Is ice an effective treatment for fibromyalgia?
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Honor Society of Nursing (STTI) answered:Cold packs or cold towels can help to relieve fibromyalgia pain. However, many people with fibromyalgia find that heat treatment is an effective pain treatment, too. If you prefer cold therapy, try applying ice packs, cold packs, or cold towels directly to the part of your body that hurts. Ask your doctor how these and other simple pain management strategies can help you control your fibromyalgia symptoms.Cold packs or cold towels can help to relieve fibromyalgia pain. However, many people with fibromyalgia find that heat treatment is an effective pain treatment, too. If you prefer cold therapy, try applying ice packs, cold packs, or cold... More -
Dr. Mehmet Oz answered:Ice acts as a local anesthetic and may allow you to stretch your muscles with less pain. It's not the ice that's helping as much as the stretching that the ice allows you to do, which can reduce knots and help you feel better. Do not stretch muscles to the point of pain.Helpful? 3 people found this helpfulIce acts as a local anesthetic and may allow you to stretch your muscles with less pain. It's not the ice that's helping as much as the stretching that the ice allows you to do, which can reduce knots and help you feel better. Do not stretch... More -
Celeste Cooper answered:Ice and/or heat can be effective in helping relieve the pain from the peripheral pain generators that ramp up the sensitization of pain in the central nervous system.
Fibromyalgia has been associated with rheumatologic disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s, Ankylosing Spondylitis, and myofascial pain syndrome, and can be aggravated by other structural and musculoskeletal disorders.
Comorbid disorders such as bladder dysfunction and pelvic pain disorders such as vulvodynia, and pelvic and testicular pain in men also lend to centralization of pain.
Therefore, treating these painful disorders with ice, heat or both, whichever offers you the greatest relief, will help minimize painful stimulus and nociception in the brain.
All blogs, posts and answers are based on the work in Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection by Celeste Cooper, RN, and Jeff Miller, PhD. 2010, Vermont: Healing Arts press and are not meant to replace medical advice. http://www.thesethree.com
Author of Chapter Five, Living with and Coping Effectively Through Fibromyalgia: Detecting Barriers, Understanding the Clues, in Fibromyalgia Insider Secrets: 10 Top Experts, 2nd Ed. Ebook complied by Deirdre Rawlings, ND, PhD http://www.fibromyalgiainsidersecrets.com/idevaffiliate/idevaffiliate.php?id=121_0_1_59
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Ice and/or heat can be effective in helping relieve the pain from the peripheral pain generators that ramp up the sensitization of pain in the central nervous system. Fibromyalgia has been associated with rheumatologic disorders such as rheumatoid... More
