FIBROMYALGIA & MANAGING PAIN
FIBROMYALGIA: This page includes common symptoms, my personal FMS story, how to cope with FMS & what you can do to help yourself & who can help you.
Fibromyalgia (FMS) is a chronic pain disorder which is characterised by widespread aches, pains & stiffness, fatigue & abnormalities in sleep patterns. The cause of this disease is unknown, however research indicates that it may be better explained as a Central Nervous System Dysfunction. Since the cause is not clearly defined (some people may be predisposed to have it or it can come from a trauma such as a whiplash accident), no single treatment for FMS is available . . . . . BUT management of the symptoms of the condition is possible. (Information supplied by The Arthritis Foundation of SA).
SOME OF THE COMMON SYMPTOMS ARE LISTED BELOW:
- Extreme Fatigue
- Memory lapses.
- Confusion, loss of ability to concentrate. Slowness in assimilating instructions, ideas, etc. What I call the "Fibro Fog".
- Headaches, migraines
- Aches and pain, sore tight muscles.
- Flu -like symptoms(the body aches that come with it)
- Poor sleep, insomnia
- Unrefreshing sleep (even after you’ve had a full nights sleep)
- Tinnititis (ringing in ears)
- Digestion and bowel problems
- Depression
- Intollerance of bright lights (sunlight etc.)
- The need to recover from an exertions such as: a busy day, house cleaning, food shopping, making a meal.
- Widespread pain, tenderness and stiffness of muscles, tendons, ligaments of greater than 3 months duration, usually accompanied by fatigue and anxiety or depression.
Understanding that the symptoms are "real", that they are a part of the FMS (Fibromyalgia Syndrome) condition & can be managed are the most important first steps to the management of FMS.
MORE ON FIBROMYALGIA
- Fibromyalgia is a complex syndrome with no known cause or cure. Its predominant symptom is severe muscle pain, although other symptoms, such as fatigue, headaches, chest pain, low grade fever, swollen lymph nodes, unrestful sleep or insomnia, frequent abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, and depression may be involved.
- Fibromyalgia represents group of common nonarticular rheumatic disorders characterized by achy pain, tenderness, and stiffness of muscles, areas of tendon insertions, and adjacent soft-tissue structures. • Of the estimated three to six million people afflicted with this disorder, the majority are women between 25-45 years old, with females out-numbering males by 6:1. The patients tend to present as stressed, tense, depressed, anxious, and/or striving. It may be induced or intensified by physical or mental stress, chronic overwork, poor sleep or sleep disorders, physical or emotional trauma, depression, exposure to dampness or cold, and occasionally by a systemic, usually rheumatic, disorder. A viral or other systemic infection (e.g., Lyme disease) may precipitate the syndrome in an otherwise predisposed host. Patients often trace the onset of symptoms to an acute event or viral-like illness.
- Symptoms can be exacerbated by environmental or emotional stress, or by a physician who does not give proper credence to the patient's concerns and dismisses the distress as "all in the head."
- Serotonin and dopamine imbalances “may” constitute a major factor in fibromyalgia. Your doctor will know more & please consult them. Here, as in many other factors leading to fatigue and inflammation, increased permeability of the intestinal mucous membranes may play a crucial role; 80% of serotonin is produced in a healthy gut. Consequently a history of repeated courses of antibiotics, especially in the 6-12 months prior to onset, may also be significant.
By understanding your FMS will allow you to have a more positive outlook towards the FMS condition. Knowledge of coping stategies are also an important part of education & self management.
Below is my own personal journey as a FMS sufferer along with some more advice from The Arthritis Foundation at the base of the page & how they can be contacted.
PLEASE READ MY JOURNEY WITH FMS (it is a little long) & PLEASE READ BELOW IT AS THERE IS MUCH INFORMATION OF WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP YOURSELF.
I have Fibromayalgia. In fact it took doctors years to work out what I had & once a medical name was put to what I was going through, I felt absolute relief that I wasn’t going mad, I did actually have an illness. Trying to describe to someone how I feel physically is quite hard, so the easiest way is this: there are two parts to fibromyalgia: firstly, the brain sends irregular brain signals to various parts of the body where there is no pain at all & tells it(the body) – there is pain there. The second part to Fibromyalgia is pain amplification where there is actual pain. So, for example, a normal headache would turn out to be a full blown worse case migraine scenario – not nice I can tell you. Or, another example; having a massage effects me dreadfully, if someone gives me a gentle neck & shoulder massage (usually because Im in pain), for the next few days the pain amplification in those areas is tremendous. Needless to say, I don’t ask for any massages at all now. Some people say fibromyalgia feels like the flu, I can only associate it with the awful unfailing, unrelenting constant fatigue you feel along with all the body aches & pains with no relief for it.
I have Fibromayalgia. In fact it took doctors years to work out what I had & once a medical name was put to what I was going through, I felt absolute relief that I wasn’t going mad, I did actually have an illness. Trying to describe to someone how I feel physically is quite hard, so the easiest way is this: there are two parts to fibromyalgia: firstly, the brain sends irregular brain signals to various parts of the body where there is no pain at all & tells it(the body) – there is pain there. The second part to Fibromyalgia is pain amplification where there is actual pain. So, for example, a normal headache would turn out to be a full blown worse case migraine scenario – not nice I can tell you. Or, another example; having a massage effects me dreadfully, if someone gives me a gentle neck & shoulder massage (usually because Im in pain), for the next few days the pain amplification in those areas is tremendous. Needless to say, I don’t ask for any massages at all now. Some people say fibromyalgia feels like the flu, I can only associate it with the awful unfailing, unrelenting constant fatigue you feel along with all the body aches & pains with no relief for it.I have not done much of anything for 4 years because the pain & how I have felt has been so bad, with 2 of those years going undiagnosed. My fibromyalgia was brought on my a serious car accident from a severe whiplash injury. I now have a permanent soft tissue neck & shoulder injury along with fibromyalgia which makes the pain at times unbearable.
During the past 4 years I have tried many forms of therapies to hopefully “cure me”. I tried physiotherapy, massage therapy, chiropractic treatments, accupuncture, I’ve seen an osteopath, been back to physiotherapy twice more, I’ve had cortisone injections plus many, many strong drugs (mild pain killers to the extreme strongest pain killers, anti-depressants, anti-inflammatories, morphine injections & drips when the pain has been so severe, muscle relaxants including having them all mixed together at the same time), it’s amazing my internal organs are still functioning. I even went to a psychologist to try & teach me how to manage my pain, only to be told you are under stress & I tried to explain that my pain was my stress. Needless to say I ended up in “distress”, emotionally & physically.
Many people say they wish to be healed, I know I prayed for it constantly. But there can be a problem where when it is time to take the real and necessary actions to do so, to live life in Joy, they stop. Usually just at the time real answers and solutions to their illness or problem comes along. The truth is, many people have an issue of letting go of the unhealthiness of their body/mind/spirit for whatever inner reason's that may be, to experience life in a happier way. I found that personally my life was going in the wrong direction (not that I knew it at the time). I had worked (overworked) for too many years, I’d had many stressful situations in my life & had always been such a strong person (physically & emotionally) until, one day, my body/mind/spirit said “that’s it – no more” (I still wasn’t listening at this stage) so my body just stopped functioning how “I” wanted it to. Needless to say, I began listening & not resisting to “the bigger picture” or “spirit”.
When we are experiencing pain or disease, it is a message from our bodies. You see, when life changes are left ignored for years, Spirit will then put them within the physical body, because it is known that you CANNOT ignore those messages. So consider it the final straw, the last resort of your spiritual body's (your Higher Self) request for change, or for you to look deeper at certain issues and patterns of living, patterns of thought, etc. It wants to heal, to move you forward, make changes, and this is it's way of telling you so. Now you HAVE to listen!
If you feel you may have resistance in this way, sit with yourself and ask yourself the questions as to why that may be, or seek Spiritual Counseling or Reiki Therapy to assist you. Believe me, the answers are inside you.
Fibromyalgia is trying to tell you to nurture yourself. To stop letting your energy drain from you to others, or to some other situation. To give to yourself and not keep giving yourself away. Whether that be to a person, job or negative way of being or thinking. To let go of past wounds, or to look at them if you have not, so that they can be brought to the surfaced, healed cleared and let go. Because whether you realize it or not, your cellular body, the cells within your physical body are carrying your memories too. If these wounds are not cleared from them, the negative emotions create disease and syndromes, like Fibromyalgia.
Over the years I’ve done a few things to lessen it's (fibromyalgia) influence over my life.These were right for me, for my experience. Perhaps they will help you - however, everyone is different & what suits one may not suit another, I can only tell you my story. One thing that was very important to my health was bodywork. And by bodywork, I mean energy work. VERY VERY helpful in particular was Reiki Therapy. In fact I was drawn to Reiki before I was diagnosed as having fibromyalgia & it has been the “only” thing for me that helped me overcome & manage my pain (as there’s no cure for fibromyalgia).
I have met many, many people who have fibromyalgia in recent years. Most were women. Some don't even realize they have it until I listen to there symptoms. It still seems the medical community is still dismissing this illness with "psychosomatic" (all in the mind). Mostly I find is they just simply don't know enough about it plus they’ve never experienced it.
From what I have learned from my experience over the years is that energetically, I believe that those who suffer this, are still "holding" pain, which over time, has manifested in fibromyalgia. So to release emotional or physical trauma which is still stored in the tissues is important. Also, note I am not a doctor and these suggestions are for information purposes only. Seek your medical doctor for help & keep looking for a doctor who understands what fibromyalgia is as proper medication can assist with pain management.In any case, if you know you do not have to suffer as you do, and you don't, you will find what works for you. But don't give up. Ask Spirit to guide you in the right direction.
Fibromyalgia is not Arthritis, although it feels like it sometimes. Personally, it feels for me, like a cross between the flu, PMS and Arthritis. Fibromyalgia is sometimes mistaken for arthritis. Arthritis is within the bodies skeletal system, while Fibromyalgia afflicts the muscles. Fibromyalgia afflicts 10 million people in the USA. A diagnosis of Fibromyalgia is given when if they suffer from chronic pain in the muscular system for over 3 consecutive months, digestive disturbances, lack of restful sleep, pain or aches in certain "hot spots" on the body and cognitive problems.
As I mentioned above, there is no known cause and no proven cure for Fibromyalgia. Like myself, once you get the syndrome under control, you will forever have to keep an eye on your health and take special care with your body. If that is not your body/mind assuring you "get the message and keep it in mind", I don't know what is.
Those who suffer from Fibromyalgia, and/or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome frequently have or have had emotional needs repeatedly violated are in unproductive relationship patterns where needs are not met; "sick and tired of whole situation", feel incapable of challenging source through which anxiety is generated, primarily due to fear of rejection;. A life pattern of emotional violation; insecurity, inability to challenge, followed by inability to speak up followed by more violation. Also, resistance, boredom; lack of love for what one does. Most Fibromyalgia sufferers are caretakers, givers in life. The people who won't, or can't, say "no". Those who have not yet discovered the lesson of "Healthy Selfishness".
Fibromyalgia suffers are also environmentally sensitive due to an overload of toxins trapped within the body. Their bodies have a harder time processing the pollutants and chemicals in our food, air, home. Therefore, cleansing with bodywork like Reiki help to flush the toxins out of the body are imperative, especially the liver.
I wouldn’t begin to go full force with a detoxification regime, be gentle with yourself & do this slowly. Detox is important, but, as a fibromyalgia sufferer, doing it too fast can put you right back flat on your back in bed. Go slowly with the detox and then you can go on maintance mode thereafter. As I said, at first, you will feel lousy, as you detoxify, this is because the sufferer is so toxic. Just remember, there will always be the darkness before the dawn. The worse you feel, the more toxins you held within your tissues and the more your body will heal. It is what we call "a healing crisis".
HOW TO HELP YOURSELF WITH FMS:
Modalities of Alternative Healing that Can Benefit Fibromyalgia
As with all therapies, these is something one must routinely participate in on a regular basis. Doing any of these therapies once will rarely miraculously heal by only being treated only one time. It is also important that to see any results, any of the modalities, herbs, etc. must be used every week and not sporadically. This is why I will repeat like your mother, that your health healing and well being is a real commitment and time. It may even mean you must re-evaluate your priorities in time and money. For example, is it more important to buy those shoes, or is it more important to see your Bodyworker? You must sit with that question.
Remember that every body and every energy is different. What works for a friend might not work for you. This is why most people give up on alternative ways of therapy. They say, "It didn't work for me". I think it is because they did not find what worked for them. Experiment until you find what works for you and keep looking until you find out what helps “YOU”. You will have to take responsibility for the health of your body.
FIBROMYALGIA & SLEEP
For me, the perfect marriage of care for Fibromyalgia is the miracles of naturpathic vitamins combined with the holistic support of alternative therapies, mainly “REIKI” for me, every night & during the day I gave myself Reiki treatments. A lot of relief can be found in getting a good nights rest, as most Fibromyalgia sufferers don't get this, and this does creates a vicious circle. I personally found that Reiki helped relax me enough both physically & mentally to get me to sleep, as getting comfortable in bed, without having neck & shoulder pain was difficult. This pain used to prevent the relaxation state from happening. Even if I couldn’t sleep, Reiki could put me in such a meditative state that I could still get rest, enough to get me through the next day as best I could.
Simple techniques such as: don’t keep looking at your clock to see what time it it (it’s not an alternative treatment – but it does help) as this mentally effects you into thinking about how much time you have been awake. I find by not looking at the clock & just trying to clear my mind helps. If the pain is too much for you to sleep or you just can’t get back to sleep, then get up, have a cup of tea, read for a short bit (nothing stimulating) & then go back to bed. Believe me, this does help. If you are like me, just as the alarm goes off – you could then go to sleep. Well, even though the pain management clinics don’t recommend this (as I’ve read), if I have the opportunity in the morning, I’ll go back to bed & try & rest for a couple of hours. I won’t do this in the afternoon as for me, I won’t sleep through the night. Having a routine before getting into bed is also a good way of getting to sleep E.G. I put marjoram & basil oil on my pillow & forehead as these essential oils help with sleep & migraine pain.Go to bed at the same time every night as your body does get used to this. Finding the best time for you is all trial & error. I personally find 9.30pm is the best time for me as it takes me about an hour to get comfortable & into a meditative sleep state.
Don’t be scared to get help from your doctor, some medication is ok, especially if you aren’t sleeping. If you don’t sleep then your body can’t repair itself, I need my sleep to help my pain levels, I cope better after a good sleep. Taking supplements or medication to help your supply of Serotonin is very important, and if that means you need prescription drugs, I suggest you don't rule that out.
FIBROMYALGIA & EXERCISE (it does help)
Start off with gentle exercise like walking, biking, swimming and Yoga. Walking (aerobic exercise) is especially helpful to Fibromyalgia people as the swinging movement seems to help the brain in it's cognitive function, which is challenged by Fibro. Aerobic exercise also helps with sleep & it also gets those good feeling endorphins in the body happening which help with pain levels. I’ll bet you’re saying “what, how can I exercise with the pain I’m in”? Well, I can say, I cried through many days in the beginning of trying to exercise, & I mean absolutely sobbed. Finding what suits you will take trial and error, but I promise you once your body begins moving & doing exercise the pain will become more manageable. I found that the only aerobics I could do was a “stepper machine” as walking jolted my neck & back. I began with one minute every so often during the day & gradually built the time up over a few months. Now I can do between 20 to 45 minutes without a break & if I miss it (the exercise) then my body pain certainly tells me. I’ve also found that “yoga & some pilites movements” help too. You don’t have to be a contortionist in yoga, you only do what you can & there are plenty of great DVD’s for beginners around for you to do at home. This type of exercise helps with the flexability you tend to loose with fibromyalgia due to lack of wanting move around much. I was a “Body Builder” prior to my car accident & was quite used to lifting heavy weights & being slim & healthy (I was an aerobics instructor in my 20’s too!). I thought I’d never be able to lift a weight again or exercise. I now can say, I am finally back doing weights 3 times a week, doing light weights, none the less – it makes me proud that I can do this. Some exercises I’ll maybe never be able to do again, but I never say never. However, peace of mind is more important to me & getting the mind set of; doing some exercise is better than none is a good thought to have.
Reiki & Metaphysical Healing: Reiki therapy and a variety of Essential oils & Crystals applied with varied techniques balances the body and aligns energy, removes blocks, open chakras and balances the electrical system of the body centers, relieving tension and sore muscles sending your mind and spirit into another dimension. Removes toxins and reenergizes the entire body. Clients feel the deep healing of Reiki long after their treatment has finished. Bodywork: (all kinds, such as Reiki, Oriental, Chakra Balancing, Guided Music Imagery etc. etc.) Energetic healing such as Reiki, works on breaking up some of the underlying emotional issues that cause Fibromyalgia. I have seen wonderful changes and breakthroughs with my clients who come regularly for Reiki treatments. Reiki relaxes those under stress and brings about a sense of peace, centeredness and balance. Treatments support the body's natural ability to heal itself, balances the organs and glands and their bodily functions, re-establishes spiritual equilibrium and mental well being, loosens up blocked energy and promotes a state of total relaxation relieves pain,cleanses the body of toxins, strengthens the immune system and among many other things,treats symptoms and causes of illnesses. Reiki also relaxes the physical body & maind which then helps with the pain of FMS.
Hydrotherapy: Water is a wonderful friend that assists us in releasing energy. Increases circulation. Spa’s and hot (not too hot) baths containing Epsom salts, sea salt and baking soda help detoxify and remineralize. Adding the essential oils of Lavender will give it added benefits.
Water is a wonderful friend that assists us in releasing energy. Increases circulation. Spa’s and hot (not too hot) baths containing Epsom salts, sea salt and baking soda help detoxify and remineralize. Adding the essential oils of Lavender will give it added benefits.Reflexology: People do not realize how incredibly healing reflexology can be. The base of the feet are miniscule patterns of the human body (see reflexology page). I see results from Reflexolgy sessions if not immediately taking place, very soon after. Reflexology helps by stimulating, balancing and increasing circulation to the adrenals, thyroid and pituitary gland & it releases toxins. It is a wonderful de-stressing treat that relaxes you, improves nerve and blood supply and maintains the body's balance. And it just feels good, remember to honor your body and treat yourself well. On a personal not, always tell the therapist to be gentle as I have personally had the pain amplification in my feet even with reflexology, however, everone is different.
Massage Therapies: Massage is particularly good for promoting circulation, enhancing the flow of nutrients to all cells of the body, and sweeping away wastes. Regular massage reduces stress, release unwanted energy held within the body and the accompanying pain of Fibromyalgia (this hasn’t helped me, however) Swedish Massage where there are only soft & gentle efflurage movements & no heavy kneading is best, I’ve found that I can tollerate this at times. Massage does loosen trigger points & knots in the body (but deep work will leave a fibromyalgia sufferer very sore & in pain for days). Massage balances the nervous system, affects blood and lymph flow and affects internal organs. Please “NO” deep tissue massage.
Acupuncture: Extremely beneficial for those with FMS. Many people report a lessening of their symptoms or a total absence of them with repeated treatment. I’ve tried this & the first few sessions were ok, but the more I had it done the worse I got. Most FMS sufferers find that the more they are stimulated the more their FMS flares up. This may be the case with full blown fibromyalgia (which I have) some people only have FMS segmented in certain areas of their body. However, I say always try something for yourself, what works for one may not work for another, ok.
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Some text in the above top article came from various sources to assist everyone in knowing about Fibromyagia & to assist all in managing this condition. Thank you to Eileen Smith from 'The Path of The White Rose' for allowing me to use some text from her article. Please go to the below website to view the article in full.
www.worldwidehealth.com/health-article-Fibromyalgia-A-Message-To-You.html
