Fibromyalgia
For some people, Fibromyalgia is annoying -- but for others, the symptoms of Fibromyalgia are all but disabling.
Imagine having to live with fatigue and radiating, gnawing, shooting or burning muscles, tendon and joint pain all the time. Imagine your body full of "tender points" on your neck, shoulders, chest, rib cage, lower back, thighs, knees, elbows and buttocks along with increased sensitivity to pain, heat, cold, touch and bright lights.
As if the above weren't bad enough you may have sleeplessness, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), headaches, irritable bladder (intestinal cystitis), depression and/or anxiety. That's what people who suffer from fibromyalgia -- also known as fibromyositis, fibrositis and myofascial pain syndrome -- must endure. For some, fibromyalgia is annoying but for others, the symptoms of fibromyalgia are all but disabling.
More women are affected by fibromyalgia than men. Millions of people, the majority being women, suffer from fibromyalgia. No one knows whata causes fibromyalgia and why more women than men suffer from it. No one knows why the number of suffers of fibromyalgia is growing. What can fibromyalgia sufferers do?
- The medical approach
- The medical profession is at a loss when confronted with fibromyalgia. The drugs given -- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), painkillers, antidepressantas and various prescription drugs, only mask the symptoms and provide temporary relief at best. Because of the limitations of the medical approach, MDs are approaching fibromyalgia treatment using a combination of therapies: medication, physical therapy, counseling and support groups. These approaches have had limited success.
- Non medical approach
- Non-medical approaches. People are increasingly turning to non-medical approaches for fibromyalgia. Exercise, especially aerobic exercise, is often able to relive depression and pain and help return people to day to day functioning. People find it best to start with low impact excercises, like walking and swimming, before pushing themselves to perform strenuous workouts. Detoxing methods like ionic foot baths or spa massage therapy and lymphatic stimulation, have also helped those with fibromyalgia. Acupressure, acupuncture, relaxation techniques (including meditation, spa facials, spa hydrotherapy baths, etc) and nutritional therapy have also had some success.
In a study published in The American Journal of Medicine, researchers found that 45.9% of people who had fibromyalgia and went to a chiropractor or had weekly massage therapy, experienced moderate to great improvement. In the same study, anti-depressant medication benefited only 36.3% of those studied and exercise was limited to a 31.8% rate of improvement.* (*Wolfe F. The clinical syndrome of fibrositis. American Journal of Medicine. 1986:81 (suppl 3A):7-14.)
Your body's natural healing ability has been documented to heal nearly any disease or condition. When your body is free from traumas, your self-healing abilities (a.k.a. your "inner healer") is better able to deal with all your health problems, including fibromyalgia.
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