From the Latin fibra (fiber), the Greek words myo (muscle) and algos (pain), fibromyalgia is a chronic rheumatic condition characterised by widespread muscle and joint pain, fatigue and sleep disturbances. Because it manifests with a set of generic symptoms, it is commonly misunderstood and misdiagnosed. Basically your body aches all over and even after a night of sleep it is common to feel fatigue due to lack of restful sleep. There are a set of tender points which systematically are painful to touch and depression is also an associated symptom.
Other reported symptoms include:
dry mouth
abdominal pain
headaches
light sleep
stiffness
hypersensitivity to temperature
difficulty to concentrate
irritable bowel syndrome
incontinence
numbness in the fingers and feet
In order to successfully diagnose fibromyalgia Doctors rely on patient histories and an accurate manual tender point examination according to standard criteria of the American College of Rheumatology. Eighteen Tender points in characteristic locations are tested. If eleven 11 or more of these points are in pain and widespread pain lasting for more that three months is present, then it can be possibly be diagnosed as fibromyalgia. Other diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis have an overlap of symptoms, making the diagnosis even more difficult.
In the case of positive diagnosis for fibromyalgia, it should be accepted that although it’s a non-progressive situation, unfortunately there is no cure and it can be expected that pain can condition your lifestyle and that’s why it’s so important to manage correctly your habits, empower you with pain management skills and develop sustainable relief for the syndrome. One of the most important elements in fighting fatigue is to follow a fibromyalgia diet where your body will be better prepared. Some substances like citrines, chocolate and caffeine seem to worsen the condition and should be avoided. Others, as wholenuts can relieve the symptoms. Follow a healthy and conscious plan and live a happy life.
Nowadays Fibromyalgia is developing a status in society, starting to be observed like a real and truly painful condition. However, research studies have not yet proven the specific role in the syndrome of some general choices related with everyday’s life like… food.
However, common sense tells that a healthy nutrition plan is able to change life and in this ambit FMS can not be different. For those who suffer from FMS every advantage is one more step to recovery and like this a balanced food choice will help strengthen the immune system, reduce fatigue and prevent secondary diseases.
Muscle debility as a primary symptom in FMS patients, just for starting, reveals for instants how important should be for people with this illness, to respect in every meal an adequate amount of protein. At the same time, healthful foods like those high in immunity boosting antioxidants and phytochemicals are also of fundamental role, once could help to achieve higher levels of body energy and minimize fatigue.
In the United States the general ideal diet composition is 40-30-30 ratio of carbohydrates proteins and fat. However this diet could not be just for people who share days with FMS and chronic fatigue, once not all carbohydrates are created equal and this will imply a subjective choice of carbohydrates low in the glycemic index.
Along with foods that are high in sugar, fat and cholesterol, some FMS patients also avoid others like tomatoes, white potatoes, eggplant and pepper that could aggravate pain and increase inflammation.
To be avoided in theses cases are also chocolate, sodas, tobacco or peanuts. For peanuts, there’s the particularity that may cause acid reflux. In the same list we can adjudge spicy foods that very usually upset the stomach.
It is also important to retain that the portion of fats in a FMS patient diet should be composed by “good fats” like cold water fish, raw nuts, vegetable oils and avocados.
Variety and moderation are also two good “friends” at the table.
Always remember to drink water (around eight glasses per day) in order to flush toxins out of the body.
And how is it possible to forget effort and pain during food preparation?
Taking time to prepare a healthy meal could be very painful for people who suffer from FMS. For situations like this, support groups often recommend good advices like: a good posture when cooking; rest breaks during the meal preparation; purchase pre-sliced frozen organic vegetables and invest in some kitchen gadgets that can make preparation easier.
During 1970’s the researcher Hench noted that in this syndrome muscle and tendnous connective tissues are usually subjectively involved, and for the first time introduced the term Fibromyalgia. One decade later another researcher named Muhammad B. Yunus proposed the need of a unified classification system and a diagnostic criteria. Yunus later emphasized the “biopsychosocial perspective” of FMS which synthesized the contribution of genes, personal and medical history, stress, posttraumatic and mood disorders, coping skills, self- efficacy of pain management and social support towards the functioning and dysfunctioning of the central nervous system in relation to pain and fatigue.
The first controlled clinical study with validation of know symptoms and tender points was published in 1981 and the importance concept that FMS and other similar conditions are interconnected was proposed in 1984. Serotonergic / Norepinephric drugs were first show to be effective in 1986.
Finally in 1990 the American College of Rheumatology established firm criteria for the classification and diagnosis of Fibromyalgia. In that same year were developed the neurohormal mechanisms with central sensitization.
Unfortunately, FMS has also been called a “waste basket” diagnosis and a fad disease. In 1997 medical books, also those used in University, did not even recognized FMS. This is due with the health experts inability to see FMS as a medical related problem. Although, speculation in the ambit took also on a new expedition which led to research and ongoing studies about the syndrome. A better understanding is slow in coming and more and more medical schools are educating new doctors about fibromyalgia symptom.
The XXI century has brought new laboratory tests and brain-imaging technology that has being proven FMS as a real physical disorder caused by a malfunction of the central nervous system. And as more effective treatments could be in the near future, hopefully is expected that one day the history of fibromyalgia could be just and only… past history.
While there’s no treatment, recent research shows that a balanced healthy diet is paramount to successfully reduce the symptoms and a more specific fibromyalgia diet focuses on food which doesn’t aggravate the condition and also introduces best practices like getting quality sleep and generally offers improvement through a conscious healthy lifestyle. Sticking to a fibromyalgia diet will also make you aware of nutrients and how the substances within affect you.
We all know about pain… however, just some of us are “messengers” of a chronicle condition that invites pain to be present in everyone’s life.
Since when FMS have been a presence among world society?
Since when people suffer from the symptoms of that strange disorder?
Throughout history, people have reported illnesses with strikingly similar symptoms pointed in to the straight direction of the FMS “abyss”. Physical pain reports can even be found as far back as the old testament biblical times, but only since the XIX century this disorder has been identified by a variety of names such as hysterical paroxysm, muscular rheumatic fibrositis. The present term fibromyalgia was first coined in 1976, in an effort to describe its primary symptom.
Physicians recognized and wrote about a condition they then called muscular rheumatism and some in the medical profession thought (and may still think) as something of psychological nature. All over time there have been a multitude of theories as to what FMS is and what causes patients complains. Those ones were for a long time ignored as real, once the particular characteristic of this physical suffering remains the invisibility.
As the term of the illness implies, it was logically thought to be a muscle problem, as muscle pain seemed to be the primary symptom. But as research studies could find nothing wrong in the muscles, for a while FMS was theorized as an autoimmune disorder. However, once again, research revealed no disturbance of the immune system.
Turns not so difficult to realize why for most of the past two hundred years FMS was thought to be a psychiatric or psychosomatic disorder.
In 1824, tender points were described by a doctor in Edinburgh and in 1880 another doctor described the same condition and then called it neurasthenia. During 1904 Pathologist Ralph Stockman first reported evidence of inflammatory changes in the fibrous, intra-muscular septa (a thin that divides two soft masses of tissue) on biopsies from patients. In the same year William Gower introduced the term fibrositis in his description of low back pain. Subsequent studies of muscle biopsies have failed to reproduce Stockman’s findings of inflammation and the term fibrositis is therefore considered a misnomer.
In 1913 a physician named Luff talked in the British Medieval Journal about the factors of fibrositis, noticing that the symptoms grew worse when the barometric pressure lowered and rain was approaching. Luff’s article also referred temperature variations, fevers, infections and vehicle accidents, drawing the connection between “growing pains” in children and fibrositis. For the subsequent years terms as fibrositis, fibromyositis, psychogenic, psychosomatic or muscular rheumatism have all been used as description of the syndrome. Yet the term fibrositis has been most resilient and eventually became synonymous with idiopathic local or diffuse muscle-skeletical pain of any type.
To be continued…if you like this article please check back in a couple of days for Part II.
Millions of people – mostly women – live each day with a chronic rheumatic condition known as fibromyalgia. Often misdiagnosed or undiagnosed, this disease affects soft tissues and muscles, frequently causing causing extensive pain, joint tenderness, insomnia, severe exhaustion, depression, and anxiety. As symptoms are vague and may mimic other diseases, it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis as soon as they appear. However, those mentioned above tend to present together, indicating an arthritis related illness.
Additional signs of fibromyalgia include chronic headaches, abdominal pain and gastric distress, dry mouth, severe sensitivity to cold or hot, an inability to concentrate, numbness in fingers and toes, stiffness, poor circulation in limbs, and restless leg syndrome. The fatigue is often devastating.
Unfortunately, there is no one medical test that can determine whether someone has this disease. It is usually found by ruling out related medical issues, through a comprehensive examination and medical history.
The good news is that there are a host of treatments — and particularly alternatives to conventional Western medicine — that offer relief for pain. Patients have used acupuncture and electroacupuncture, biofeedback, herbal therapies, chiropractic therapy, messages, meditation, to name a few, with great success. Since holistic medicine is systemic and treats the entire person, not just targeting a particular area, it combines the mind-body approach.
However, it’s important to check with your physician before starting any treatments. Just because something is labeled as “natural” doesn’t mean that it’s safe, or even suited to your situation. When deciding upon a treatment, be discriminating and examine all available options before making a decision.
A simple way for fibromyalgia pain relief is to apply moderate heat to the regions which hurt the most, typically neck, back and lower back. Your body will thank you.
Yoga tips for fibromyalgia patients. Learn how to do the forward fold yoga pose to ease symptoms of fibromyalgia in this free medical treatment video from a professional yoga instructor.
One of the most mysterious conditions of modern times is fibromyalgia. This condition, which primarily affects women, still baffles many doctors and medical researchers. Fibromyalgia has been identified by our research center as being a condition wherein excess toxins build up in the soft tissues of the body, causing the pain and other symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. One of the most effective natural substances for helping insomnia in fibromyalgia is 5-hydroxy tryptophan (5-HTP). Natural alternatives for managing fibromyalgia must include agents that detoxify the build-up of toxins in the soft tissues of the body. Since the cause of fibromyalgia is not yet fully known, it is important to approach it, at least in the beginning, from a total detoxification program. We use two methods of detoxification, one cellular, which utilizes liquid oxygen to remove toxins from the cells and a systemic detox, which places emphasis upon the organs of elimination, including the liver, kidneys, bowel, bladder and colon. Detoxification often produces a rapid cessation of pain and other symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. Through the use of aggressive detoxification, we can prepare the body for an ongoing maintenance program using our new formula called Fibro Eze. This formula uses 5 hydroxy tryptophan (5-HTP) along with other key nutrients, to address many of the most common symptoms of fibromyalgia. 5 hydroxy tryptophan (5-HTP) safely and effectively replaces drugs such as SSRI’s and anti-anxiety medications and has no side effects. The formula we have developed, containing these key ingredients is available from Phoenix Nutritionals at 1-800-440-2390. You can also visit the Phoenix Nutritionals website at www.phoenixnutritionals.com. If you have any questions concerning this mysterious condition or our program you can always contact our offices at 1-888-454-8464, but formula information is also available from Phoenix Nutritionals. When you contact Phoenix Nutritionals be sure and ask them about their Fibromyalgia kit, which contains everything you will need to start the complete program. We are familiar with he Guaifenesen Protocol.
About fibromyalgiahealthydiet.com - Your online resource for fibromyalgia diet.
This site is for all the people who came across the complicated syndrome of fibromyalgia.
It focuses on fibromyalgia diet information which gives real solutions and empowers you to manage pain through a conscious and healthy lifestyle. Through a balanced fibromyalgia diet on mind and body it is possible to improve your life. Lets do it.
It also aims at pain relief and raising awareness on fibromyalgia with creative quality products.
an FM awareness video I made.
Learn how to relieve arthritis pain in the hip & knee with stretching exercise treatments in this free online video clip.
This video is a short video on the effects of fibromyalgia and what treatment options there are for fibromyalgia.
Yoga tips for fibromyalgia patients. Learn how to do the forward fold yoga pose to ease symptoms of fibromyalgia in this free medical treatment video from a professional yoga instructor.
One of the most mysterious conditions of modern times is fibromyalgia. This condition, which primarily affects women, still baffles many doctors and medical researchers. Fibromyalgia has been identified by our research center as being a condition wherein excess toxins build up in the soft tissues of the body, causing the pain and other symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. One of the most effective natural substances for helping insomnia in fibromyalgia is 5-hydroxy tryptophan (5-HTP). Natural alternatives for managing fibromyalgia must include agents that detoxify the build-up of toxins in the soft tissues of the body. Since the cause of fibromyalgia is not yet fully known, it is important to approach it, at least in the beginning, from a total detoxification program. We use two methods of detoxification, one cellular, which utilizes liquid oxygen to remove toxins from the cells and a systemic detox, which places emphasis upon the organs of elimination, including the liver, kidneys, bowel, bladder and colon. Detoxification often produces a rapid cessation of pain and other symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. Through the use of aggressive detoxification, we can prepare the body for an ongoing maintenance program using our new formula called Fibro Eze. This formula uses 5 hydroxy tryptophan (5-HTP) along with other key nutrients, to address many of the most common symptoms of fibromyalgia. 5 hydroxy tryptophan (5-HTP) safely and effectively replaces drugs such as SSRI’s and anti-anxiety medications and has no side effects. The formula we have developed, containing these key ingredients is available from Phoenix Nutritionals at 1-800-440-2390. You can also visit the Phoenix Nutritionals website at www.phoenixnutritionals.com. If you have any questions concerning this mysterious condition or our program you can always contact our offices at 1-888-454-8464, but formula information is also available from Phoenix Nutritionals. When you contact Phoenix Nutritionals be sure and ask them about their Fibromyalgia kit, which contains everything you will need to start the complete program. We are familiar with he Guaifenesen Protocol.
