Fibromyalgia is a condition that millions of Americans suffer from. Translates from the Latin and Greek roots it means “pain in the fibrous muscle and connective tissues”.
The symptoms are usually chronic, intense pain in the tissues, which are highly sensitive to pressure. The sensitivity is often located throughout the body and can move and shift without any seeming rhyme or reason.
Fibromyalgia can be also 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”.
The condition is clinically defined as a history of widespread pain in the connective tissues that persist for more over 12 weeks, and which affects both sides of the body and includes above and below the waist.
The prevailing medical course of treatments offered include muscle relaxants, anti-depressants and even anti-seizure medication. The onjective of prescribing these drugs are to affect the nervous system function to reduce pain. Unfortunately, one of the side affects of these medication is that they can also produce lethargy and fatigue, creating a “dog chasing tail scenario” for the sufferer. They take medication to feet better
Holistic treatment plans have been shown to be very effective in alleviating both the pain and other realted fibromyalgia symptoms. Holistic and alternative medicine approaches incorporate medication, patient education, aerobic exercise and cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Here is how connective tissue and muscle fibers function in both normal conditions as well as in fibromyalgia states:
For muscle movement 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 as a result of this energy production.
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, 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.
Fibromyalgia is a stress-fueled condition. All options related to reducing stress and muscle tension, along with increasing circulation and relaxation are highly effective.
With all good wishes,
Georgianna
Copyright 2011 G. Donadio