Fibromyalgia Syndrome affects an estimated 2 percent of the population. Current treatment is largely comprised of prescribing different medications to treat the varying symptoms. Many people with fibromyalgia have turned to complementary and alternative medicine to manage their symptoms. Acupuncture, in particular, has become a popular treatment choice and has shown to be an effective treatment for Fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia is a medically unexplained syndrome characterized by chronic widespread pain, a heightened and painful response to pressure, insomnia, fatigue, and depression. While not all affected persons experience all associated symptoms, the following symptoms commonly occur together:
chronic pain
debilitating fatigue
difficulty sleeping
anxiety and depression
joint stiffness
chronic headaches and jaw pain
difficulty swallowing
dryness in mouth, nose, and eyes
hypersensitivity to odors, bright lights, and loud noises
inability to concentrate
irritable bowel syndrome
numbness or tingling in the fingers and feet
painful menstrual cramps
poor circulation in hands and feet.
restless legs syndrome
Fibromyalgia is diagnosed when there is a history of widespread pain in all four quadrants of the body for a minimum duration of three months and pain when pressure is applied to at least 11 of 18 designated tender points on the body. This condition does not result in any physical damage to the body or its tissues and there are no laboratory tests which can confirm this diagnosis.
Symptoms often begin after a physical or emotional trauma, but in many cases there appears to be no triggering event. Women are more prone to develop the disorder than are men, and the risk of fibromyalgia increases with age.
The Chinese medical theory of pain is expressed in this famous Chinese saying: “free flow of QI= no pain, no free flow of QI= pain.”
Pain is seen as a disruption of the free flow of Qi within the body. The disruption of Qi that results in fibromyalgia is usually associated with disharmonies of the “Liver” median.
You can reduce your symptoms significantly by incorporating a few simple life-style changes into your daily routines and habits.
1. Eliminate processed foods from your diet, especially white sugar and white flour products. These products give our bodies little nutrition and over time can damage our digestion.
2. Include all unprocessed foods in your diet, such as proteins, complex and unrefined carbohydrates, vegetables, whole grains and legumes .
3. Avoid overly greasy foods, ice cold drinks, alcohol, raw and uncooked foods, hot, peppery foods, coffee, and too much fruit. Avoid daily juice drinks since these are the same as eating a candy bar in the amount of sugar introduced into the body.
4. Do not drink sodas. Sodas are acidic in nature and are loaded with sugar and chemicals. Sodas are detrimental to both the spleen and the kidneys.
5. Find some type of exercise that you really enjoy and just do it. You would probably benefit most from some kind of cardiovascular exercise to keep to blood moving, such as swimming, yoga, stretching, and bicycling.
6. Take a walk every day. If you live with a dog or cat, play with them daily. Animals live in the moment and love to play. This is a great way to break stressful daily routines.
7. Buy some relaxation tapes with guided imaging. Learn how to really relax. This means bodily relaxation as well as mental repose. Use these tapes daily for the best results.
8. If you know that you have too much stress in your life, then find a solution. This may be finding a new job or new, more supportive relationships. Understand that stress alone can kill you, and if you smoke and consume alcohol to escape stressful situations, you are only fooling yourself.
9. Find a Chinese medical practitioner who can help you maintain good health with Chinese medicinal herbs and acupuncture. If you visit with a practitioner on a regular basis, before you become ill, then you avoid many other more serious problems later. Remember that the strong suit of Traditional Chinese Medicine is prevention.
Alan Rivenson, L.Ac, Dipl in Acupuncture
Affordable Acupuncture
25 Main Street
Canaan CT 06018
860-824-7727
arivenson@att.net
About Dr. Gott