Therapy Dogs can Make a Difference for Fibromyalgia Patients

The main characteristics of fibromyalgia are the constant and chronic pain, and unrelenting fatigue. However, the pain is of a kind far beyond regular aching like the one caused by the flu. As a matter of fact, initially the symptoms may seem just like a common cold. When the disease progresses, the person will notice that the aching won’t seem to go away, and they can’t recover their energy even after getting a generous amount of rest. The aching quickly evolves into a crippling pain which can leave a person bedridden for many days after performing simple tasks such as cleaning or even moving from one spot to another. As a result, patients that suffer from fibromyalgia have a very hard time caring for themselves; they have no energy to go out and socialize, and are constantly under huge amounts of pain, limiting their productivity.

At times, these individuals may need help performing the most simple tasks, such as cooking, showering, or even getting out of bed. And even then, the pain can make them stumble at times, which increases the probability of falling and suffering further injuries. For these reasons, it's not uncommon to see someone with fibromyalgia relying on a loyal dog to gain back some of their productivity.

Just like people with limited eyesight, those who suffer from fibromyalgia may opt to acquire a guide dog to support them in their daily routine. These dogs are not alike any pet that any regular individual can purchase at a pet store. Fibromyalgia dogs (also known as therapy dogs) are trained and so well-behaved that can they perform a wide variety of services for their master to support him or her through their struggles with the disease. These dogs usually have a calm, collected demeanor, and are trained to remain silent at all times, which is great for fibromyalgia patients, as they can usually react negatively to sensory disturbances, such as those from an ill-mannered dog which seldom stops barking or running around.

Therapy dogs are also great for boosting the spirits of their owners; they are usually just the perfect size for them to be lifted, snuggled, and caressed in times of great stress. When the pain is particularly rough, these faithful dogs are trained to detect the zones where the aching is greatest and lie down against them, providing heat and a degree of relief to the owner. Additionally, through close physical contact, therapy dogs can also help their owners release the stress that comes from being constantly bedridden several hours a day. Furthermore, if the therapy dog is big enough, they can also help support their owners as they walk around, providing stability as they stumble around the house when the pain is too much to bear.

However, therapy dogs are not easy to come by; specialized trainers are expensive alternatives to prepare the pet for their role in life, and purchasing trained dogs can sometimes be a gamble, as not all animals may imprint on their new owners and will not provide the support they require, despite being trained for it. A recommended course of action is to purchase the dog as a puppy, and for the person to train it themselves. In this manner, the dog will correctly imprint themselves on their owner and will learn to provide the services that he or she requires.

If anything, they can be molded into lovable, furry companions that can provide pain relief through close contact and help their owners drain anxiety via snuggling. And, after their housebreaking and training is complete, and the dog is old enough, they can undergo the therapy dog training test. Should they pass, they will be officially recognized as therapy dogs, and will be bestowed with their own blue vest, which allows them to go anywhere their owner goes, even to places where animals are traditionally forbidden, such as supermarkets, restaurants, and malls.

Though their training is usually quite expensive and time-consuming, therapy dogs are definitely worth the effort for those who are suffering from fibromyalgia, as well as any other debilitating conditions. The solace and respite they can provide from a life of daily pain and fatigue are second to none, making them a very good supplement to any fibromyalgia treatment plan.

What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease characterized by the presence of a persistent crippling pain without any sign of a physical injuries or lesions; the pain comes from within the person, and not as a result of an accident or mishap. Additionally, the other common symptom of the disease is that those who suffer from it report a sensation of extreme fatigue and weariness, which cannot be improved by napping or having a good night’s rest. To the untrained eye, a person who suffers from fibromyalgia looks like he or she may be going through a lot of stress and anxiety, and is suffering severely from it. For this reason, fibromyalgia is commonly confused by most clinicians with chronic fatigue syndrome, alongside a degree of somatization which translates into physical pain despite not having any physical injuries to support said sensation.

In reality, it has been discovered that fibromyalgia actually has a physical cause: the pain and persistent fatigue is brought about by a chemical imbalance in the subject’s nervous system. As a result, the person experiences chronic pain which is focused on several specific points of his or her body. These spots have been commonly known as tender points and, while their location can vary from person to person, one of the elements fibromyalgia patients have in common with each other is that they usually not only one, but many of these painful spots.

Unfortunately, the cause which leads to the chemical imbalance, in the first place, is still very much unknown and remains a topic of much debate among clinicians that dedicate their trade to studying the disease. It is known, however, that there are several risk factors which can lead to the onset of the disease, as well as the exacerbation of its symptoms. For starters, a person who has a history of fibromyalgia in the family is more likely to develop the condition somewhere down the line, which means that there is a genetic component to the disease. Furthermore, fibromyalgia is more common on people who are currently suffering from any other musculoskeletal disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Moving on, while not known to be a direct cause of the disease, stress and a hectic lifestyle have also been known to trigger its symptoms, as people who are constantly rushing and seldom take time to unwind are more likely to suffer from fibromyalgia. Lastly, gender also plays an important role in the onset of this disease, as women are at least 10 times more likely to develop fibromyalgia than their male peers. Regardless, fibromyalgia affects both genders in the same manner and does not discriminate in its symptoms.