Relief from fibromyalgia pain

Q: I had fibromyalgia syndrome (FS), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and irritable bowel disease (IBD) for 12 years and suffered more than anyone should. My cure was getting an infected root canal fixed by a dentist that knew what an infection like mine can do to a person’s health.

One day after getting the dental work done, the pain started going away. After five days, I could run five miles with no pain at all.

The sad part is that everyone else with fibromyalgia could be cured just like me if they had the proper dental care. Dentists are prone to leaving infections going on in a person’s mouth since no one is telling them what harm they are doing. If you could take five people with fibromyalgia to a knowledgeable dentist, [Read more…]

Apnea may be to blame

Q: I am writing about my husband (age 58, 195 pounds, 5’8” tall) of 39 years. Over the years, he has had a large variety of health issues, mostly pain in every part of his body, fatigue and drowsiness. He is on many different medications including Wellbutrin and Prozac for depression (for the past six years), Norvasc and Altace for high blood pressure (since he was 24), Nexium for heartburn, and Zyrtec and Nasonex for sinus problems. He takes daily OTC and prescription pain medication to deal with chronic and debilitating back and leg pain. He has been diagnosed with sleep apnea but doesn’t use the machine. In addition, he has suffered in the past from chronic kidney stones and has had his gallbladder removed.

When he was younger, he was extremely hyperactive, working from sun up to sun down, but in the last few years he is the opposite: exhausted and chronically fatigued with the ever present pain issues. He has been to many doctors and specialists over the years and had every problem thoroughly checked out. [Read more…]

Pain dominates woman’s life

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have been diagnosed with several health issues, including neuropathy of my feet and hands. I have suffered from fibromyalgia for over 25 years, RA and OA. I am not diabetic, although I have two brothers that are. I am overweight and also have sleep apnea and use a CPAP.

My latest problem is spinal stenosis involving C5, C6 and C7. It has been suggested I have injections to block nerves to relieve the pain from the stenosis and I also saw a neurosurgeon whose first question was “how long do you expect to live”? If it’s 10 to 15 more years, I might consider to put plastic pads between my discs. I am almost 78. Friends tell me to see someone who uses Reiki treatments and all my ailments will go away.
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Simple remedy for fibromyalgia

DEAR DR. GOTT: I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia seven years ago and went to a clinic at a local hospital where I was evaluated by a doctor and a naturopath. The doctor put me on a clinical trial of vitamin B injections and the naturopath recommended a supplement of magesium/malic acid.

I experienced relief quite quickly and thought it was due to the “miracle” injections; however, I had to discontinue them. For the past six years I have continued to take the malic acid/magnesium supplements daily and have found that they alleviate all my pain. Occasionally I will run out of supplements and after three days the pain will start to creep in again. I had previously been on many sleep and pain medications which made me a walking zombie. Avoiding sugar and alcohol also helps.
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Pain rules senior citizen’s life

DEAR DR. GOTT: My mom is 92 and has macular degeneration, so someone reads her your column every morning. It’s heartbreaking to see the horrendous pain that she is in. It’s extreme from her hip down to the foot on her right leg, and it travels, as well.

She has severe arthritis — bone rubbing on bone in her hip because the cartilage is gone, and her sciatic nerve is being pinched. She has spinal stenosis and fibromyalgia as well, as far as we can tell.

She’s tried things from your column from time to time. She’s been to pain doctors, had five shots, acupuncture, seen a chiropractor and has had physical therapy. [Read more…]

Cat-scratch disease causes numb feet

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am always interested in peripheral neuropathy because it was one of the many later symptoms I developed when I acquired bartonella henselae. However, I apparently acquired the bartonella approximately 16 years ago. I recall a cat scratch from a feral kitten that did not heal for several months. I wasn’t diagnosed until a little over two years ago when I failed to respond to Lyme-disease treatment.

In addition to alpha-lipoic acid, my doctor put me on Levaquin. Amazingly, the shoulder pain, chronic gall-bladder infection, swallowing problems, ankle swelling and chronic stomach ulcer went away. The numbness in my feet and fibromyalgia did not disappear but got better.
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Muscle/joint pain caused by allergies?

DEAR DR. GOTT: I’m hoping this information will be helpful to many of your readers. I am a healthy 57-year-old female. Ten years ago, my husband and I lived in Virginia because he was in the Army. I became ill with tingling and numbness in my left arm and also aching joints. After numerous doctor visits, MRIs, etc., I still had no diagnosis. Then, about three months later, I awoke with my arms and torso covered in hives. I immediately went to see an allergist who told me that I was allergic to something that had caused the hives to develop, but he also said it was wreaking havoc inside my body and making my arm and joints ache. I started taking an antihistamine every day for two years and was absolutely fine.

For some dumb reason, I stopped taking it, and last year I had another strange episode: This time, it was strong pains in my breasts. It felt as though I was lactating, but I knew I could not be. Again, I had many doctor visits and also underwent a sophisticated mammogram. I was told I had fibromyalgia, because I also had aches and muscle pains. I disagreed with the diagnosis and began researching on my own.

We had gotten a new dog four months earlier, and, after talking to friends, I decided to stay away from the dog. Sure enough, I began feeling better. Then I told my boss at work, a female, about the strange breast pain, and she immediately told me that I must be allergic to the dog because her little boy had similar reactions to his new dog. His underarms swelled up painfully. I was elated to solve this!

We returned the dog to the shelter, and I was immediately tested for allergies. I was allergic to cats and dogs, not to mention many grasses, molds, trees and house dust. I will never stop taking my daily antihistamine, and I have been feeling great ever since restarting it.

DEAR READER: I have printed your letter because I find it interesting that you say you have joint, muscle and breast pain due to allergies.

Most allergies cause itchy, watery, red eyes; a runny nose and/or congestion; coughing, wheezing or other asthma-like symptoms; skin rashes, hives or swelling. The type of symptoms experienced depends on the allergen and how you came into contact with it. Pet dander, for example, is typically inhaled, so skin manifestations, while possible, are not generally seen.

I am unable to find any reliable scientific evidence that shows that any allergen, let alone pet dander, can cause joint, muscle or breast pain. I was able to find personal testimonies that claimed these symptoms due to allergies, but there is nothing to substantiate the claims. Perhaps this is something that should be further investigated by the medical and scientific communities.

I am not in any way dismissing your claims. I am simply stating that at this point there is no hard evidence to back up the claims. The fact that you have experienced relief by taking a daily antihistamine is compelling nonetheless.

To provide related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Allergies.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed stamped envelope and a $2 check or money order to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092-0167. Be sure to mention the title or print an order form off my website at www.AskDrGottMD.com.

Medical woes plague young reader

DEAR DR. GOTT: Since childhood, I have been suffering with tonsillitis, chronic colds and allergies — both seasonal and medication-induced. At the age of 24, I was diagnosed with discoid lupus; at the age of 30, with fibromyalgia, pleurisy, kidney stones/infection, vertigo, depression and anxiety.

My ANA test for three years has come back normal, but I continue to get lesions, my hair falls out, and I get sick easily. I have been to two rheumatologists. Both say I do not have SLE, but my family doctor feels I do. What do you think?
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FIBROMYALGIA and CHIROPRACTIC

Over the past 25 years that I have been in practice there has been a slow but steady increase in the number of patients that upon entering my office relate that they have fibromyalgia also known as fibromyalgia syndrome or FMS. Some of these patients have been diagnosed by a healthcare professional and some have relied on self-diagnosis, which can be dangerous as I will discuss below. There has been a lot of controversy over FMS from is it a real entity, what exactly is wrong, how to diagnose it and to how to treat it. As a chiropractic physician the question put to me is “how can chiropractic help me with my fibromyalgia?”

Let’s first discuss a bit about what FMS is considered to be. FMS was first recognized by the American Medical Association as a diagnosis in 1987 even though it has been around for much longer than that. The name “fibromyalgia” implies pain and inflammation of the muscles and connective tissues of the body but this is an inaccurate label because there aren’t any actual problems in these particular structures, they just happen to be where the patient “feels” the pain and discomfort. On biopsy of these tissues in a patient considered to have FMS they do not show any inflammatory changes. Also, FMS symptoms do not respond well to anti-inflammatories e.g. prednisone as again these structures are themselves not inflamed. Much like having a pinched nerve in the neck or lower back that sends the pain down the arm or leg; the pain is only felt there, the problem is in the spine itself. The “problem” in FMS appears to be in the central nervous system. The problem in the central nervous system is in the area that controls the bodies sensitivity to pain. The ability to filter or dampen the nerve impulses for pain is impaired and thus stimuli that would not normally be interpreted by the body as painful are. No one knows for sure why this breakdown occurs but it is thought that this part of the central nervous system becomes “burned out” from the body dealing with significant stressful situations. This can be in the form of physical and/or emotional stress. Physical traumas such as auto accidents, which have seemingly been the trigger for some of my patients, or having to deal with stressful family or personal situations over a long period of time can be the underlying cause of this “burn out” situation in the central nervous system. Thus, FMS can be considered to be a post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.

Patients that have FMS usually have a wide range of symptoms the most common of which are- hurt all over, insomnia, fatigue, depression and anxiety. Many also complain of difficulties with concentration and memory and may experience what many refer to as “fibrofog”. The list of symptoms that have been associated with FMS can be quite lengthy and can almost seem like any symptom you have can be attributed to FMS. Herein lies the biggest problem with a fibromyalgia diagnosis. Because that list of symptoms is so wide ranging someone who has been labeled as having FMS will just assume that any symptom they have is due to it. This can be dangerous as those symptoms may well be from some other underlying illness that is now going to be ignored as the patient assumes that they already know the reason for it. Even the more common symptoms associated with FMS may well be from some other illness or condition. Thus a diagnosis of FMS is usually arrived at through the process of elimination of all other possible causes of the patient’s problems. Other conditions that could give similar symptoms include- hypothyroidism, anemia, Lyme disease, rheumatoid arthritis, hormonal imbalances, allergies as well as numerous other illnesses. That is why it is extremely important to rule out other conditions first as they may be treatable and would therefore go untreated ultimately leading to other health problems if it is just lumped in as a “fibro” symptom. Thus, the person who self diagnoses as having FMS, is doing the worst injustice to themselves as they may have some other treatable condition that is just going to worsen over time. Once all other possible causes are eliminated then a diagnosis of FMS can be considered. The standard accepted criteria for diagnosing FMS, after the elimination process, is having widespread pain in all four quadrants of the body for a minimum of three months and must also have pain in at least 11 of 18 tender points in specific body locations on the application of pressure.

Now, lets get back to the original question, “how can chiropractic help me with my fibromyalgia?” First of all, as stated above, a patient should not just assume that any symptom they have is due to FMS. I have many patients say “there is nothing you can do for me my pain is from fibromyalgia”. Even though you may have FMS you are still entitled to good old-fashioned neck and back pain that may be from sprain/strains, disc related problems or even arthritis. All of which have nothing to do with FMS and can most certainly be treated in my office. They may also have an underlying carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, bursitis, and many other pain producing conditions not related to FMS that also respond well to chiropractic care. If it is determined that the problems with which the patient presents are indeed related to fibromyalgia and not from other causes then here is what I can do to help them. First of all, as a chiropractor, my number one form of treatment is spinal or extremity manipulation. Manipulations help to restore mobility to joints that may have been lost or reduced due to the tightness of the surrounding muscles as a response to the underlying pain feelings that the patient has. All joints are designed to move and to lose even some of that mobility can cause them to experience discomfort which just adds to that experienced from FMS. I usually also recommend 5-Hydroxytryptophan to help with sleep. Loss of sleep from FMS is the proverbial chicken or the egg scenario. It’s not really known if the lack of good sleep is a trigger for FMS or if having FMS affects the patient’s sleep. Regardless of which comes first to help the patient to have improved restorative sleep is certainly a plus. Also, along the lines of nutrition I recommend taking Magnesium and Malic acid as well as Omega-3 fatty acids all of which has shown some promise for relieving FMS symptoms. Further, a change in diet shifting from processed foods to eating whole foods and preferably organic (without additives, pesticides, hormones or antibiotics) is helpful not only for FMS but for your general overall health. Exercise is also important. Typically, a lot of physical exercise can be aggravating to a FMS patient so I usually recommend low impact type exercises e.g. water exercises, Pilates or especially Yoga which is very good for helping the joints of the body to keep mobile.

In summary, you always want to make sure that you have eliminated all other possible causes of your symptoms before accepting a diagnosis of FMS. Then, once it is established that you have true fibromyalgia, then it would behoove you to seek out natural treatment alternatives such as chiropractic. All you really have to lose is your pain.

David D. Godwin, D.C.
Salisbury Chiropractic
www.salisburychiropractic.us
Salisbury, NC
704-633-9335

Chronic cough, lupus need specialist care

DEAR DR. GOTT: I’ve been diagnosed with asthma, bronchiectasis, lupus and fibromyalgia. I’ve had a chronic cough, and no one can find out where it’s coming from. I have no energy. I just want to take a nap all the time and eat. I’ve gained weight and can say I’m getting closer to being depressed as opposed to being just unhappy. Any ideas for me to check out?

DEAR READER: Yes. Initially, you should request a referral to a rheumatologist. Lupus, a serious inflammatory autoimmune disorder, can affect the joints, kidneys, lungs and several other parts of the body. Many of the symptoms, such as fatigue, joint pain, anxiety, depression and variations in weight, cross over to those of fibromyalgia. Therefore, you should confirm that you do suffer from both conditions.

You should also be under the care of a pulmonologist for control of your chronic cough, asthma and bronchiectasis. The cough could be medication-induced or a result of your asthma. In order to determine what triggers your attacks, it may be necessary for you to undergo testing and to see several other specialists. This may appear daunting but once your textbook complaints of fibromyalgia are better controlled, you will then be able to lift your veil of depression and get on with your life. There is help. The fact that you have written to me is a genuine indication you are ready to get to the bottom of things.