Being diagnosed with fibromyalgia is sure to bring up some conflicting feelings and emotions. On one hand, you are glad to know what is wrong and why you've been feeling so under the weather. On the other hand, you may be upset by the fact that treating fibromyalgia is, well, difficult. There is no single treatment that has proven to be effective for all patients. You have to go through a little trial and error to see what works for you, and even the best remedy is not likely to offer complete relief.

There is hope, though. One treatment that patients are increasingly turning to for fibromyalgia care is acupuncture. Here's a look at why acupuncture is a good choice for fibromyalgia patients.

1. It addresses fibromyalgia from multiple angles.

Most treatments are intended to deal with just one symptom or aspect of fibromyalgia at a time. For example, taking pain relievers addresses muscle pain. Taking certain stimulants is meant to thwart your low energy levels. Acupuncture is different because it addresses the condition from multiple angles. The therapy is really great at alleviating chronic pain, so it will help alleviate muscle aches and tension that you might be feeling. It's also good at promoting relaxation, which will help you get better sleep — and better sleep helps ward of depression and lethargy.

2. It doesn't have any side effects.

So many of the prescription medications people take for fibromyalgia have side effects that may even be worse than the initial symptoms you are trying to treat. For example, pain relievers can cause nausea, which may be even worse than the muscle pain you took them for. Acupuncture does not cause any side effects. There is a very minuscule risk of infection since your skin is pierced by the needles, but you can minimize this risk even further by only going to a licensed practitioner who sanitizes all of their equipment.

3. You can combine it with other treatments.

Drug interactions are a real concern when you are dealing with prescription meds, alone. This is not an issue with acupuncture. If you want to combine it with another therapy or therapies to get even greater relief, you can do so safely. It's safe to use acupuncture in combination with any prescription or OTC medication, or even with other non-medicine remedies like a massage.

Talk to an acupuncture specialist near you to learn more about this treatment modality and its suitability for fibromyalgia patients. 

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