Minerals & Herbs to Combat Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition with no known cause that affects 2 percent of the U.S. population--mostly women--according to MayoClinic.com. People with fibromyalgia tend to feel persistent exhaustion and pain throughout their bodies. Although medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)--aspirin and ibuprofen, for example--and antidepressants are recommended to manage the condition, some patients don't tolerate these well. For these individuals, supplements and herbal treatments offer an alternative approach, according to WebMD.

Identification

• People are more likely to be stricken with fibromyalgia the older they get. The condition affects not only muscles but also ligaments and tendons. Sufferers feel tender all over, but particularly in key pressure-point areas, such as the shoulder blades, back of the head and sides of the hips. Fibromyalgia patients never seem to attain a deep sleep, so they're always tired. Conditions that seem to exist with fibromyalgia are arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression and lupus, among others, according to MayoClinic.com.

  Fibromyalgia's cause is basically unknown, but a number of factors can trigger the condition. A traumatic event or emotional stress combined with infection and a family history could make a person especially susceptible.

Minerals

• The two minerals singled out as key to regaining balance in a body thrown off-kilter by fibromyalgia are calcium and magnesium, according to Healthy-Living.Org. Calcium serves to remove lactic acid from the body, a substance that fibromyalgia sufferers possess in abundance. The best forms of calcium come for biologic sources, such as vegetation or seaweed.

  Magnesium is a natural pain manager, preventing the too-speedy firing of nerves. According to Elizabeth Wotton, N.D., a naturopathic doctor at Compass Family Health Center in Plymouth, Mass., fibromyalgia patients are deficient in magnesium, which is a source of their chronic pain. Magnesium works with calcium to relax muscles and ease pain. Dr. Wotton recommends 200 mg three times daily over the course of six months.

Herbs

• According to Fibromyalgia Resource Information, people use a range of herbs to treat the symptoms of fibromyalgia.

  St. John’s wort may help alleviate the stress, anxiety and sleeping problems fibromyalgia can cause. What's more, according to WebMD, the herb may ease depression and pain, as it has shown the ability to regulate the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin.

  Black currant seed oil contains gamma-linolenic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. These amino acids help reduce the kind of joint inflammation fibromyalgia sufferers experience.

  Because boswellia, meadowsweet and white willow bark are rich in salicins, they're effective natural painkillers. Feverfew is efficacious against headaches, which are common among fibromyalgia sufferers. Pycnogenol relieves depression by elevating the body's store of serotonin and increasing blood flow.

  Capsaicin (from chili peppers) cream, a counterirritant, can be rubbed into the skin of affected areas with the goal of creating minor irritation, thereby relieving existing inflammation.

  Ginseng, a centuries-old herbal remedy, can help boost energy levels and relieve stress in fibromyalgia sufferers. Chinese and American ginseng are employed for overall health, while Siberian ginseng is used to treat inflammation.

Alternative Therapy Guidelines

• As people turn to alternative treatments, including herbs and supplements, for a range of conditions, Congress has taken note and formed the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), which comes under the auspices of the National Institutes of Health. The NCCAM is charged with developing guidelines for safe alternative therapies that will help people manage their symptoms, according to WebMD.

Interactions

• Remember, just like prescription or over-the-counter drugs, herbal remedies and mineral supplements can have potentially negative effects on the body and interact with other medications, endangering your health. Talk with your doctor before trying any kind of herbal treatments or mineral supplement. You might consider seeing holistic health providers who use a combination of alternative and conventional medicines for the treatment of fibromyalgia symptoms, says WebMD.