those who suffer from fibromyalgia, this is of even more beneficial since they tend to produce lower amounts of serotonin. Studies have shown that weighted blankets not only raise serotonin, but they also reduce cortisol levels, your stress hormone, helping not only fibromyalgia patients feel calmer, but everyone who uses them.

People with fibromyalgia often have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep due to body aches and pains. That’s why weighted blankets and fibromyalgia are a great match. One of weighted blankets’ well-known claims to fame is that they do just that: help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

And here’s the thing….it’s true.