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Nathan Wei asked:




At one moment, a life of activity consumed with enjoyable activities like biking, golfing, going to the movies, out to dinner. Then one day, it’s gone. Replaced with constant pain and fatigue. Here’s the lowdown on fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia is one of the most common forms of arthritis seen in a rheumatology practice. It is actually a soft tissue form of rheumatism. Typically, a patient will complain of feeling achy all over, being chronically tired, and feeling like they’re walking around in a constant fog. Often a patient will complain of short term memory problems.

The American College of Rheumatology has set criteria by which fibromyalgia symptoms can be classified. These consist of a history of widespread pain for three or more months and pain in 11 of 18 tender point sites when 4 kilograms (about 9 pounds) of pressure is applied. When accompanied by a history of chronic fatigue and non-restorative sleep (waking up and feeling as if you haven’t slept), there is a strong suspicion that fibromyalgia is to blame.

People affected by fibromyalgia experience two unique responses to stimuli. They perceive normal stimuli as being painful and they perceive painful stimuli as being more painful than it should be.

These abnormal responses are thought to be due to an abnormality involving pain-processing pathways within the central nervous system.

History and physical examination is the first step in evaluation. Unfortunately, there are no specific laboratory tests that confirm the diagnosis. However, the tests can be helpful in excluding other conditions that can mimic fibromyalgia such as hypothyroidism, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Treatment consists of a combination of four approaches. The first is patient education. Talking with the patient about the diagnosis and presenting what he options are. The second is institute medications. These may include one or more of the following:

o Analgesics which help to control pain. An example would be a drug such as tramadol

o Antidepressants which are used for their ability to elevate serotonin and nor-epiephrine levels in the brain. Examples include amitryptiline, fluoxitene, and duloxitene.

o Muscle relaxants like cyclobenzaprine

o Anti-seizure medicines like gabapentin

o Anti-fatigue medicines (modafinil)

The third therapy is non-impact aerobic exercise which helps to increase endorphin production in the brain and helps to recondition muscles.

Finally, the fourth is cognitive behavioral therapy which helps with goal-setting, coping and other measures which reduce the sense of victimization that people with fibromyalgia often have.

Fibromyalgia can be treated effectively. It is important that a patient seek out a qualified and empathetic rheumatologist to help them.

Migraine

Jane Thompson asked:




Self help for fibromyalgia is out there and available. First off, let’s start by defining fibromyalgia. Following a simplified line of thought, we can say that fibromyalgia is best characterized by chronic pain that is felt in the muscles, ligaments and tendons.

The condition itself is related to arthritis and was once thought of as a psychological problem since laboratory tests found no indication that there was something wrong with individuals who had the symptoms of fibromyalgia.

However, later studies have verified the existence of the condition. The fact of the matter is it was only 14 years ago when the American College of Rheumatology recognized fibromyalgia and legitimized it as a human disorder.

Recent statistics indicate that fibromyalgia affects between 3 – 5 million of the U.S. population. Diagnosing the condition is now a formalized process. People who exhibit a history of widespread pain on both sides of the body in the upper and lower areas of the waist for at least three months, as well as pain in at least 11 of 18 specified tender-point areas are most likely suffering from fibromyalgia.

Modern medicine has already found ways of treating fibromyalgia, although there is currently no specific FDA approved fibromyalgia medication. However, there are drugs that are prescribed to relieve the pain. Such drugs include aspirin, ibuprofen and other pain relievers. Antidepressants are also commonly prescribed to help relieve depression and may also help with sleep disorders that often come with having fibromyalgia. Doctors also recommend muscle relaxants such as cyclobenzaprine among others.

However, the best treatment plan doesn’t involve drugs alone. It is actually a combination of exercise, medicine, physical therapy and relaxation that helps individuals with fibromyalgia to overcome the condition.

A study that was carried out on 84 fibromyalgia sufferers, where half the group where given normal medications and the other half followed a self-help program instead. This involved swimming, exercise, relaxation techniques and small modifications in diet.

The self-help group reported the most positive benefits, feeling less fatigue, depression and anxiety alone with added boost of more energy. The first group who followed the medical treatments reported no difference in their condition at the end of the trial.

So, to introduce self-help methods to your treatment plan try low-impact aerobic exercises such as walking and swimming. Interestingly, strength training has also shown to be helpful in treating fibromyalgia patients.

These types of exercises increase muscle and overall body flexibility and strength. These also help relieve pain and can help patients sleep. Plus, doctors have successfully tested that heat and massage offer short-term relief from pain and muscle stiffness. The key, however, is moderation. Just like normal exercises, the body cannot take too much of something. With this in mind, it is important to work closely with your doctor to determine the type of exercises and how much you should do.

Aside from regular exercises, there are a number of natural and self-care techniques that patients with fibromyalgia can observe for faster recovery.
For more natural methods of treating Fibromyalgia and other self-care tips sign up for the free Fibromyalgia newsletter below.

Patients with fibromyalgia should learn to reduce stress in their everyday life. This stress can be either overexertion from day to day activities, or emotional stress from family or personal life. It is vital that patients learn to relax and take it easy. The more stressed they become, the more their condition will worsen. Deep-breathing exercises or meditation can be very effective means to manage or control your stress.

Another option you might consider is to avoid fatigue. Rest whenever you feel fatigued and make sure that you get sufficient sleep everyday. However, you should limit your daytime naps, and set up a regular go-to-sleep ritual that relaxes you and helps you prepare for a good night’s sleep.

The study also included dietary changes and you’ve no doubt heard often about the importance of a healthy diet, and it has never been truer than with fibromyalgia. Be sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and other nutritious foods. Drink plenty of water and stay away from processed, fast or fried foods. Also now is the time to give up smoking and possibly also alcohol. Live a healthy life and go out and play and feel happy, satisfied and fulfilled. Having a positive predisposition in life also has an effect on your health.

Self help for fibromyalgia is very much available, and accessible if you start putting some of these simple steps into practice.

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Susun Weed asked:




“Dear woman,” Grandmother Growth’s voice seems to float in the deepening twilight, echoing, reverberating, ringing in your ears. “Bring me your soreness. Bring me your pain. Bring your aches to me. Bring your burdens. Bring all you can no longer stand, can no longer bear, can no longer carry, can no longer shoulder, can no longer be responsible for. Give it to me. Put it down. Let us sit in council together and listen to the stories your pain tells. Menopause is a journey which requires you to pack light. Heavy things – bitterness, regret, vengeance, clinging to pain – will make your travels wearisome and bring you down. Take only the stories. Leave the rest behind. Burn the soreness in your hot flashes. Let it leave you. This is the Change. Let it change you, dear woman; let it change you.”

Step 0: Do Nothing

Women dealing with fibromyalgia have less pain if they sleep in a completely dark room. If that’s impossible, wear a sleep mask.

Step 1: Collect Information

The chronic pain disorder I called “sore all over” when I wrote this section ten years ago is now big news. Ninety percent of the 4 million Americans dealing with this debilitating, frustrating condition – known as fibromyalgia – are white women, and many of them are menopausal.

Neither cause nor cure for fibromyalgia is known. It is not a disease but a range of symptoms characterized by chronic, widespread pain on both sides of the body, above and below the waist. (As one of my apprentices put it: “But I don’t hurt in all those places at once. The pain moves around. I never know where it will be next.”) Some women have a low fever in addition to pain. More than half of those with fibromyalgia also suffer from headaches, endometriosis, and/or irritable bowel syndrome.

The symptoms of fibromyalgia are quite variable, making diagnosis difficult. (Orthodox diagnosis is predicated on finding soreness at specific trigger points.) Fibromyalgia mimics aspects of multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, hepatitis C, hypothyroidism, lupus, polymyalgia rheumatica, and early dementia. Many women with fibromyalgia are told their distress is “all in your mind.”

It isn’t in your mind (alone). Menopause can leave you feeling like you’ve been beaten on. Muscles respond to hormonal changes by feeling sore and cranky. Sleep loss can make you ache. (Non-restorative sleep is a hallmark of fibromyalgia.) Lack of calcium (and other minerals) can make your bones ache. Whether you are dealing with these challenges, or the greater problem of fibromyalgia, why not give Wise Woman Ways a try? The remedies listed here have been remarkably successful in helping many women.

“People with fibromyalgia aren’t just sensitive to pain; they also find loud noises, strong odors, and bright lights aversive.” – Daniel Clauw, MD, Director: Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, Georgetown University

Step 2: Engage the Energy

Having a support group is one of the strongest factors in keeping fibromyalgia under control. Homeopathic Arnica is an amazing remedy for sore and aching muscles. Daily use of homeopathic Rhus toxicodendron reduced pain by 25 percent in those with fibromyalgia. Make a list of things you are sore (upset, angry) about. Where do these things live in your body? With the help of an experienced bodyworker, loosen those places. Women with fibromyalgia are very likely to be survivors of trauma (sexual or domestic violence, alcoholism). Go back to your Mother. Float in the ocean. Lie belly down on the earth. Naked. Let her ease you. Let her heal you. Listen to a relaxation tape. Have someone show you how to do the yoga position called the “Corpse Pose”. Learn how to bring yourself to a deep state of inner quiet and peaceful mind. Hypnotherapy can help you gain some degree of mental control over their symptoms. Cognitive behavior therapy is also helpful.
Step 3: Nourish and Tonify

Consistent use of nourishing herbal infusions, especially comfrey leaf and stinging nettle, in place of coffee, tea, and sodas is the single most effective thing I know for mitigating and overcoming fibromyalgia. Gentle exercise – walks, yoga or tai chi practices – keeps muscles from weakening and becoming more painful. Experts suggest starting with as little as three minutes a day, and gradually building to at least four sessions of five minutes each per day. Persist; the reward is worth it. Regular consumption of yogurt also proves very helpful for those with fibromyalgia. Perhaps it is due to yogurt’s ability to strengthen and nourish immunity; some suspect fibromyalgia is a result of immune system malfunction. Magnesium is a critical nutrient for preventing pain in muscles and connective tissues. Legumes, whole grains, leafy greens and nourishing herbal infusions – like nettle and oatstraw – are the best sources. Moxibustion is also known as needleless acupuncture. Safe and easy to do at home by yourself, moxibustion gives fast relief from sore joints and aching muscles. It not only relieves pain but tonifies, decreasing future pain and gradually effecting a “cure.” You can buy a moxa “cigar” at an Oriental pharmacy or health food store. Bring the glowing end of the moxa (after lighting it) near the painful area and move it around in small slow spirals until the heat becomes too intense. (This may take a few minutes or many.) Pain relief is usually immediate and often lasts for twelve or more hours.
Step 4: Stimulate/Sedate

Tinctures of willow bark or spirea (1-2 dropperfuls/1-2 ml is a dose) are highly recommended as important green allies by women dealing with fibromyalgia. St. Joan’s wort tincture – not capsules, not the tea – is a powerful ally for women with fibromyalgia. It is one of the best muscle relaxants I have ever used. A 25-30 drop dose not only stops but also prevents muscle aches. I have used it as frequently as every twenty minutes (for ten doses) when the occasion has necessitated it. St. Joan’s wort prevents soreness when taken after exercise; and even better if taken before. I take a dose every hour while on an airplane to prevent muscle aches and jetlag. Regular massage from an experienced therapist stimulates the circulation of blood and energy, relieves pain, reduces fatigue, and eases stiffness. Avoid deep tissue massage; it increases pain. Light strokes and gentle myofascial releases are more helpful. Chiropractic manipulations are of little benefit. Massage with heated stones and other heat treatments works wonders for some women. For others, cold treatments work better (but not too cold, and not for too long either, please). Ginger compresses, hot or cold, stir up circulation and mobilize the body’s own healing agents to take action and ease your pain. I grate several ounces of fresh ginger into simmering water, cook it gently for ten minutes, then soak a cloth in the liquid and use that as an application to the sore area. The National Institute of Health lists fibromyalgia as one of the few conditions that acupuncture can relieve. If lying down sleep makes the pain worse, slip into something relaxing: valerian, skullcap, or St. Joan’s wort tinctures, up to a dropperful/1 ml of any one, repeated twice if needed.
Step 5a: Use Supplements

A study found little benefit from those with fibromyalgia taking either SAM-e or 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan – a precursor to serotonin). Do not use 5-HTP if you are taking St. Joan’s/John’s wort. Lack of sleep can quickly aggravate symptoms of fibromyalgia. (See Step 0.) If sleep confounds you, melatonin at bedtime, the lowest dose you can get, may help.
Step 5b: Use Drugs

Essential oil of lavender was recommended by several women who have dealt with fibromyalgia for many years. Dilute with jojoba or olive oil and use as a rub. Orthodox treatment of fibromyalgia relies heavily on drugs, primarily antispasmodics, antidepressants and muscle-relaxants. But Celebrex, Vioxx, Valteran, amitriptyline (Elavil), fluoxetine (Prozac), vanlafaxine (Effecor), trazadone (Desyrel), alprazolam (Xanax), and cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) can adversely affect the liver and disrupt the immune system. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen do not reduce fibromyalgia pain for most women. Tramadol (Ultram) is a drug which addresses both the altered brain chemicals and the pain signals of those with fibromyalgia.
Step 6: Break and Enter

Beware invasive diagnostic tests. Many women report enduring endless rounds of tests trying to put a name to their pains with no success and at the price of physical, mental, and emotional distress. Injections of lidocaine, a drug that temporarily numbs nerves, are effective in relieving fibromyalgia pain for some women. Injections of capsaicin (from cayenne) relieve pain by destroying nerve endings.

________________________________________

Legal Disclaimer: This content is not intended to replace conventional medical treatment. Any suggestions made and all herbs listed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, condition or symptom. Personal directions and use should be provided by a clinical herbalist or other qualified healthcare practitioner with a specific formula for you. All material contained herein is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Contact a reputable healthcare practitioner if you are in need of medical care. Exercise self-empowerment by seeking a second opinion.

Pain Management

Steve A Johnson asked:




For many people, reaching for pain relievers is as instinctual as eating. Hungry? Go to the refrigerator and grab a bite. Pain? Swallow a pill. But pain pills have their costs.

Pain is a way for our body to let us know that something is wrong and should be fixed. One in 10 U.S. adults suffer pain that lasts a year or more. Fully a quarter of American adults say they have suffered a day-long bout of pain in the past month, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the CDC. Lower back pain is among the most common complaints, along with migraine or severe headache, and joint pain, aching or stiffness. More than a quarter of adults interviewed said they had experienced low back pain in the past three months. Migraines or severe headaches affected 15 percent of adults in the past three months, and 4 percent of adults had used a narcotic pain drug in the past month for pain relief.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol, panadol, etc.) can cause liver damage. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as naproxen (Aleve) and ibuprofen(Advil, Motrin, etc.), can cause gastrointestinal bleeding and impaired kidney function. They can also inhibit cartilage repair in the knees, hips and other joints. In addition to being addictive, Lortab, Percocet and other narcotic painkillers can cause drowsiness and clouded thinking. The muscle relaxant cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) has been linked with dizziness, rash arrhythmia and even convulsions.

Pain may be sharp or dull, intermittent or constant, or throbbing or steady. Sometimes pain is very difficult to describe. Pain may be felt at a single site or over a large area. The intensity of pain can vary from minor to intolerable. Pain may also be acute or chronic.

In certain cases, the risks posed by the adverse reactions are offset by clear benefits. When pain is especially severe, nothing can replace the merciful relief of medication. But for run-of-the-mill discomfort-tension headache, ankle sprain, joint stiffness, back pain and postsurgical pain-it’s often better to skip drugs and opt instead for natural treatments.

Ice may seem old-fashioned, but it remains one of the best natural painkillers. It’s great for back pain, aching, swollen joints and headache. It reduces congestion, improves blood flow and promotes healing. A bag of frozen peas works as well as an ice pack, and it can be refozen and reused many times. Usually a 10-minute application, two or three times each hour, if effective.

If headaches are your problem, drinking lots of water is often all that’s needed. In particular, tension headaches and “toxic” headaches from drinking too much alcohol or consuming too much caffeine respond well to “hydrotherapy.: Have eight ounces of water every 10 minutes for one hour. Make sure a bathroom is handy before starting this remedy!

For acute sprains, strains and scrapes, bruises and other minor trauma, nothing beats arnica. This homeopathic remedy-available in health food stores and now many drugstores-reduces bruising and pain. Unless you are accident-prone, a single vial costing less than $10 should last several years.

For enndinitis and sciatica-and to speed recovery from surgery-I often recommend bromelain. This natural anti-enflammatory agent-an enzyme derived from pineapple-stimulates the breakdown of inflammatory compounds at the injury site.

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