Recent research has found that fibromyalgia is real, contrary to many medical currents that claim that fibromyalgia is not really a disease downplaying so many symptoms that more and more women (and men, but more women) are having around the world.
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Abnormalities in the brain of people with fibromyalgia.
Researchers have detected abnormalities in the brains of people with fibromyalgia, a chronic disease whose symptoms include muscle pain and fatigue. Some researchers have suggested that fibromyalgia pain is the result of depression, but the new study suggests otherwise. The abnormalities were independent of levels of anxiety and depression.
Research evaluated 20 women diagnosed with fibromyalgia and 10 healthy women without the condition who served as a control group. They performed brain imaging called Computerized Single Photon Emission Tomography, or SPECT.
The images showed that the women with fibromyalgia syndrome had “Brain Perfusion” – blood flow abnormalities in the brain. The abnormalities were directly correlated with the severity of symptoms of the disease. An increase in blood flow was found in the region of the brain known to discriminate pain intensity.
It is estimated that 2 to 4 percent of the US population has fibromyalgia, and nine out of 10 are women. As more research like the previous study comes out, this should end the controversy over whether or not fibromyalgia is “real.”
And, yes, fibromyalgia is a real, sometimes debilitating disease. People who suffer from it often complain of pain throughout the body – including in their muscles, ligaments and tendons – along with a feeling of exhaustion. There are also typically “tender points,” or places on your body where even slight pressure causes severe pain.
The physical proof that fibromyalgia is real.
The causes of fibromyalgia are unknown, although some experts believe that the Fibromyalgia is primarily a physical response to mental and emotional stress, depression, and anxiety about financial and social problems. Almost all people with fibromyalgia have suffered from an underlying emotional component.
This is not to say that fibromyalgia is “all in your head.” As the previous study showed, SPECT found that women with fibromyalgia had blood flow abnormalities in the brain. Specifically, an increase in blood flow was found in the brain region known to discriminate pain intensity.
A similar study conducted several years ago had almost identical results. In it, fibromyalgia patients underwent a type of detailed brain scan known as Functional Magnetic Resonance (MRI), while an instrument intermittently applied different levels of pressure to their left thumbnail.
When all study participants received the same level of gentle pressure, blood flow increased much more in the brains of fibromyalgia patients than in the control group. As in the most recent study, the increased blood flow – which is an “alternative measure” for nerve activity – occurred in areas of the brain known to be associated with pain.
Additionally, when study participants were subjected to different levels of pressure, fibromyalgia patients reported pain at half the pressure level that caused the same pain sensations among healthy controls. So, something seems to be wrong with the way the central nervous system processes painful stimuli in fibromyalgia patients.
A brief warning about Lyrica.
Fibromyalgia pain can be severe, and most people do not respond to conventional pain relievers. So, it’s easy to see why there was such fanfare when the FDA approved Lyrica, the first drug approved to treat fibromyalgia pain.
Lyrica is a drug originally designed for diabetic nerve pain that was rejected due to its unimpressive results and many side effects such as weight gain, edema, dizziness, and drowsiness.
One of the main concerns surrounding Lyrica is the tendency of this drug to cause considerable weight gain, especially considering that many fibromyalgia patients are already overweight. In three months of trials of the drug, 9 percent of patients had a weight gain of more than 7 percent, and their weight keeps increasing steadily over time.
And, as you may already suspect, this is a strong risk, considering that fibromyalgia cannot be cured with a pill.
How to Lower Fibromyalgia Pain and Symptoms Naturally?
A natural treatment program for fibromyalgia should include a three-pronged approach:
1. Emotional repair.
Bioenergetic normalization of previous emotional trauma is the most effective treatment I know of for fibromyalgia at this time.
There are many different techniques that can be used here, but the Emotional Freedom Technique (TLE) gives good results. TLE is a procedure that takes elements from Albert Einstein’s much-heralded discoveries (everything, including your body, is made up of energy) and from the ancient wisdom of Chinese acupuncture.
In essence, the Emotional Freedom Technique is an emotional version of acupuncture, except that the needles are not involved. Instead, certain release points are stimulated by touching them with the fingers. Additionally, the fundamentals of TLE can be learned by anyone and can be self-applied (usually in a matter of minutes).
2. Changes in diet.
People with fibromyalgia may experience a reduction in their symptoms by eliminating one or more foods from their diet, including:
⢠Wheat.
⢠Dairy.
⢠Citrus.
⢠Soy.
⢠Nuts.
⢠Alcohol.
⢠Processed foods.
Following a good nutrition plan, including identifying your nutritional type, will help you eliminate these foods. One study showed that nearly half of patients reported “a significant reduction in pain” after two weeks without eating any of the potential food allergens, and more than 75 percent reported a reduction in other symptoms such as headache, fatigue and swelling.
3. Exercise.
People suffering from fibromyalgia pain tend to shy away from exercise, and that’s understandable. However, research shows that a combination of aerobic exercise and strength training can improve fibromyalgia symptoms.
In a study after exercising for 20 weeks, women with this condition reported an improvement in muscle strength and endurance, and a decrease in symptoms including pain, stiffness, fatigue and depression.
If you or a loved one has fibromyalgia, it is recommended that you work with an exercise specialist who can teach you the specifics that are sure to facilitate your healing process.
Finally, as you work to normalize your emotional trauma, the following therapies can further help reduce pain and get you back on track for optimal health:
Neurostructural Integration Technique (NIN) – NINs are a series of gentle massage techniques that have surprising and profound effects on normalizing muscles. Unlike massage, or more manipulation or adjustments, the benefits appear to be long-lasting, typically 3â10-minute sessions are all you need for permanent relief – assuming you are also dealing with the problem foods and above. emotional trauma.
Chiropractic care – Especially in chiropractic disciplines that address emotional components, such as TIN, TLE, SPECT, you should locate a good chiropractor if you do not currently know of one.
Acupuncture – Western studies have shown that using acupuncture on pain points reduces blood flow to key areas of the brain within seconds, which may explain how this ancient technique could help relieve pain. It has also been suggested that acupuncture can help support the activity of your body’s natural chemistry that works against pain, and studies have found that it provides fibromyalgia pain relief for up to 16 weeks.