Fibromyalgia: The Achy
Muscle Disease
Fibromyalgia literally means “muscle fiber
pain”, or “fibrous
 muscle
pain”. The diagnosis is suggested by eighteen out of almost two
dozen “points” that are found to be unusually tender to
palpation.
The main complaint is migrating muscle aches on
both sides of the body and pains mostly in the leg bones from
knee to foot, the arm bones from elbow to hand, neck, and
shoulders.
Often
accompanying the migrating muscle aches are:
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fatigue
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sleep disturbances
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digestive complaints
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food and chemical sensitivities |
Blood tests for arthritis are normal. Aspirin and
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) don’t help.
Physical therapy, massage, chiropractic adjustments, and
acupuncture, though helpful, produce only temporary relief.
Ninety percent of sufferers are women.
Two closely related syndromes are:
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chronic fatigue syndrome
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multiple chemical and environmental sensitivities
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The usual palliative (meaning it is not a cure) medical
treatment is a low dose anti-depressant like Elavil.
Combinations of magnesium with malic acid is a common
natural remedy. Rarely are either of these two treatments dramatically
effective.
No one knows the cause of fibromyalgia, but there are many
theories such as immune dysfunction, heavy metal toxicity,
stress burnout, food sensitivities, auto intoxication,
candidiasis, viral infection and hidden hypothyroidism.
No one treatment appears to be successful most of the time.
Generally consulting a doctor long experienced in a wide
variety of natural nutritional, herbal, and homeopathic
remedies, and detoxification and desensitization programs
for difficult or puzzling cases is your best bet.
In our several decades of experience in natural health care,
personalized treatment programs combining chiropractic,
massage, pressure point therapies, exercise, stress
management, and nutrition, along with herbal and/or
homeopathic remedies specific to each individual, is by far
the most satisfactory approach. And, such a health building
program has lots of positive “side effects” as well!
About the Author:
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