Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a poorly-understood syndrome characterized by chronic generalized body aching. It is often possible to demonstrate specific tender points upon the application of pressure and a presumptive diagnosis is made if a patient has tenderness in 11 of 18 points, including the hip, the neck at the base of the skull, midway between neck and shoulder, elbow and knee.

Fibromyalgia patients experience more pain than other people because their bodies "remember" the pain longer. In normal patients, we cannot elicit pain with (minor) stimuli, but in fibromyalgia patients, they retain the memory of pain very well, and they (sum up) the pain, so each successive stimuli increases the sensation and it lingers on much longer.

Nutritional Supplements

Always check with your doctor before taking any nutritional supplements.

EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids)

Fish oil contains the essential fatty acids Omega 3 EPA & DHA, which are natural anti-inflammatories that can help with muscle and bone inflammation.
Recommended Dose: 1 to 3 g/day.
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Magnesium and Malic Acid.

Magnesium relaxes the muscles. It can help alleviate muscle pain, strain, rigidity, and spasms. Most people with fibromyalgia are deficient in magnesium. Malic acid is important in the citric acid cycle, which helps with the overall transport of magnesium through cell membranes.

B-Vitamin Complex.

All of the B vitamins can play a leading role in energy production, rejuvenating nerve cells, protecting nerve coverings, and metabolizing proteins, carbohydrates, and essential fatty acids.

Calcium

It should be given in conjunction with magnesium (approximately a 2:1 ratio). Calcium deficiency can cause muscle cramps.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and Quercetin.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant, an anti-inflammatory, and an anti-allergic. Vitamin C and quercetin can decrease histamine levels.

Proanthocyanidins (grape seed, Pycnogenal).

Proanthocyanidins act as antioxidants, protecting against degenerative diseases. They also have anti-inflammatory and circulatory benefits. (Maffei Facino et al)

St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum).

If depression and anxiety accompany or trigger fibromyalgia episodes, St. John's Wort may be helpful. It is not to be used in conjunction with antidepressant drug therapy.

Diet and Lifestyle Changes

One of the easiest and most helpful self-care techniques is the monitoring of food and diet. Identify food allergies, such as dairy, wheat, eggs, chocolate, citrus fruits, corn, and MSG. These are all common food allergens, and have been found to intensify with fibromyalgia. By following elimination diet (eliminating one possible food allergen for 2 weeks), problem foods can be identified and subsequently avoided. It is advisable to avoid sugar as much as possible.

Evaluate the acid/alkaline content of your diet. High acid foods consumed over time can lead to a weakened immune system. Eat more vegetables; it appears that a vegetable-based diet offers relief to fibromyalgia patients.

Add more fish to your diet as a great source of protein and nutrients. Fish also contains anti-inflammatory essential fatty acids.

Exercise to tolerance. Exercise cannot be overestimated in improving FMS symptoms. Extreme exercise, however, may cause muscle pain. Make sure that you also get enough rest and relaxation. Stress reduction may be the most important factor in improving the overall well being of fibromyalgia patients. Meditation and massage may also help.

Tens (transcutaneous electric nervous stimulation)

In a recent study the researchers applied intense heat to different parts of patients' hands at 2 to 5 second intervals and studied their responses. Fibromyalgia patients had stronger responses to the heat stimuli than control subjects, no matter how long an interval occurred between heat applications. That indicates a problem with the central pain processing function in fibromyalgia patients.

Fibromyalgia patients felt pain in a more widespread area than other patients, he added. "This is probably related to mechanisms which may be either genetic or may be individualized in a particular person. It leads to more suffering, because hurting in all four extremities instead of just in one arm increases your degree of pain", explains Dr Staud who lead the research team

Staud is hopeful that the study will result in physicians taking fibromyalgia patients' complaints more seriously. "It's completely unclear to me why other pain problems, such as chronic back pain, are accepted in the medical community, while fibromyalgia is not," he said. "Now we are able to provide evidence for central nervous system abnormalities in chronic pain syndromes like fibromyalgia."

Professor Pekka Pöntinen has successfully treated fibromyalgia patients with TENS (transcutaneous electric nervous stimulation). Fibromyalgia is a state of energy loss, explains professor Pöntinen. Some diatery supplements could be usefull as well, he recommends.

Conclusion

Fibromyalgia, although painful, is not untreatable. Because symptoms vary from patient to patient, it is important to not give up hope for relief. FMS research reveals something new every year, and there are millions of people living functional lives with FMS. Don’t give up hope.