” Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit” , Martin Luther King, Jr. Violence can be defined in many ways. It is anger at its peak in the forms of shouting, yelling, hitting, sexual and/ or physical and /or emotional abuse, throwing things, or any other way of inducing fear and trauma in others. Racism, sexism, homophobia, and all the social injustices are a form of violence. It…
” These are exciting and challenging times for the manual therapy professions. I believe that the pain science world is handing extremely valuable information to clinicians. We now have a greater understanding of the behavior of pain states and we are becoming aware of the molecular targets of manual therapy”, David S. Butler Dear readers, I apologize for not writing a blog last month, but I have been sick with a cold that would not…
“When you’re finished changing, you’re finished”, Benjamin Franklin It really is all about the brain and how new pathways can become established and old ones can be paths less traveled. So many reports their fibromyalgia began with an accident, surgery, violence, or another episodic event that was physically shocking to the nervous system. Some call this ‘primary fibromyalgia’. However, fewer report that major life changes like marriages, parenthood, divorces, job losses, and changes, loss of…
“Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing, that we see too late the one that is open”, Alexander Graham Bell In so many ways we are fortunate to have access to valuable information which then allows us to take more control over our own lives. I can only speculate about what it must have been like for those who suffered from fibromyalgia for decades without a diagnosis, recognizing what the causes…
” My friend…care for your psyche…know thyself, for once we know ourselves, we may learn how to care for ourselves”, Socrates Fibromyalgia does not allow for any kind of scientific tests to aid in making the diagnosis of the syndrome. It is not a disease, but a broad spectrum of ‘symptoms’ which appear to be somewhat universal, that is, primarily pain, chronic fatigue, sleeplessness, and often depression, but always present as chronic anxiety. Click Here…
“Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense”, Gertrude Stein To write that I am frustrated, angry, and discouraged over the recent hoopla this week in the news from the U.S. Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is to be putting it mildly. As is usual with someone who has CFS and fibromyalgia (FM) I awoke several times last night. During those wakeful periods, I wanted…
“If there is no struggle, there is no progress” , Frederick Douglass There is a tendency among those of us with chronic pain to be ever so watchful on days we are in pain or extremely fatigued. We take it easy on those days and begin to wonder if we will ever be feeling well again. But, oh! On those days when we are feeling well, our tendency is to be optimistic, think we are cured,…
“What you resist, persists”, C.G.Yung I have brought on another pain attack- again! I have overdone it with social situations that have caused anxiety and resulted in overstimulation! This time the pain in my left foot is excruciating. The reason? I wore something other than the sneakers that are my daily companions. No, I did not wear high heels, but nonetheless, they were not my regular footwear. There are many times I think I have…
“America is one of the few advanced nations that allow direct advertising of prescription drugs, Robert Reich BigPharma makes huge profits from those of us suffering from chronic pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety, itching, and digestive issues- to name a few of the common symptoms of fibromyalgia. Every day we are inundated with advertisements about prescription drugs that would alleviate these symptoms. Equally as rich is the vitamin industry which advocates specific supplements for the treatment…
“The ear is the avenue to the heart”, Voltaire Just as I thought I had experienced everything unusual with regard to this annoying, frustrating, challenging dis-ease, fibromyalgia, I developed another aggravating symptom- VERTIGO! It all began one month ago, at night, turning over in bed, the room began spinning. It was very frightening. It lasted about 30 seconds followed by nausea. I had another episode the next night as well. The morning after the second episode,…