How Is Fibromyalgia Affected by Steroids?
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Cortisol is a natural stress reducer produced by the human body. It is believed by some in the scientific community that because low levels of cortisol are found in fibromyalgia suffers, administering low doses of the steroid hydrocortisone would be helpful. However, opinions are divided because some feel that more tests need to be done before this can be confirmed.
What is Fibromyalgia?
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Fibromyalgia is found mostly in women who are young and otherwise healthy, even though it can affect adolescence as well. Suffers of this disease complain of pains in the muscle and bones. They also report attacks of fatigue even after sleeping. Unlike adult fibromyalgia, juveniles experience much more severe symptoms then their elders.
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Effects of Steroids
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Steroids work to reduce a substance that when released by the body causes inflammation. Steroids are given to prevent the breakdown of vital organs caused by inflammation. When steroids are taken over a course of a few weeks the skin of fibromyalgia patients can become sensitive to touch.
Hydrocortisone is a synthetic steroid that can be given internally or externally to prevent inflammation in the body. It has been most effective in treating skin conditions and arthritis. Still, hydrocortisone has shown very little relief of symptoms endured by fibromyalgia patients.
Prednisone is a corticosteroid that stops the body from producing a substance that causes tenderness, swelling and irritation. However, Prednisone was found to produce no significant benefits when given to fibromyalgia patients.
Steroids given for juvenile fibromyalgia sufferers appear to have the most beneficial effects when relieving symptoms if coupled with other treatments such as physical therapy and exercise.
A steroid successful in treating other joint diseases was hoped to provide the same success in fibromyalgia patients however, it shows no authentic relief. The reason for this might be that the cause of fibromyalgia is unknown. The success in treatment for this disease has been found across many schools of medicine due to the physical and psychological nature of the disease.
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