Fibromyalgia is a condition that millions of Americans suffer from. Translating from the Latin and Greek roots, it means “pain in the fibrous muscle and connective tissues.” The major identifying symptom is intense, chronic pain in the muscles tissues, which are highly sensitive to pressure. The sensitivity is often located throughout the body and can move and shift without any apparent rhyme or reason. Let’s explore whole health approaches to bring relief.

It has been observed that fibromyalgia is often accompanied with a host of other symptoms such as joint pain and difficulty with movement, fatigue and exhaustion, difficulty sleeping or getting restful sleep, as well as headaches and other symptoms.

What can be frustrating for sufferers is that even after many decades of clinical research on fibromyalgia, medical experts refer to this condition as a “medically unexplained syndrome.” As learned in health coach certification, we know the condition is clinically defined as a history of widespread pain in the connective tissues that persist for over 12 weeks and which affects both sides of the body, including regions both above and below the waist.

The prevailing medical course of treatment offered includes muscle relaxants, anti-depressants, and even anti-seizure medication. The onjective of prescribing these drugs is to affect the nervous system function and thereby reduce pain. Unfortunately, one of the side affects of these medications is that they can also produce lethargy and fatigue, creating a “dog chasing tail scenario” for the sufferer.

Holistic treatment plans have been shown to be very effective in alleviating both the pain and other related fibromyalgia symptoms. The available holistic and alternative medicine approaches from health coach certification incorporate medication, patient education, aerobic exercise, and cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Here is how connective tissue and muscle fibers function in normal conditions as well as in fibromyalgia state: Energy is produced in each muscle cell, which in turn allows the muscle fiber bundles to move. When energy is produced through the Krebs Cycle inside each cell, crystal-like acids are produced. Lactic and pyruvic acids can build up in the spaces between the muscle fibers if there is a lack of proper blood flow or if the muscles are so tensed that these by-products cannot be removed with normal circulatory function.

The more tense the muscle, the more diminished the circulation, and the greater the tissue build up of these highly irritating acids. Over time, the surrounding tissues become highly inflamed and a chronic, painful syndrome is established.

This means that Fibromyalgia is a stress-fueled condition. As a result, it has been found that any options related to reducing stress and muscle tension, along with increasing circulation and relaxation, can be highly effective.

For more whole health discussions like this, listen to my hit radio show Living Above The Drama.