Hydrotherapy for Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic long term condition characterised by pain all over the body. It’s most commonly diagnosed in women aged 30-50 but can affect men and women of all ages. Symptoms can vary from person to person and can include the following. 

• Pain all over body
• Feeling very sensitive to pain and even light touch
• Stiffness
• Fatigue
• Poor sleep
• Headaches
• Mental health issues

The symptoms can be long lasting or sufferers can have episodes of symptoms followed by periods of remission. Episodes of pain can be triggered by the weather, stress or even being unusually busy. Because of the wide range of symptoms and differing experiences of fibromyalgia; diagnosis and finding a treatment plan which suits the individual can be difficult and often takes a long time.

Alongside a broad range of treatments the NHS recommends hydrotherapy to help reduce the pain associated with fibromyalgia1. In fact, using hydrotherapy regularly could even help to reduce the amount of pain medications you may need. 

Fibromyalgia sufferers can often be sensitive to cold, it can even be a trigger to bring on pain, so exercising in a warm-water pool can help to alleviate these problems.

The warm water can also:

• Reduce stress on painful joints
• Help to relax your body and reduce feelings of stress
• Increase the body’s circulation
• Reduce stiffness and spasms allowing for a greater range of exercises than land-based activities

The general improvement in fitness can help sufferers to see a reduction in their pain and need for ongoing medication.

Here at Neptune we’ve created a special exercise class Hydro4fibro tailored to the needs of those who suffer from fibromyalgia. The small group session is led by one of our qualified fitness instructors, and you don’t even need to be able to swim! Every week the class will be taken through a series of individual and station based exercises designed to help manage the pain experienced from fibromyalgia. Each session is customised to the group’s needs, and if you feel a little fatigued one week you can reduce the intensity of the exercises to help you to cope. 

Our hydrotherapy pools are small, friendly and fully accessible, so you’ll be able to enjoy the warm water whatever your level of fitness or mobillity. You’ll also meet a group of like-minded individuals to help you through the sessions!

If you’d like to find out more about Hydro4fibro you can contact your local Neptune Hydrotherapy Pool.