Discover a structured Fibromyalgia protocol to manage symptoms effectively, including treatment plans, therapies, and lifestyle strategies for improved quality of life.
Dear Alexa I was involved in a road traffic accident following which I initially suffered from a whiplash injury with pain to my neck and back. It has now been 9 months since the accident and the pain has spread so that I have pain all over my body. I am convinced that I am suffering from fibromyalgia as I seem to suffer from the majority of symptoms in addition to the widespread pain including…
An illness like fibromyalgia permeates every aspect of your life – it forever alters the trajectory of your story. For this year’s Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, I wanted to reflect on how my diagnosis changed my path, both in negative and positive ways. I have written about my story before, but here I want to talk about the impact my diagnosis had. Initially, all I could see afterward was a loss in every direction, as if…
When is the last time scheduled a rest day? I am not talking about spending the day in bed because your chronic illness flared and made leaving it impossible. What I am asking is, when did you last choose a day to relax, give your body a break, and allow yourself to chill out in front of the television for no reason other than you wanted to? I don’t need a rest day The problem…
Recently published research stated that those patients with Rheumatoid arthritis had higher pain levels if they also were diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. “Fibromyalgia is associated with worsening function in rheumatoid arthritis patients”.”The researchers noted that Fibromyalgia is a debilitating syndrome characterized by widespread, non-articular pain. The condition is more common in RA patients, with a prevalence of about 20% compared with 2.5% in the general population.” A few additional facts from the study included a psychosocial…
A number of years ago I had a female patient that doubled as a famous female singer. Her resemblance to the singer was remarkable. After performances, this patient double would be ushered through the crowd to a limo that the followers and photographers would converge on. While this was happening the star singer was going out a side door with no crowd. It was great theatrics. When she was in town and available I would…
Last week I traveled to the California Fibromyalgia Research and Treatment Center to visit with Doctor R. Paul St. Amand and his assistant Claudia Marek. During my visit, I found that the research center is getting closer to identifying the genetic component that triggers fibromyalgia and its many symptoms. Since pharmaceutical companies control where and how much of the research money is distributed the ability to complete the study is lacking. Guaifenesin, the OTC product…
Fibromyalgia, meaning muscle and connective tissue pain (also referred to as FM or FMS), is a disorder classified by the presence of chronic widespread pain and a heightened and painful response to gentle touch (tactile allodynia). Daily variations are interwoven in combinations from the following list of the most common symptoms. Central Nervous System – Fatigue, irritability, nervousness, depression, apathy, listlessness, impaired memory and concentration, anxieties, suicidal thoughts, insomnia, frequent awakening from pain resulting in…
It has recently come to my attention that there is another condition that is commonly found in a number of fibromyalgia patients. The condition is called “postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome,” P.O.T.S., also known as postural tachycardia syndrome. The condition is caused by a change from the supine (face down) position to an upright position causing an abnormal increase in heart rate. The increase can range from 30 beats per minute for adults to an increase…
“Names are not always what they seem”, Mark Twain How to go about convincing experts and the general population that fibromyalgia is not a disease, but a Medically Unexplained Syndrome (MUS)? It is in fact, a dis-ease. It is mysterious in the ways in which it exhibits itself with a vast array of features, but the cause can be explained as an uneasy central nervous system! What is implied in that name? Generally, it is ‘sore…
“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are”, Anaïs Nin One of the common sayings in Mindfulness Meditation is that thoughts are not facts. In chronic pain clinics, we are told that hurt does not necessarily mean harm. B.K.S Iyengar, a yoga master, says to think light and feel light. But what are we to do when we are in a state of high arousal, waiting for disaster to fall, whether…