Fibromyalgia
Ease the pain of Fibromyalgia with Yoga and Massage.
A literal interpretation of fibromyalgia is a painful condition of the fibrous tissue of the muscles.
If you are in the 2% of the population who suffer from painful flares in the back of your head; between your shoulder blades; on top of your shoulders; on the sides of the front of your neck; on your upper chest; outer elbows; upper part and sides of your hips and/or on your inner knees; you just may have fibromyalgia . . . and you are probably a woman. Chances are you may also feel fatigued much of the time. If you experience widespread pain lasting at least three months and your pain is located in at least eleven of the eighteen trigger points mentioned above, ask your doctor about fibromyalgia.
While fibromyalgia is not considered to be a progressive disease (one that worsens as time goes on), it is a mysterious one. The cause of fibromyalgia is still unclear. Some believe it is brought on by extended periods of stress and tension. Symptoms often appear after a physical or emotional trauma. It has been linked to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
The science behind fibromyalgia seems to include the involvement of the brain and nervous system. Cells appear to send too many pain messages to the brain with insufficient levels of serotonin to handle these messages. The brain is overwhelmed. There seems to be a disorder in the sensory processing. The nerve stimuli causing the pain originate mainly in the muscle. The tender points discussed earlier are normally located at the muscle tendon junctions. A literal interpretation of fibromyalgia is a painful condition of the fibrous tissue of the muscles.
Fibro (fibrous tissue) my (muscles) al (pain) gia (condition).
Fibromyalgia patients seem to often have lower than normal levels of serotonin and elevated levels of Substance P, which is a neurotransmitter in the spinal fluid.
Lack of restorative sleep seems to create discomfort as well. It is believed those with fibromyalgia rarely reach stage four in the sleep cycle which is where the muscles recover.
How can you relieve your symptoms if you feel you have fibromyalgia?
The first step always is to confer with your doctor. There are also many self care treatments that are very helpful in relieving these uncomfortable symptoms. Some of these include:
Gentle stretching: Yoga is great for stretching and also improving overall health;
Massage therapy: 30 minutes, twice weekly goes a long way in reducing pain and stiffness. It also seems to help with sleeping, reducing fatigue and depression;
Meditation: Quieting the mind is necessary to relieve stress. This is essential to relieve symptoms.
Moderate daily exercise: Improves muscle fitness, reduces pain, increases circulation.
Enjoyment: Do things you love to do; laugh. Laughter has been proven to increase healing!
Any of these movement therapies will increase endorphin production which is the body’s natural painkiller. It has been found that keeping the muscles warm also seems to help lessen pain.
It is important to know that fibromyalgia pain is not imagined pain; it is misinterpreted sensation of pain that the brain says is very real. There are support groups where you can talk with others whom experience the challenges of fibromyalgia. The website for the American Chronic Pain Association is www.theacpa.org . Their phone number is 1-800-533-3231.
Here are some websites to explore for more information: