Fibromyalgia Syndrome remains a mysterious conglomeration of
symptoms for which there is no definitive cause or treatment by the medical
profession. The muscle condition characteristic of fibromyalgia is particularly
poorly understood. To add to the confusion fibromyalgia patients are often
referred to rheumatologists for diagnosis and treatment despite the fact that
fibromyalgia is neither an autoimmune disease nor a condition of inflammation.
So what exactly is fibromyalgia?
“Fibro” refers to the fibers of the muscle tissue. “Myalgia”
means pain in the soft or connective tissue of the muscle, tendons, which
attach the muscles to the bones, and ligaments, which attach the bones to other
bones. Myalgia is also referred to as “Soft Tissue Rheumatism”. It is most commonly caused by the
overuse or stretching of a specific muscle or group of muscles as in tendonitis
or carpal tunnel. In the case of
fibromyalgia syndrome the condition is systemic and can affect all the
voluntary muscles of the body particularly the extremities. The muscles in
fibromyalgia patients are chronically agitated and over contract when used. In
other words fibromyalgia is a condition of hypertoned muscles that do not
relax. The result is pain and adhesion in the muscle tissue. When a person with
fibromyalgia forces their muscles to work they develop sore points called
trigger points. These points are felt as painful lumps or nodules that can be
palpated by an experienced physical therapist or physician. A number of doctors
who specialize in fibromyalgia believe that the cause of painful trigger points
is metastatic calcium produced by chronically contracted muscles which cannot
receive proper blood flow. The tissues become hypoxic (less than normal amounts
of oxygen in the tissues) and contract further setting the calcium more
permanently within the soft tissues. Severely impaired fibromyalgia patients have large lumps of calcium
deposits sometimes referred to as scar tissue at their trigger points. Rhematologists
have identified 18 specific trigger or tender points that they use to diagnose
fibromyalgia. According to The American College of Rheumatology a person should
have pain in a least 11 of 18 tender points to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia
while other doctors think you can have fewer points. The truth is that there is
a lot of variation in the muscle symptoms of fibromyalgia patients and in one
patient from time to time as the severity of the condition fluctuates.
One thing that all fibromyalgia patients have in common is
that when they push their muscles beyond a certain threshold their condition
worsens. The threshold varies from patient to patient and day to day in an
individual patient. A severely ill patient will aggravate their muscle condition
by trying to perform simple tasks such as walking, climbing stairs or doing
light housework. A less severe patient may lead a relatively functional life
but their condition is aggravated by more rigorous activities such as exercise
or gardening. One of the major misnomers of fibromyalgia is that exercise is
beneficial. A certain amount of movement helps with the condition because it
increases blood flow to the damaged tissue however increasing the demands of
muscles beyond one’s threshold with weight bearing and repetitive activity will
result in a relapse in muscle injury and pain. Persons with fibromyalgia refer
to a relapse as a “flare” which can aggravate into full body pain lasting
several days or weeks. Severely ill fibromyalgia patients are in a flare all
the time or as they say “24/7”.
The pain caused by the muscle condition of fibromyalgia does
not respond to anti-inflammatory drugs and is only marginally treatable with
narcotic painkillers. Unfortunately many fibromyalgia patients end up on an illusive
course of taking increasing amounts of drugs for pain relief and suffering
horrible side effects. The only sure way to limit the pain is to limit one’s
activities. Other palliative measures include cold and heat therapy, very
gentle massage or bodywork such as Feldenkrais or Bowen Work and rest. When my
fibromyalgia was bad I used ice packs on the muscles I used each day. I also
took lots of alternating hot and cold showers. The relief was temporary but
sometimes prevented me from suffering from a bad flare-up. I also adopted a
lifestyle where I constantly rotated my activities, never using any one set of
muscles for more than 15 minutes.
Some fibromyalgia patients respond to large doses of
magnesium, which relaxes the muscles and counters their tendency to over
contract. I have a friend who manages her condition quite well simply taking
magnesium supplements. Fibromyalgia patients have also reported a benefit from
taking vitamin D, which many people are deficient in and can contribute to
muscle pain and weakness.
Dr. R. Paul St. Amand promotes the treatment of fibromyalgia
with the expectorant guaifenesin commonly found in over the counter cold
remedies. St. Amand believes that
the retention of calcium in the cells of fibromyalgia is a result of an
inability to produce energy or ATP (adenosine triphospate - a biochemical term
for cellular energy) and an abnormality in phosphate excretion. His protocol,
which involves taking regular doses of guaifenesin and avoiding products that
contain salicylates has been helpful for some fibromyalgia patients. For more
information go to: www.fibromyalgiatreatment.com.
An interesting article by Mark London that thoroughly researches the use of
guaifenesin for fibromyalgia can by found at
http://web.mit.edu/london/www/guai.html. According to London’s research
guaifenesin acts as a muscle relaxant by depressing transmission of nerve
impulses in the central nervous system. I personally think this explains its
benefits for some fibromyalgia patients.
Dr. Samuel Yue, a medical doctor in Minnesota believes that
fibromyalgia is caused by a systemic deficit of relaxin hormone or the
inability of the body to utilize this hormone. This hormone, which is
associated with pregnancy when it is produced in large amounts is necessary to
maintain the integrity of collagen and connective tissues of the body. He
prescribes the hormone relaxin, which has been helpful for some fibromyalgia
patients in releasing sustained muscle contractions and the resolution of their
tender points. The hormone is available in a supplement form called “Vitalaxin”
developed by Dr. Yue and is available from numerous supplement supply
companies.
I have personally tried taking large doses of magnesium and
vitamin D, did the guaifenesin protocol for four months and took relaxin
hormone both orally and by injection under Dr. Yue’s supervision. Unfortunately
I did not experience any change or improvement with these treatments however I
do not dismiss testimonials by others who have found them helpful.
It is my personal opinion that the muscle condition of
fibromyalgia is caused by dysfunction of the Central Nervous System initially
caused as a protective response of the brain to physical stress. In my case this
was due to the prolonged stress of living with an obstructive breathing
disorder (see my post “Oral Systemic Balance”) that became increasingly
difficult to compensate for and eventually lead to a state of neurological
exhaustion. The actual tipping point for me was menopause but I had chronic
fatigue syndrome for 28 years before developing the muscle dysfunction specific
to fibromyalgia. Others develop fibromyalgia after some traumatic event such as
a car accident, surgery, childbirth, toxic exposure or physical abuse. When
confronted with severe trauma the brain “shuts down” and becomes less flexible
and more reactive. Often that dysfunction continues even after the stress or
trauma is past. The trick to recovery therefore is to find a means to reset the
nervous system.
Dr. Paul Whitcomb whom I have written extensively about in
my blog was able to help many fibromyalgia patients at his clinic by doing
frequent adjustments to the top vertebrae of the spine, which achieved to
dampen the nervous system. Unfortunately for the majority of his patients
including myself this relief was temporary. Check my post “Paul Whitcomb –
Friend or Foe”.
The field of neurofeedback specifically addresses
dysfunction of the Central Nervous System and offers I think a lot of promise
for those suffering from fibromyalgia as well as many other chronic disorders.
Some people have reported results from doing various programs of EEG
biofeedback or neurofeedback training. The patient sits in a comfortable chair
with sensors placed on either side of the scalp, which are attached to a
computer that picks up brain wave activity. Feedback is produced through
visualization on a computer monitor and sound and is monitored by a certified
neurofeedback technician. The patient receives positive feedback when it moves
towards a more balanced and flexible pattern. I did over 50 sessions of Zengar
neurofeedback training and although I made progress in each session, the
improvements did not last for more than several hours. I think this was because
my dysfunctional brain patterns are very entrenched and tied to my survival
through extraordinarily physical stress.
This past year I learned about an entirely different form of
neurofeedback called “Low Energy Neurofeedback Systems or LENS, which has been
helpful for people who do not respond to neurofeedback training and achieves
results in much less time. A LENS
session lasts only seconds as opposed to a neurofeedback training session,
which typically lasts around 45 minutes. During a LENS a person receives
feedback of its own dominant brain wave frequency at a slight offset. The brain
recognizes its own pattern and shifts away from it. What is unique about LENS
is that the shifts are permanent and the brain reintegrates healing on its own.
I am presently doing LENS and have experienced a dramatic improvement in many
symptoms including insomnia and my fibromyalgia muscle condition. I will keep
my readers posted as I progress with this exciting therapy. For more information go to: www.ochslabs.com.
Fibromyalgia Syndrome remains a mysterious conglomeration of symptoms for which there is no definitive cause or treatment by the medical profession. The muscle condition characteristic of fibromyalgia is particularly poorly understood. To add to the confusion fibromyalgia patients are often referred to rheumatologists for diagnosis and treatment despite the fact that fibromyalgia is neither an autoimmune disease nor a condition of inflammation. So what exactly is fibromyalgia?
“Fibro” refers to the fibers of the muscle tissue. “Myalgia” means pain in the soft or connective tissue of the muscle, tendons, which attach the muscles to the bones, and ligaments, which attach the bones to other bones. Myalgia is also referred to as “Soft Tissue Rheumatism”. It is most commonly caused by the overuse or stretching of a specific muscle or group of muscles as in tendonitis or carpal tunnel. In the case of fibromyalgia syndrome the condition is systemic and can affect all the voluntary muscles of the body particularly the extremities. The muscles in fibromyalgia patients are chronically agitated and over contract when used. In other words fibromyalgia is a condition of hypertoned muscles that do not relax. The result is pain and adhesion in the muscle tissue. When a person with fibromyalgia forces their muscles to work they develop sore points called trigger points. These points are felt as painful lumps or nodules that can be palpated by an experienced physical therapist or physician. A number of doctors who specialize in fibromyalgia believe that the cause of painful trigger points is metastatic calcium produced by chronically contracted muscles which cannot receive proper blood flow. The tissues become hypoxic (less than normal amounts of oxygen in the tissues) and contract further setting the calcium more permanently within the soft tissues. Severely impaired fibromyalgia patients have large lumps of calcium deposits sometimes referred to as scar tissue at their trigger points. Rhematologists have identified 18 specific trigger or tender points that they use to diagnose fibromyalgia. According to The American College of Rheumatology a person should have pain in a least 11 of 18 tender points to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia while other doctors think you can have fewer points. The truth is that there is a lot of variation in the muscle symptoms of fibromyalgia patients and in one patient from time to time as the severity of the condition fluctuates.
One thing that all fibromyalgia patients have in common is that when they push their muscles beyond a certain threshold their condition worsens. The threshold varies from patient to patient and day to day in an individual patient. A severely ill patient will aggravate their muscle condition by trying to perform simple tasks such as walking, climbing stairs or doing light housework. A less severe patient may lead a relatively functional life but their condition is aggravated by more rigorous activities such as exercise or gardening. One of the major misnomers of fibromyalgia is that exercise is beneficial. A certain amount of movement helps with the condition because it increases blood flow to the damaged tissue however increasing the demands of muscles beyond one’s threshold with weight bearing and repetitive activity will result in a relapse in muscle injury and pain. Persons with fibromyalgia refer to a relapse as a “flare” which can aggravate into full body pain lasting several days or weeks. Severely ill fibromyalgia patients are in a flare all the time or as they say “24/7”.
The pain caused by the muscle condition of fibromyalgia does not respond to anti-inflammatory drugs and is only marginally treatable with narcotic painkillers. Unfortunately many fibromyalgia patients end up on an illusive course of taking increasing amounts of drugs for pain relief and suffering horrible side effects. The only sure way to limit the pain is to limit one’s activities. Other palliative measures include cold and heat therapy, very gentle massage or bodywork such as Feldenkrais or Bowen Work and rest. When my fibromyalgia was bad I used ice packs on the muscles I used each day. I also took lots of alternating hot and cold showers. The relief was temporary but sometimes prevented me from suffering from a bad flare-up. I also adopted a lifestyle where I constantly rotated my activities, never using any one set of muscles for more than 15 minutes.
Some fibromyalgia patients respond to large doses of magnesium, which relaxes the muscles and counters their tendency to over contract. I have a friend who manages her condition quite well simply taking magnesium supplements. Fibromyalgia patients have also reported a benefit from taking vitamin D, which many people are deficient in and can contribute to muscle pain and weakness.
Dr. R. Paul St. Amand promotes the treatment of fibromyalgia with the expectorant guaifenesin commonly found in over the counter cold remedies. St. Amand believes that the retention of calcium in the cells of fibromyalgia is a result of an inability to produce energy or ATP (adenosine triphospate - a biochemical term for cellular energy) and an abnormality in phosphate excretion. His protocol, which involves taking regular doses of guaifenesin and avoiding products that contain salicylates has been helpful for some fibromyalgia patients. For more information go to: www.fibromyalgiatreatment.com. An interesting article by Mark London that thoroughly researches the use of guaifenesin for fibromyalgia can by found at http://web.mit.edu/london/www/guai.html. According to London’s research guaifenesin acts as a muscle relaxant by depressing transmission of nerve impulses in the central nervous system. I personally think this explains its benefits for some fibromyalgia patients.
Dr. Samuel Yue, a medical doctor in Minnesota believes that fibromyalgia is caused by a systemic deficit of relaxin hormone or the inability of the body to utilize this hormone. This hormone, which is associated with pregnancy when it is produced in large amounts is necessary to maintain the integrity of collagen and connective tissues of the body. He prescribes the hormone relaxin, which has been helpful for some fibromyalgia patients in releasing sustained muscle contractions and the resolution of their tender points. The hormone is available in a supplement form called “Vitalaxin” developed by Dr. Yue and is available from numerous supplement supply companies.
I have personally tried taking large doses of magnesium and vitamin D, did the guaifenesin protocol for four months and took relaxin hormone both orally and by injection under Dr. Yue’s supervision. Unfortunately I did not experience any change or improvement with these treatments however I do not dismiss testimonials by others who have found them helpful.
It is my personal opinion that the muscle condition of fibromyalgia is caused by dysfunction of the Central Nervous System initially caused as a protective response of the brain to physical stress. In my case this was due to the prolonged stress of living with an obstructive breathing disorder (see my post “Oral Systemic Balance”) that became increasingly difficult to compensate for and eventually lead to a state of neurological exhaustion. The actual tipping point for me was menopause but I had chronic fatigue syndrome for 28 years before developing the muscle dysfunction specific to fibromyalgia. Others develop fibromyalgia after some traumatic event such as a car accident, surgery, childbirth, toxic exposure or physical abuse. When confronted with severe trauma the brain “shuts down” and becomes less flexible and more reactive. Often that dysfunction continues even after the stress or trauma is past. The trick to recovery therefore is to find a means to reset the nervous system.
Dr. Paul Whitcomb whom I have written extensively about in my blog was able to help many fibromyalgia patients at his clinic by doing frequent adjustments to the top vertebrae of the spine, which achieved to dampen the nervous system. Unfortunately for the majority of his patients including myself this relief was temporary. Check my post “Paul Whitcomb – Friend or Foe”.
The field of neurofeedback specifically addresses dysfunction of the Central Nervous System and offers I think a lot of promise for those suffering from fibromyalgia as well as many other chronic disorders. Some people have reported results from doing various programs of EEG biofeedback or neurofeedback training. The patient sits in a comfortable chair with sensors placed on either side of the scalp, which are attached to a computer that picks up brain wave activity. Feedback is produced through visualization on a computer monitor and sound and is monitored by a certified neurofeedback technician. The patient receives positive feedback when it moves towards a more balanced and flexible pattern. I did over 50 sessions of Zengar neurofeedback training and although I made progress in each session, the improvements did not last for more than several hours. I think this was because my dysfunctional brain patterns are very entrenched and tied to my survival through extraordinarily physical stress.
This past year I learned about an entirely different form of neurofeedback called “Low Energy Neurofeedback Systems or LENS, which has been helpful for people who do not respond to neurofeedback training and achieves results in much less time. A LENS session lasts only seconds as opposed to a neurofeedback training session, which typically lasts around 45 minutes. During a LENS a person receives feedback of its own dominant brain wave frequency at a slight offset. The brain recognizes its own pattern and shifts away from it. What is unique about LENS is that the shifts are permanent and the brain reintegrates healing on its own. I am presently doing LENS and have experienced a dramatic improvement in many symptoms including insomnia and my fibromyalgia muscle condition. I will keep my readers posted as I progress with this exciting therapy. For more information go to: www.ochslabs.com.