Fibromyalgia – relieving the pain
Imagine for a moment that you are experiencing that achy feeling you get when you have the flu. Now imagine that it won’t go away.
That is what people with fibromyalgia experience nearly every day of their lives.
It’s estimated that as many as six million Americans struggle with fibromyalgia, a form of rheumatism that causes pain in the muscles and soft tissues of the body.
When untreated, it’s a chronic pain that will affect every aspect of your daily life, making even the most common activity difficult or impossible.
Fortunately, there is relief available to reduce the pain to a manageable level and give you back your life.
“Diagnosing and treating fibromyalgia is one of the things we do here in the Lancaster General Pain Management Program,” says Thomas Skeehan, MD, of Anesthesia Associates of Lancaster.
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Dr. Thomas Skeehan, of Anesthesia Associates
of Lancaster, says that collaboration and a
comprehensive approach to pain management
helps patients with conditions such as fibromyalgia
find the best relief for chronic pain. |
One reason Dr. Skeehan joined Anesthesia Associates in January was because of Lancaster General’s comprehensive approach to pain management. Everyone in the program is on the same page and collaborates well when it comes to finding the best treatment options for patients. Physicians, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists all understand their role and the best approaches to reducing a patient’s pain.
“Often, pain is multi-factorial,” he says. “Many times a patient will come in with a particular diagnosis, but finding the true cause is like peeling an onion. As you peel back the layers, you often reveal other causes.”
It can take time and commitment before patients feel improvement. So with more and more people being diagnosed and requiring treatment, Dr. Skeehan’s arrival is helping patients get the care they need sooner and without delays.
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Managing Your Pain
On Tuesday, September 12 at 6:30 p.m., James Artuso, MD,
Anesthesia Associates of Lancaster, Ltd. and Richard A.
Moraga, PhD, Behavioral Medicine & Neuropsychology,
will provide an overview of pain management strategies,
including coping with chronic pain and pain medicine options.
This free Focus on Health program will be held at Salem
United Church of Christ of Rohrerstown, 2312 Marietta
Avenue, Lancaster.
Click here to register on line, or call (800) 341-2121. |
“Nurses are a key part of patient support, and the nurses here are top-notch,” Dr. Skeehan says.
Achy pain and soreness is the most common symptom of fibromyalgia, though patients may also experience fatigue, sleep problems, decreased exercise endurance, depressed mood, anxiety, headaches, abdominal pain and bloating, diarrhea and constipation and urinary urgency.
Anyone experiencing these symptoms should contact their family doctor.
As part of its community education commitment, Lancaster General hosts “Taking Charge of Fibromyalgia,” periodic seminars to help people understand their condition and offer guidance so they can take control of the disease.
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