Mystery Fibromyalgia cure can relieve pain and fatigue

Fibromyalgia: the mysterious disease
Constant, severe pain in muscles, tendons, joints, arms or legs - this is normal for people with fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia means fiber muscle pain. But the pain alone, does not make the disease. Sleep disorders, increased physical fatigue, fatigue and concentration disorders are also among the possible symptoms such as increased sensitivity to irritation or depression and lack of motivation.

It is particularly difficult for those affected that the disease can not be detected at all by laboratory or X-ray examinations. It often takes years for them to have a name for their suffering. Often they also have to deal with the charge that they would fancy everything.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease that affects about three million people in Germany and Austria. "What's behind the disease is so far unclear," explains Univ.-Doz. Dr. Bertram Hölzl, radon expert and scientific director of the Gasteiner Heilstollen. "However, there is evidence that in fibromyalgia patients, the pain processing is different than in healthy people."

There is currently no prospect of recovery. Therefore, the first goal is to relieve symptoms. In order to achieve this, multimodal therapy has proven itself in the past. As part of a cure, an individual treatment strategy can best be developed. For the symptoms often differ completely from affected to affected person and have to be treated individually.

Picture:: Tobias Arhelger - fotolia

"During a stay at a health resort, for example, patients learn how to deal with the disease in everyday life," says Dr. med. Hölzl. In addition, the effects of different therapies can be tried out. Relaxation exercises, physiotherapy, massages or heat treatments often achieve good results. But also the right physical activity can be learned. It plays an important role in disease management. Endurance training such as walking, swimming, cycling, tai chi, yoga and qigong benefit most. The use of painkillers, however, helps only in 30 to 40 percent of patients.

In addition, there are mostly local, natural remedies at the spa. In Bad Gastein, for example, include the alpine altitude and especially the Radonthermalstollen. Here, patients travel by train several times to the tunnels and spend about an hour on the therapy stations, where the impact factors radon, heat and high humidity unfold their therapeutic benefit. Especially of patients with fibromyalgia symptoms this is described as pronouncedly muscle-relaxing and pain-relieving. According to studies, this radon heat therapy achieves significant pain relief in 71 percent of fibromyalgia patients, lasting for many months.

"Experience shows that radon heat therapy also has a very positive effect on the need for medication and the sense of exhaustion," reports Dr. med. Hölzl. "Many sufferers need after a two-week cure even no more pills and feel noticeably fitter." Cures with Radonbehandlungsserien are recognized by health insurance, the extent of the cost must be approved by the health insurance. (Pm)