Body
WebMD recently featured Kaitlyn Egan, MD — an attending physician in Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s Pain Management Center who is double board-certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation and pain medicine — in an article about finding the right fibromyalgia treatment.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition that can cause body pain, severe fatigue, and issues with sleep, memory and mood. Dr. Egan said many people with fibromyalgia can benefit from a “multimodal approach,” which combines multiple therapies, medications or other interventions to manage the condition.
"Maybe it's not just one medicine," she said. "Maybe it's multiple medicines or multiple different therapies.”
In the WebMD article, Dr. Egan shared a number of recommendations for individuals with fibromyalgia:
- Dr. Egan suggests pairing medications, which can help manage symptoms and make daily activities easier, with other interventions. These may include physical therapy to support a return to movement; aquatic therapy; mental health care to address stress, anxiety and mood; and treatment for sleep problems.
- Patients should pay attention to their fibromyalgia pain symptoms, while focusing on ways to improve daily life. Dr. Egan suggests gradually increasing activity and exercise to build strength and endurance without triggering a setback — especially with guidance from a physical or occupational therapist experienced in treating fibromyalgia or chronic pain.
- It’s important for individuals to recognize what their pain, fatigue and flares feel like — and to share changes with their physicians and therapists so the care team can adjust treatment as needed.
As Dr. Egan explained in the WebMD article, "Our role as physicians is to make sure that our patients are safe and happy and thriving. If something has changed, or something is new, then we want to know about that to be able to make sure there isn't something else going on that we could address separately."
Read the full WebMD article about fibromyalgia treatments for more from Dr. Egan and other experts. Also, learn about Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s Pain Management Center and programs for patients with chronic pain.
