Fibromyalgia: 'The Invisible Disease'

(is actually a syndrome)

-

Fibromyalgia (fi-bro-my-AL-ja) syndrome (FM)

Although many people suffer from it, numerous people have never heard of fibromyalgia. 

Fibromyalgia's main symptom is widespread musculoskeletal pain.  Fibromyalgia is chronic illneses that causes immense physical pain and debilitating fatigue. Classified as a syndrome, fibromyalgia is not a disease. Instead it is a condition that causes many different symptoms. These symptoms affect all systems in the body. Fibromyalgia plagues up to 5% of the population, with 6 million sufferers in the United States alone. The name fibromyalgia comes from "fibro" meaning fibrous tissue (such as tendons and ligaments), "my" meaning muscles, and "algia" meaning pain.  

I, am a silent sufferer of fibromyalgia, and my life, will most likely, never be the same again (as it was before it began).

An Overview of Fibromyalgia

A very common condition of widespread muscular pain and fatigue. Seven to ten million Americans suffer from FM. It affects women much more than men in an approximate ratio of 9:1. It is seen in all age groups from young children through old age, although in most patients the problem begins during their 20s or 30s. Recent studies have shown that fibromyalgia syndrome occurs world wide and has no specific ethnic predisposition.

---

History of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia has been medically documented since (at least) the early 1600's... Unfortunately, the United States has not paid attention, to these important medical reports of it through the course of history, and is only today accepting it as debilitating syndrome affecting millions of americans lives. Some ignorant doctors however, still to this day deny it's very existence..

---

Do You Have Fibromyalgia?

Do you have pain from head to toe? Are you tossing and turning throughout the night, unable to sleep? Do you wake up to pain and a foggy brain in the morning? These are common symptoms experienced by fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients. Learn about symptoms, possible causes, methods for diagnosis, and treatment for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue.

---

The Disease of a Thousand Names

---

What Is Fibromyalgia?

In the early 1990s, the World Health Organization declared fibromyalgia a significant medical problem and included it in its 10th International Classification of Disease (ICD-10).

---

Alternative Therapies

Complementary medicine, or alternative medicine, uses techniques different from traditional medicine to treat illnesses. The benefit of complementary medicine is that it does not include pharmaceutical drugs or surgery and thus has significantly fewer side effects. It is for this reason that complementary medicine has become so popular and is many people’s first choice when dealing with chronic illnesses, such as fibromyalgia.

---

Acupuncture and Acupressure

---

Craniosacral Therapy

In order to treat disease and improve the overall function of your central nervous system, craniosacral therapists locate and measure your cranial rhythmic impulse. This can be measured by placing the fingertips over specific areas of the body. Once your therapist has located the blockage in your rhythmic impulse, he can begin to restore it. This is done through a series of extremely gentle palpations. Your therapist will palpate specific areas of your skull, focusing on the connections between your skull’s bones. By palpating these bones, he will be able to restore a healthy cranial rhythmic impulse, thus reducing symptoms.

---

Massage Therapy

Usually done with the hands, there are a variety of different techniques used to give a massage. Common techniques involve stroking, kneading, and palpating the muscles. Sometimes, a special instrument or device is used to help relieve tension in tight muscles. Hot and cold therapies are also used during massages in order to increase blood flow and relax muscles.

---

Trigger Point Therepy

Trigger points are areas of extreme sensitivity on your body. When touched, these trigger points can cause pain, restrict motion, and increase muscle stiffness. Trigger points feel like tight bands or knots in the soft tissue just beneath your skin. They often form due to exertion, stress, poor posture, or illnesses like myofascial pain syndrome and fibromyalgia. If left untreated, trigger points can form satellite trigger points, increasing your pain symptoms. Satellite trigger points refer to pain points that have spread from the original pain source.

---

Cupping

Stationary Cupping: During stationary cupping, each glass cup is left in one position on the skin. The glasses are not moved. Massage Cupping: During massage cupping, the glass cups are moved around the skin in a massage-like technique.

---

Reflexology

Reflexology can be done as part of a full body massage, or as a stand-alone treatment. On the first visit to a reflexologist, you will talk to your therapist about what specific things you want treatment for and what are the symptoms you are trying to alleviate. Treatments usually last around half an hour, but try to schedule your sessions for times when you do not have to rush off, as your reaction to the treatment can be unpredictable.

---

Digestive System Cleanse

digestive system cleanse is a process through which to cleanse the body of toxins while increasing overall nutritional intake so as to minimize stress on the digestive system and the colon while promoting self-healing through the strengthening of the immune system.

---

Emu Oil, MSM, Glucosamine and Chondroitin

Emu Oil and Fibromyalgia Symptoms Emu oil is a natural anti-inflammatory treatment that has been used to relieve some of the symptoms of fibromylagia. It has long been used for the treatment of arthritis, muscle and joint pain, skin conditions and for the treatment of burn victims to minimize the appearance of scarring.

---

Neurofeedback

During a neurofeedback training session, electrodes are placed on your scalp and ears. The precise locations for these electrodes will be determined by your neurofeedback practitioner. Once in place, the electrodes will send a signal to a computer, which then translates these signals to reflect your brainwave activity. Your therapist will be able to see your brainwave patterns on one screen while for you, the feedback will be relayed through video, sound, or vibration.

---

Biofeedback

Biofeedback therapy uses a machine to record electric impulses emitted by your body, in the form of temperature, muscle twitches, and brainwaves. The biofeedback machine then "feeds back" these impulses to you in the form of lights and beeps, which are displayed on a biofeedback monitor. For example, when your temperature increases, the number of beeps that you hear also increases. The object of the therapy is to find a way to reduce the number of lights and beeps that are fed back to you. This will relax your body’s electrical impulses and reduce your symptoms. With training, you can eventually apply this knowledge without the use of a machine.