More and more information is appearing on the internet about treating fibromyalgia, which is finally securing its place in public awareness as a genuine condition. For years sufferers have struggled to be taken seriously because the medical industry has been unable to pinpoint a cause or consistently effective and safe treatment.

It was initially thought to be chronic rheumatism (and a few other conditions) before fibromyalgia was officially considered its own condition. It is now understood that fibromyalgia is a chronic, non-progressive, non-degenerative, non-inflammatory systemic pain condition.

Fibromyalgia sufferers will tell you that they feel general bodily pain – usually an aching pain, but sometimes throbbing or sharp in nature. They may also feel stiffness in their muscles and pain in tendons and ligaments. The majority of people struggling with this condition are women of childbearing age.

The symptoms of fibromyalgia

Pain

It is possible to have localised pain, but often people (especially women) will have cyclical pain that appears and reappears in different areas of the body. Even a light touch can be extremely painful for someone with this condition.

Fatigue and dizziness

Another common fibromyalgia symptom is fatigue. People complain of difficulty concentrating and having no energy or motivation for even simple tasks. Dizziness may strike at any time,

Sleep issues

Your sleep may well be affected; getting off to sleep in the first place may be a challenge, and the quality of sleep is rarely satisfactory. Headaches are frequently a problem, with varying severity; digestive issues such as IBS are another.

Oversensitivity

There aren’t many aspects of life that fibromyalgia doesn’t impact: you may feel overly sensitive to noises and smells, and food sensitivities are common. Women are likely to experience menstrual cramps, and both sexes might find they get numbness and tingling in the extremities.

Impaired mental functions

Brain fog, anxiety and depression may be down to this condition. Like candida, fibromyalgia causes so many symptoms that it can be hard to pinpoint the cause. However, some modern tests will conclude that fibromyalgia is causing the symptoms, so it is worth asking your physician if you think this may be your problem.

What causes fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia affects the nervous system, so it is widely considered to be an imbalance that causes normal sensations to be amplified. It is also thought to be genetic, as it frequently affects several family members; some research has been done that indicated a genetic cause, although this is not proven.

Regardless of genetics, the condition must be triggered by something like an injury, or perhaps a viral infection. Excessive stress levels can also trigger it, so this should be considered when treating fibromyalgia.

It has also come to light that sufferers often have elevated levels of a neuropeptide by the name of substance P. This neuropeptide is responsible for communicating pain signals. Furthermore, sufferers may have lower levels of the hormones serotonin and norepinephrine; these tend to limit the impact of pain in healthy humans.

The medical industry finally addressed it… with little success

People with this condition may find themselves working with many different practitioners to manage the symptoms, as there is no current cure. They may be prescribed painkillers, a drug called pregabalin (Lyrica), aspirin, ibuprofen or other NSAIDS; the latter are designed to tackle pain and inflammation but are not always effective against fibromyalgia.

Sometimes antidepressants, benzodiazepines or SSRIs are prescribed to raise levels of pain-reducing hormones and reduce muscle pain and fatigue. The problem is that such drugs are often addictive and don’t do anything to address the cause.

Natural treatments can go the extra mile

Therapy, exercise and rest

Treating fibromyalgia means a multi-pronged approach. Physical therapies and regular gentle exercises like yoga, swimming, and cycling are often effective way to handle this condition – in conjunction with other treatments and products. It is important to get plenty of rest and regulate sleep cycles as much as possible. Meditation has helped many people, as has massage and acupuncture.

A balanced, clean diet

pH health’s team fully advocate the benefits of a natural, organic diet of vegetables, fruit, healthy unrefined oils (especially omega-3) and superfoods, but in this day and age it is necessary to supplement due to deficiencies in the soil; sadly, even organic produce may not contain enough nutrients to keep your defences up.

Anti-inflammatory foods

Anything that works against inflammation is your friend if you are treating fibromyalgia. Regular consumption of ginger and turmeric will works wonders, and magnesium (citrate or chloride) will assist all the muscles and nerves in the body; note that this should be paired with the right amount of calcium to be effective, so check your mineral levels with a qualified practitioner to highlight any imbalances first.

DMSO

Dr Jacobs, the creator of the wonder product that is DMSO, has treated fibromyalgia patients with a 70% success rate; i.e. they have experienced benefit from the product, with no side effects.

DMSO for the treatment of fibromyalgia works by scavenging free radicals; it works as an analgesic, an anti-inflammatory, and it softens scar tissue. You are likely to find that there’s a reduction in muscle spasms, and that healing is greatly stimulated.

The evidence exists that with the right regime, fibromyalgia is manageable; symptoms can be greatly reduced so that a person functions more or less normally and feels healthy and vital. Feel free to talk to MediMush about your health problems – we are happy to recommend protocols and products to help.