How to End Fibromyalgia

by Teri Picci hosted by Bruce Oliver

Fibromyalgia is a predicament exemplified by constant discomfort within muscles and joints with weakness and inflammation at given areas within the body. It is displayed as a condition because it does not exhibit a given caution sign or cause but a bunch of signs and conditions that are revealed at the same time. It produces widespread tenderness, excessive tender spots, uneasy sleep, and dramatic weariness. People besieged with fibromyalgia observe it hard to clarify, as the soreness appears to move around or is in all places at the same moment. It may exist above the waist, below the waist, and everywhere in between. It has been described as numbing, aching, pins and needles, and soreness to the aspect that simply a hug or handshake produces pain. Many continuous soreness conditions co-exist with fibromyalgia, so a diagnosis can take time and be enormously irritating. For people who think they are prisoners in their own body, creating a program to End fibromyalgia the easy way accomplishes an ending to discomfort and isolation.

Persistent prevalent soreness is the main warning sign of fibromyalgia. Additionally, many fibromyalgia conditions happen collectively with other syndromes. People will feel incapacitating weakness, drained of all energy. Sleeplessness and sleep turmoil, such as falling asleep and staying asleep, turn out to be a vicious cycle. Pain is a continuous everyday matter. Focusing and recall troubles transpire, also called “Fibro Fog”. Other conditions consist of problems in working out, irritable bowel syndrome, regular facial/jaw pain, stress headaches, and restless leg syndrome. The tender spots on the body are located in the neck, shoulder, hip, knee and elbow regions where just a slight degree of pressure may induce soreness. The symptoms of this syndrome are volatile and may be annoying. People who suffer from it need to End fibromyalgia and the nervousness and despair that accompanies it.

Other constant pain illnesses produce similar conditions that overlap with fibromyalgia. It was a study finished in’90 by the American College of Rheumatology that integrated fibromyalgia as a common tangible sickness that may well be distinguished from additional pain problems. They were able to demonstrate with 88% accuracy individuals with fibromyalgia. Certain researchers are not conscious of what truly causes fibromyalgia. It is likely that a quantity of reasons may stimulate the syndrome. A number of of these reasons comprise heredity, injury or shock, infection and rheumatic disease. Constant uneasy slumber patterns, gender, age and psychological and emotional stress are additional reasons. Things such as worry, stress, hopelessness, bodily tiredness and simply variations in the weather will make the hurt worse. Since women are more likely than men to develop this syndrome, it is in their best interest that a solution to end fibromyalgia is located.

There are no irrefutable tests used to identify fibromyalgia. The soreness will not reveal itself on x-rays or blood tests. Medical specialists generate healing recommendations based on physical tests and past check ups.. They rely on the specifications established by the American College of Rheumatology for a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. These comprise extensive tenderness for at least 3 months in the upper and lower body. A person ought to exhibit tenderness or pain in at least 11 of the’ diverse tender spots when pressure is applied. Diagnosis is tricky, as physicians ought to originally rule out additional syndromes so as to mimic fibromyalgia, and even though soreness is the central warning sign, people may feel their tenderness distinctly. To end fibromyalgia the easy way is to produce a better understanding of this painful syndrome.

Controlling the pain is the primary goal to accomplish. This may consist of traditional and alternative remedies. Various persons discover they may manage their pain with small doses of antidepressant drugs, while some obtain better control from working out and hydrotherapy. Therapeutic massage helps diminish the soreness and muscle stress as well as wet heat applications which may help stiffness. Managing stress is very valuable in gaining control. Anxiety can intensify the soreness over tender areas and lessen one’s power to handle the pain. It is imperative to get sufficient relaxation each day of the week, and nearly all people achieve added assistance from deep breathing exercises and relaxation techniques. Additional care recommendations that may assist to end fibromyalgia consist of dropping anxiety, getting the proper sleep, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Approximately 2% of the people inside the United States and multitudes worldwide suffer from fibromyalgia. Those in this considerable community of fibromyalgia sufferers do well once they gather assistance from each other and their associates and relatives. Assistance and guidance can additionally be located in groups such as the Arthritis Foundation and the American Chronic Pain Association. They give classes and admission to support groups in the battle to end fibromyalgia.

About the Author:

The author, Teri Picci,
took a long look at these great Fibromyalgia Reviews, and found real solutions to completely End Fibromyalgia. If you need assistance, take action here.

THE HEALTHY CHOICE…

In 2003 I published a book about mercury poisoning from dental amalgam, fibromyalgia and the role in society of scientific research. It was built upon my own experiences as chronically ill. The print version is available in Swedish only, but there is a version in English available on line as a 131 page PDF.

After the book was published, I also uploaded a few web pages with further comments on these topics, but those were in Swedish only. I believe, however, that especially one of those texts, concerning muscle lumps, should reach also non-Swedish readers. I have therefore translated it into English.

The text deals primarily with the kind of lumps in muscles that are sometimes called myogelosen. Mostly, the points that fibromyalgia or myofascial pain syndrome patients have are described as either tender points or trigger points. The kind of lumps I am talking about don’t seem to entirely fit the definition of either of those categories.

I have found few descriptions of these lumps, especially in a context of chronic fatigue and other symptoms that often manifest themselves in post-viral syndromes, various forms of poisoning (e.g. from environmental toxines, mercury), thyroid problems etc.

John F. Kennedy’s doctor Janet Travell mentioned them in her and D.G. Simons’ extensive work Myofascial pain and dysfunction: The trigger point manual (1983), and there is also a German book from 1931 by Max Lange, Die Muskelhärten (Myogelosen): Ihre Entstehung und Heilung, that depicts them in detail.

Read the whole text at http://www.nisus.se/redirected/

Das Krankheitsbild Fibromyalgie wird allmählich in ein anderes Licht gerückt. “Fibromyalgie – da wird oft gelächelt oder die Erkrankung angezweifelt. Doch die Patienten leiden schwer unter der chronischen Schmerzerkrankung”, lautet der Untertitel zu einem aktuellen Beitrag in der Ärztezeitung (Sept. 2008). “Fibromyalgie – jeder achte Rheumatologe glaubt nicht an die Existenz der Erkrankung. Auch andere Ärzte meinen, nie einen Fibromyalgie-Patienten in ihrer Praxis gesehen zu haben. Das ergab eine interaktive Befragung beim europäischen Rheuma-Kongress in Paris. Dabei sprechen die Fakten für sich.
In der wissenschaftlichen Literatur wird die Prävalenz des Fibromyalgie-Syndroms (FMS) mit weltweit zwei bis vier Prozent angegeben, wobei Frauen siebenmal so häufig wie Männer betroffen sind. Die typischen – wenn auch unspezifischen – Symptome sind demnach ausgedehnter Schmerz und Schmerzempfindlichkeit, Müdigkeit/Fatigue und Depression, aber auch Angststörungen und gastro-intestinale Probleme.
Dass FMS keine rein psychosomatische Erkrankung ist, betonte auch Professor Herta Flor von der Uniklinik Mannheim. Bei einem von Pfizer unterstützen Symposium zitierte die Psychologin dazu zahlreiche Studien der vergangenen Jahre, in denen die Patienten meist mit gesunden Kontrollpersonen verglichen worden waren. Ihre Erkenntnisse …” (Lesen Sie bitte hier den ganzen Artikel.)

I remember my first “ah ha” moment related to fibromyalgia.  My sister-in-law, who has fibromyalgia was trying to convince me that I might have it.  I finally gave in and asked her to prove it.  That is when she showed me the tender points in her fibromyalgia book.  The tender points high on the chest jumped out at me.  I knew that those spots had hurt my whole life.  I just assumed that everyone hurt when you pressed there.  Now I assume that I have had fibromyalgia my whole life.  The first time I remember the tender points hurting was wrestling with my cousins when I was 10.  I remember learning that when my cousin grabbed my shoulders and squeezed it hurt really bad.  Now I know that he was pressing several tender points simultaneously.   The other tender points that I remember were my knees.  My uncles would sit down by me and squeeze my leg just above the knee.  Most people are ticklish and would squirm. When he squeezed my knee it hurt. But I knew not to move.  As long as I didn’t react, it would eventually stop.  If I had reacted as did some of my cousins, they would keep doing it.  Another spot was on the elbows.  I also remember my elbows hurting when someone grabbed my arm in the wrong spot.

According to the American College of Rheumatology criteria you must have trigger points in 11 of the 18 areas.  I have all 18.

Fibromyalgie ist zuallererst einmal eine Ausschluss-Diagnose. Die Patienten klagen über chronische Muskel- und Rückenschmerzen, ohne dass eine Entzündungsreaktion bei der Blutuntersuchung gefunden wird. Beim Abtasten findet der Arzt typische druckschmerzhafte Triggerpunkte in der Muskulatur, die sich nicht nur auf die obere, sondern auf die untere Körperhälfte beziehen. Das ist der Unterschied zu einfachen Verspannungen, zum Beispiel im Nackenbereich, die bei Personen am PC sehr häufig vorkommen. Auch subfebrile Temperaturen (< 38,5°) können dabei auftreten.

Nach Abklärung von sonstigen orthopädischen und rheumatischen Erkrankungen bleibt die Fibromyalgie als Verdachtsdiagnose bestehen. Bewiesen werden kann sie nicht, dafür gibt es noch keinen speziellen Nachweis, so wie beim Rheuma zum Beispiel.

View: Patienteninformation über Fibromyalgie (Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg)
Fibromyalgie Infoquellen im Internet 
Fibromyalgie (netdoktor)

Text och bild från Reumatikerförbundet.org

Ordet fibromyalgi betyder värk i muskler och bindväv. Tillståndet har funnits länge men först på 80-talet accepterats som en sjukdom. Fibromyalgiker har genom årtionden varit både missförstådda och misstrodda. SVBK (sveda-, värk- och brännkärring) är en beteckning som läkare använde i journalen för att beskriva patienter med de typiska fibromyalgisymptomen. Idag är tillståndet välkänt, om än omtvistat. Det finns kriterier för att ställa diagnosen och även behandlingar som kan hjälpa.

Sjukdomen tillhör de mjukdelsreumatiska sjukdomarna.

Vilka drabbas?

Fibromyalgi är en typisk kvinnosjukdom. 9 av 10 patienter är kvinnor. Debuten sker oftast i unga år eller i medelåldern.

Vad som orsakar sjukdomen vet man inte. Man har spekulerat i om infektion, graviditet eller annan påfrestning på kroppen kan utlösa fibromyalgi, men sambanden är oklara.

Symtom

Grundsymptomet är en kronisk smärta i kroppen. Smärtan finns både i vila och i rörelse, men ökar oftast vid ansträngning. Fibromyalgipatienten brukar beskriva det som om de har blåmärken över hela kroppen. En del har så ont att de till och med får svårt att bära tajta kläder.

Typiskt för sjukdomen är att smärtan uppträder på olika håll i kroppen olika dagar. Om man till exempel ena dagen har ont i höger höft så har man andra dagen ont i vänster axel. Intensiteten i smärtan är också olika från dag till dag.

Oftast utgår det onda ifrån musklerna men en del har även smärta i lederna. I många fall minskar smärtorna av värme, stretching och massage, medan kyla och stress istället förvärrar dem.

Förutom mjukdelssmärtor har fibromyalgipatienter ofta andra symptom. Det är svårt att säga vad som hör till sjukdomen och vad som är en naturlig följd av det kroniska smärttillståndet. Som exempel kan nämnas att många fibromyalgiker lider av en abnorm trötthet som inte går att vila bort. Om detta beror direkt på sjukdomen eller om det är en följd av störd sömn på grund av smärta, är svårt att säga.

Oavsett vad som är orsak och vad som är verkan vid fibromyalgi så är det här de vanligaste symptomen:

*  En trötthet som inte går att förklara med yttre faktorer. Trots att man vilar och tar det lugnt så vill tröttheten inte gå över.

*  Mag-tarmbesvär. Så kallad colon irritabile – irriterad tarm – är vanligt. Det innebär bland annat att perioder av förstoppning avlöses med perioder av diarré.

*  Morgonstelhet.

*  Stickningar och domningar i framför allt händerna.

*  Oro, depression och koncentrationssvårigheter.

*  Sömnstörningar.

Så här ställs diagnosen

Eftersom fibromyalgi går med så många och diffusa symptom är det viktigt med tydliga sjukdomskriterier så att diagnosen inte används vid fel tillfällen. Idag finns det internationellt godkända kriterier för att ställa diagnos.

Man ska ha haft utbredd smärta i minst 3 månader. Smärtan ska ha funnits på båda sidorna i kroppen, ovan och under midjan samt längs ryggraden.

Förekomst av ett visst antal så kallade ”tender points”. Det är 18 väl definierade punkter, 9 på varje sida av kroppen, som gör ont när man trycker på dem. För diagnos krävs att minst 11 av dessa 18 punkter är ömma.

Något blodprov som styrker diagnosen finns inte.

Behandling

Det finns än så länge ingen medicin som effektivt påverkar sjukdomen, utan större delen av behandlingen går ut på att hitta sätt för varje individ att hantera sin sjukdom. Det kan handla både om kroppslig och om psykologisk stöttning.

Smärtorna vid fibromyalgi är ofta knepigare att rå på än ”vanlig” smärta. Antiinflammatoriska läkemedel biter ofta inte och de morfinliknande preparat som är effektiva på smärtan är vanebildande och ska därför användas sparsamt. En viss typ av antidepressiv medicin har visat sig både dämpa smärtan och minska sömnstörningarna som de flesta fibromyalgiker lider av.

Andra behandlingar som används är akupunktur, TENS (elektrisk stimulering) och värmeomslag. Även lätt motion med särskilda stretchingprogram har också givit bra resultat. Dessa program står sjukgymnast och i viss mån också arbetsterapeut för.

Så går det för patienterna

Det finns studier som visar att lättare former av fibromyalgi kan spontanläka. Så många som 20% av fibromyalgipatienter inom öppenvården kan bli av med sin sjukdom inom två år.

Ofta är sjukdomen dock kronisk. Målet för fibromyalgikern är att lära sig acceptera sin sjukdom. Med rätt behandling och förståelse från omgivningen kan de flesta ändå behålla mycket av det liv de levde före sjukdomen. Det är viktigt att så långt som möjligt försöka leva ”som vanligt”.

Man har i studier sett att de personer med fibromyalgi som slutar på sitt arbete och ger upp sina tidigare intressen, mår mycket sämre än andra.

The results of a pilot study into the use of Growth Hormone as concomitant treatment in severe fibromyalgia associated with low insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) serum levels was e-published at the end of November ahead of print in the journal BMC musculoskeletal disorders.

The background described for the pilot study is that there is evidence of functional growth hormone (GH) deficiency, expressed by means of low IGF-1 serum levels, in a subset of fibromyalgia patients. The efficacy of GH versus placebo has been previously suggested in this population. The researchers (Cuatrecasas G, Riudavets C, Guell MA, Nadal A) investigated the efficacy and safety of low dose GH as an adjunct to standard therapy in the treatment of severe, prolonged and well-treated fibromyalgia patients with low IGF-1 levels.

Twenty-four patients were enrolled in a randomized, open-label, best available care-controlled study. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either 0.0125 mg/kg/d of GH subcutaneously (titrated depending on IGF-1) added to standard therapy or standard therapy alone during one year. The number of tender points, the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and the EuroQol 5D (EQ-5D), including a Quality of Life visual analogic scale (EQ-VAS) were assessed at different time-points. 

At the end of the study, the GH group showed a 60% reduction in the mean number of tender points (pairs) compared to the control group. Similar improvements were observed in FIQ score and EQ-VAS scale. There was a prompt response to GH administration, with most patients showing improvement within the first months in most of the outcomes. The concomitant administration of GH and standard therapy was well tolerated, and no patients discontinued the study due to adverse events.

The researchers concluded that:

“The present findings indicate the advantage of adding a daily GH dose to the standard therapy in a subset of severe fibromyalgia patients with low IGF-1 serum levels.”

My experience with patients who have either fibromyalgia or general muscular pain and fatigue is that there is initial symptomatic relief as with any massage. Frequent therapy over time has demonstrated significant reduction in many of the primary symptoms of fibromyalgia. After approximately six months of therapy, one patient’s shoulder joint (glenohumeral) pain had disappeared (see image at right). This includes desensitization of the tender points, and general aches. On occasion I have been able to discuss these and other similar results with colleagues in the Kansas City area. (Photo source: Wikipedia, public domain image). Comments from other massage professionals with similar or other experience is welcome.

The primary treatment was basic Swedish massage. Occasionally other modalities were integrated to the massage. These would include Chinese Meridian, Trigger Point, and Hot Stone Therapy to name the most frequent. An average of two massages per week occurred in the first six months. It was at this point that the effects of diminishing sypmtoms of fibromyalgia became evident. Treatments then changed to an average of once weekly for the next six months. After approximately one year, the effects of fibromyalgia, especially the tender points and most of the muscle aches had virtually disappeared.

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