Fibromyalgia Apps
There are many health apps that are designed to help people live healthier lifestyles and cope with any number of chronic illnesses. This includes fibromyalgia apps.
A recent survey from the Pew Research Center revealed that 97% of Americans own a smartphone. With that said, the trend of app-based health assistance is no doubt set to continue.
Online technology has come a long way and opened up how people can improve their health. There is so much information available now it is difficult to know where to start. In my opinion, apps for fibromyalgia can be a fantastic one-stop-shop with all the information in one place and have the facility to track and monitor your symptoms.
What Do Apps for Fibromyalgia Offer?
Many apps have sections that allow you to track and monitor your fibromyalgia symptoms, helping you develop strategies to reduce these.
Here are a few examples of what an app may contain:
- Symptom tracker – logging of symptoms with the facility to look back and view trends.
- Diet plan – logging of your food and drink; some can log how you feel prior to and after eating. This can be useful in establishing any foods and beverages that may be worsening symptoms.
- Exercise – logging of activity, duration completed, and date and time.
- Meditation and mindfulness – logging how much time you spend doing this activity, some apps also have the facility to follow guided instructions, sometimes using music stored on the app.
- Resource library – a wealth of information to read and absorb and for education about fibromyalgia, and research on treatments (both medical and holistic). Books and websites to read and support groups and key contacts.
- Journaling – the ability for you to log your thoughts and feelings on a daily basis. Research has shown that journaling can help with your mental health and give you the ability to track symptoms and locate triggers of worsening symptoms.
How to Find Fibromyalgia Apps
The internet has a wealth of information, and there are multiple websites that you can search through to see which apps offer what services.
I like to use my smartphone's marketplace, which is where you purchase apps. In the marketplace's search bar type in fibromyalgia and you will get a list of available apps. The apps will provide you with a brief synopsis, screenshots of the apps, price and whether there are more in-app purchases, and most importantly, users reviews. I like to read a large number of reviews. I do read the reviews because research has proven that a large percentage of reviewers only come onto the internet to leave negative reviews.
Most applications do allow you a short period of time to use the apps for free. This is a great opportunity for you to use it and get a feel for the app before you decide to purchase.
6 Apps for Fibromyalgia to Download Today
Here are some examples of useful fibromyalgia apps.
1. Chronic Pain Tracker
Chronic Pain Tracker allows users to create reports and using graphs that map their level of pain and identify potential triggers. The data can be shared with a user's primary care physician. The major benefit of this platform is that it can assist users in determining what factors or external triggers may be leading to their pain or making it worse. Chronic Pain Tracker is available for the iPhone.
2. Medisafe
The app Medisafe can be a lifesaver, as it can send reminders to users to take their medication at particular times. Additionally, the tool can help users ensure that they are taking the correct dosage. Furthermore, the app allows users and their doctors to connect and share data. Medisafe is available for Android and iPhone.
3. WebMD Pain Coach App
This app was designed for patients who experience pain. WebMD Pain Coach App is a comprehensive and popular tool.
It includes videos and articles about chronic pain, advice and guidelines for pain management and a pain level tracker. The app can be customized, and users can insert goals they wish to meet in terms of pain management. Also, the app is ideal for a range of conditions characterized by symptoms of chronic. The WebMD Pain Coach App is compatible with both iPhone and Android.
4. Fooducate
Those living with fibromyalgia are often encouraged to eat a balanced and nutritious diet, as a means of maximizing health and curbing symptoms.
For those who struggle to select healthier meals, the Fooducate app can provide invaluable guidance. Users type in what they have eaten or want to eat and the tool will provide a helpful nutritional report. Fooducate is available for iPhone and Android.
5. Catch My Pain
This innovative platform can help improve care, as patients can use a virtual body model to highlight common areas where they experience issues. Users can then share this visual information with their primary care team, who can then tailor treatment strategies accordingly. Better still, users of Catch My Pain can also utilize a feature that facilitates communication with others experiencing similar symptoms in a community forum. The app is available to download for both Android and iPhone.
6. FibroMap
This comprehensive platform was developed by those living with fibromyalgia. The features include the ability to create pain reports to share with physicians, medication trackers, pain and flare-up trackers and a sleep diary. Users can also harness the platform to keep detailed track of their moods and how they feel from one day to the next. FibroMap is available for Android.