Archive for Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia’s New Name
If you have fibromyalgia, you know the frustration of seeing a bunch of doctors and not getting a straight answer as to what is wrong with you. Even when the diagnosis of fibromyalgia is made, your doctor just gives you drugs to mask the symptoms. You never get down to the cause.
In July of 2011, a paper was published in the Journal of Internal Medicine that may help you understand what is wrong with you. The study is calling fibromyalgia and its diagnostic twin, chronic fatigue syndrome, myalgic encephalomyelitis. (ME)
Myalgic encephalomyelitis means muscle pain caused by inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. The authors of the study are saying that the term more accurately describes the condition and I agree.
I have been treating fibromyalgia cases since 2002, using the best available research. The research has been pointing towards encephalomyelitis as a cause for more than a decade.
Swelling of the brain and spinal cord needs to be addressed for the pain to go away. The inflammation can come from a variety of sources. The largest single source is adverse mechanical tension on the spinal cord. The spine misaligns in a way that stretches the spinal cord and irritates it until it becomes inflamed. This causes the symptoms.
But other causes for the inflammation may also need to be addressed. Diet, oxidative stress, excitotoxins, and dysbiosis can all contribute to the problem. You need to find a doctor who knows what to look for and how to treat it.
For more information on how I treat fibromyalgia, log on to: www.stopyourfibronow.com
STOP YOUR FIBROMYALGIA NOW! – SEMINAR MOVED
Due to Overwhelming Response
The Fibromyalgia Seminar
Has Been Moved To The:
Radisson Hotel Menomonee Falls
N88 W14750 Main Street
Menomonee Falls, WI 53051
(at the intersection of 41/45 and Main St.)
Finally a seminar that teaches you how to STOP YOUR FIBROMYALGIA NOW!
NO COST - Saturday, September 24th - 10:00AM. This seminar is NO NON-SENSE
Dr. Paul Kramer will review:
• What is Fibromyalgia?
• Is it just a “trash can” diagnosis?
• The new medical term for Fibromyalgia that finally makes sense.
• How to put the pieces of the Fibro-puzzle together so you can get real relief.
• What treatments really work?
• What two food additives to eliminate from your diet, that will cure Fibromyalgia for 1/3 of the patients!
• How to find out if your Fibromyalgia is going to give you Alzheimer’s disease in the future.
• Do the new medications for Fibromyalgia work?
• Why most of the information on the internet about Fibro is B.S.
• How to stop your pain- not just live with it.
Every piece of information you will learn at this seminar is
Referenced in peer-reviewed scientific journals. NO NON-SENSE.
CALL 262-251-8306 to make your reservation.
Space is limited, so call NOW!
STOP YOUR FIBROMYALGIA NOW! – Seminar!
Finally a seminar that teaches you how to:
STOP YOUR FIBROMYALGIA NOW!
FREE
Saturday, September 24th
10:00 am
N88 W16953 Main St.-Menomonee Falls
This seminar is NO NON-SENSE
Dr. Paul Kramer will review:
- What is Fibromyalgia?
- Is it just a “trash can” diagnosis?
- The new medical term for Fibromyalgia that finally makes sense.
- How to put the pieces of the Fibro-puzzle together so you can get real relief.
- What treatments really work?
- What two food additives to eliminate from your diet, that will cure Fibromyalgia for 1/3 of the patients!
- How to find out if your Fibromyalgia is going to give you Alzheimer’s disease in the future.
- Do the new medications for Fibromyalgia work?
- Why most of the information on the internet about Fibro is B.S.
- How to stop your pain- not just live with it.
Every piece of information you will learn at this seminar is
Referenced in peer-reviewed scientific journals. NO NON-SENSE.
CALL 262-251-8306 to make your reservation.
Space is limited, so call NOW!
Does Weather Make Pain Worse?
Any doctor who has treated people in chronic pain will hear the patients say that they feel more pain when the weather is bad. Especially cool humid weather.
Is this all in the patient’s head or is there some scientific cause for it ?
Well a study done in the journal, Spine, in 2004, studied 26,862 patients from 23 different health centers in the National Spine Network. They concluded that changes in barometric pressure caused people to have lower scores on general health surveys. (SF-36). This meant that people rated their general health, physical function, bodily pain, mental health, social function, fatigue and emotional health, lower when the barometric pressure changed.
A study in the Journal of Rheumatology in 1985 showed that falling barometric pressure indicative of a coming storm, increased arthritic symptoms in patients.
Another study noted that 76 to 83% of patients could predict rain by their arthritic symptoms. (Ann Rheum Dis 1990;49:158-9)
Patients with higher self-reported pain were more weather sensitive. (Pain 1999;81:173-7)
So there is a definite link to weather and chronic pain. Research findings suggest that abnormal nerve impulses generated at injured areas could cause increased pain and that these impulses are sensitive to and aggravated by weather.
But the pain is not directly caused by the weather. An injured or arthritic area is the cause of the pain. The weather changes merely aggravate the problems. It is important to get injuries and arthritis treated properly so your pain levels go down and you aren’t as sensitive to weather changes.
For more information on how I treat chronic pain, log on to www.stopyourfibronow.com or www.newbackpainreliefinfo.com.
Fibromyalgia- The Only Cure
Everyone seems to have an opinion on what fibromyalgia is. Some say it’s a muscle problem, others say a body chemistry thing, still others a psychological problem. The latest opinion I saw from one so-called expert, is that it comes from “stealth viruses”. The viruses are so “stealthy” he can’t prove they exist.
I don’t believe in most of the theories on fibromyalgia. There is no single thing that can cause aches and pains all over the body in every person. What you really have is a collection of diseases, disorders and problems that aren’t handled well medically.
This can include things like chronic whiplash, failed back surgery, vitamin D deficiency, multiple disc herniations, chronic inflammatory disorders, hypothyroidism, adrenal fatigue, blood sugar disorders and on and on.
Since there is no single cause, there is no single cure.
The only thing that can cure fibromyalgia is the healing mechanisms of the human body. A properly functioning body does not get fibromyalgia. In order to activate these healing mechanisms, you must eat right, drink plenty of water, get proper sleep, exercise mildly and maintain a good attitude.
If you do these things, you will most likely start to feel better already.
From there, you will probably need to get some help removing any impediments that keep your body from functioning properly. You will need to get evaluated by someone who is experienced in treating “fibromyalgia”. Someone who can dig deeper into the cause of your pain, and either treat it (if it’s treatable) or give you the tools to solve it.
For more information on how I treat fibromyalgia, log on to: www.stopyourfibronow.com
Fibromyalgia – Tips From Real Patients
We have discussed fibromyalgia (FM) from many perspectives but what we haven’t done yet is listen to what actual FM patients have to say about what works and what doesn’t work. Rather than reading about what “the experts” say about FM and what to do for it, let’s take a different perspective – let’s talk to those who have FM and hear what they have to say about the “do’s and don’ts.”
Consider the following great “pearls of wisdom” for those suffering from FM:
- Stick to a schedule—it helps.
- Know when you’re pushing too much, and listen to what your body is telling you.
- Keep a journal every day about what you do and how you feel.
- Focus on the 4 P’s: pacing, problem solving, prioritizing, and planning.
- Work on your communication skills, and don’t be afraid to ask for what you need.
- Exercise and diet are very important.
- Acknowledge your limits—recognize what you can and can not do.
- Exercise if you can—swimming helps me because it’s easier on the joints.
- Don’t overdo it or your symptoms will really kick in.
- Know your limitations—if you’re tired, know when to rest.
- Join a support group—or even start one yourself.
- Stay informed—there’s a lot of research and helpful information out there.
- Find a doctor who really sits down and listens to you and understands your pain.
- Use your friends and family as support.
- Learn about Fibromyalgia by reading up on the subject.
- Accept help when you need it.
- Wear a sweat suit when you exercise on the stationary bike; the heat may help to soothe your muscles.
- Sleep is very important. Try not to nap during the day so you can sleep better at night.
- It’s important to take your medication as prescribed.
- Balance your meals with a low-fat, high-protein diet. Drink plenty of water.
- Stretching, swimming and walking may help you deal with the pain.
- Keep moving and enjoy life.
- Exercise! Keep those muscles and bones flexed and firm. But do not overdo it!
- Write down the things that may have brought about your pain.
- Keep this list on your refrigerator as a reminder.
- This is just one way to help you manage the severity of your next “bad” day.
- List the people you can rely on ahead of time to help you on your “bad” days.
- Just knowing that you have backup may help reduce your stress.
- Your support network can help with completing important tasks.
- For example, on a “bad” day, ask them to run an errand or pick up your children from school.
- Sometimes, they could just be there to listen.
With all the above in mind, you may also consider alternative treatments for your fibromyalgia. There are some excellent pain relieving therapies available, that most doctors don’t know about.
YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR DRUG-FREE TREATMENT FOR FIBROMYALGIA!
FOR MORE INFORMATION LOG ON TO: http://www.stopyourfibronow.com
Fibromyalgia – How To “Live With” FM
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a condition that produces widespread pain that can literally change the life of a FM patient, but as they say, “..life must go on!” There are treatment options out there, that can greatly improve your life without drugs or surgery. But, this Health Update is dedicated to discussing ways to treat yourself, in order to make your FM as manageable as possible. Ways to gain self-control of FM include the following:
- Exercise: There are two forms of exercise you should include in your self-management program. One is light aerobic exercises such as walking and/or water exercises with the objective to increase your heart rate. The other is strength training with a low weight / high repetition approach emphasizing the part of the exercise where you slowly release the weight back to the start position (the eccentric part of the exercise). Here is a list of tips from the National Fibromyalgia Association that should help:
- Start slow – don’t overdo it the first few times you exercise as post-exercise soreness is normal but, it’s exaggerated in the FM patient.
- Listen closely to your body’s feedback! Increase the activity according to your tolerance – NOT TOO QUICKLY!
- Start with only a few minutes of gentle exercise and work your way up.
- Walking is a GREAT form of exercise. It can be done inside (in the winter, for example), outside, and/or in water (to reduce weight bearing loads).
- Track your progress by keeping a log of what and how much you’re doing. This can be accomplished by wearing a pedometer (that measures steps), a heart monitor (that measures pulse rate), and keep track of the distance and time, when possible. Make notes how you felt during and after the exercise.
- Stretch lightly before and after exercising.
- Keep your chiropractor informed and work as a “team” to advance your program.
- Sleep: A poor sleep pattern is the “norm” for FM patients. The pain associated with FM usually interferes with sleeps, which leads to more pain followed by more sleep disturbance – it’s a vicious cycle that needs to be broken. The National Sleep Foundation and others recommend the following steps to help us sleep:
- Stick to a sleep schedule. Go to bed at a similar time each night, even on weekends.
- Room temperature – keep it cool, not too warm!
- Caffeine – avoid this especially towards evenings (coffee, tea, soda, and/or chocolate).
- Alcohol – avoid before bedtime as it can keep you awake.
- Exercise – in the afternoon, NOT before bedtime.
- Nap as needed but ONLY briefly – like 20 min. max.!
- Be comfortable – wear soft PJ’s and consider a white noise machine.
- Bedtime routine – consider reading, listening to soft music – whatever works for you! Once you find a routine that works, stick with it!
- Diet: Talk to your chiropractor about food allergy, gluten sensitivity, diabetes, thyroid function, medication/vitamin use and any other unique issues that pertain to you.
- Emotional control: Engage your family, good friends, your healthcare providers, and consider FM support groups. Meditation, deep breathing and visualization exercises as well as cognitive therapy can also be very effective.
YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR DRUG-FREE OF FIBROMYALGIA! FOR MORE INFORMATION LOG ON TO: www.stopyourfibronow.com
How to Live with Fibromyalgia – Don’t Let It Ruin Your Life!
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a condition that produces widespread pain that can literally change the life of a FM patient, but as they say, “…life must go on!” Therefore, this blog is dedicated to discussing ways to empower you with tips that will help you live your life to the fullest. These ways include the following:
1. Look to Alternative Health- FM is a condition that medical doctors don’t do very well treating. Its basically, pills, pills, pills,… which would be fine if they worked, but for most people, they don’t. Chiropractic work, done by a chiropractor experienced in treating fibromyalgia, can be a life saver ! Nutrition, massage and acupuncture are very helpful as well.
2. Exercise: There are two forms of exercise you should include in your self-management program. One is light aerobic exercises such as walking and/or water exercises with the objective to increase your heart rate. The other is strength training with a low weight / high repetition approach emphasizing the part of the exercise where you slowly release the weight back to the start position. Here is a list of tips from the National Fibromyalgia Association that should help:
a. Start slow – don’t overdo it the first few times you exercise as post-exercise soreness is normal but, it’s exaggerated in the FM patient. The soreness makes most FM sufferers want to quit.
b. Listen closely to your body’s feedback! Increase the activity according to your tolerance – NOT TOO QUICKLY!
c. Start with only a few minutes of gentle exercise and work your way up.
d. Walking is a GREAT form of exercise and can and should be done in even the worst FM cases. It can be done inside (in the winter, for example), outside, and/or in water (to reduce weight bearing loads).
e. Gently stretch before and after exercising.
g. Keep your chiropractor informed and work as a “team” to advance your program.
3. Sleep: A poor sleep pattern is the “norm” for FM patients. The pain associated with FM usually interferes with sleep, which leads to more pain followed by more sleep disturbance – it’s a vicious cycle that needs to be broken. The National Sleep Foundation and others recommend the following steps to help us sleep:
a. Stick to a sleep schedule. Go to bed at a similar time each night, even on weekends.
b. Room temperature – keep it cool, not too warm!
c. Caffeine – avoid this especially towards evenings (coffee, tea, soda, and/or chocolate).
d. Alcohol – avoid before bedtime as it can keep you awake.
e. Exercise – in the afternoon, NOT before bedtime.
f. Nap as needed but ONLY briefly – like 20 min. max.!
g. Be comfortable – wear soft PJ’s and consider a white noise machine. Sleep on firm surfaces with proper attention to pillow heights. Very low pillows when sleeping on the back. High pillows when sleeping on the side.
h. Bedtime routine – consider reading, listening to soft music – whatever works for you! Once you find a routine that works, stick with it!
4. Diet: Talk to your chiropractor about food allergy, gluten sensitivity, diabetes, thyroid function, medication/vitamin use and any other unique issues that pertain to you.
5. Emotional control: Start talking about your situation with your family, good friends, your healthcare providers, and consider FM support groups. Use the proper attitude, forgiveness of self and others is a key to healing from any illness. Meditation, deep breathing and visualization exercises, as well as cognitive therapy can also be very effective.
If you, a friend or family member requires care for FM, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services!
For more information on fibromyalgia log on to : www.stopyourfibronow.com
-or-
You may be a candidate for Fibromyalgia Treatment in the Milwaukee area at Pain Free Great Posture. For a no-obligation consultation, call 262-251-8306 and mention this blog post.
Fibromyalgia and Sleep
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a condition that has produced more diverse opinions from researchers and physicians than almost any other condition. This has made finding a health care provider who is willing to manage the FM patient very challenging. Similarly, patient perceptions vary widely from those who strive to live a normal life despite their symptoms vs. those who are unable to cope and “give in” to the disorder. FM occurs in about 2% of the population with the majority of sufferers being women. Common symptoms include muscle aches, joint pain, sleep disturbance and widespread body tender points or areas. The term “fibrositis” was first reported in 1904 to describe patients with these symptoms with many names being used including myositis, myalgia, fibrosis, myofibrositis, psychogenic rheumatism, and probably others! Not until the mid 1970’s did the term “fibromyalgia” become the accepted term, getting rid of the “-itis” suffix which means “inflammation” and adopting the “-algia” suffix, which means condition or pain. In the 1990s, the American College of Rheumatology published distinct criteria for diagnosing FM requiring 11 of 18 tender points to be identified on examination, but this too has been criticized with new recommendations to accept widespread pain, sleep disturbance, and long-term or chronic symptoms as being appropriate to establish the diagnosis. Most recently, a central nervous system (CNS) origin rather than a localized inflammatory condition is now the current accepted area of the body that is the focus of cause and treatment.
Sleep or, the inability to get to deep sleep (which takes 3-4 hours of continuous sleep), has been identified as a major symptom of FM. Similarly, many of the symptoms of poor sleep coincide with the symptoms of FM such as fatigue, poor concentration, irritability, and diffuse pain. While certain medications and herbal remedies have been focused on and discussed, little has been reported on the changes the patient can make to facilitate sleep. The first order of business to help the sleep pattern is to make sure there are no underlying conditions such as sleep apnea or thyroid disease. Second, what is the FM patient’s sleep habit(s) or routine? This includes the time they go to sleep, the time prior to falling asleep once in bed, how many times do they wake up at night and the length of time to fall back asleep, how rested do they feel in the morning and how long does it take “to wake up” and what has to be done – coffee, meds, etc., to feel “awake.” Third, identify other reasons for waking – pets in bed, a snoring partner, babies/kids or elderly care, and/or working swing or night shifts. The “treatment” of the FM patient for sleep disturbance includes discouraging daytime long naps – short naps are OK limited to 30 minutes max and at least 8 hours before bedtime. Here’s a summary list of recommendations:
- Reduce room distractions (no pets, no TV);
- Comfortable sleeping temperature and noise level – consider a white noise or “sound machine;”
- Establish a bedtime and awakening time based on the number of hours that it “usually” takes for that person to feel “rested;”
- Start a “wind-down” 60-90 min. before bedtime – reading, writing – to relax and “let go” of the day’s events;
- Avoid stimulating books or movies before bedtime;
- Writing down cares or worries of the day in a journal 45-60 minutes before bedtime;
- Avoid next day planning during the “wind-down” time period;
- Perform deep breathing exercises at bedtime;
- Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol pre-bedtime;
- Limit exercise after 3 hrs before bedtime;
- Avoid longer than 30 min. naps less than 8 hrs pre-bed time;
- Avoid eating 3 hours before bedtime;
- Avoid clock watching;
- If unable to fall asleep within 15-20 minutes, get up and engage in relaxation exercise and return to bed when feeling sleepy;
- Consider a softer mattress (harder is NOT always better);
- Some sleep centers advocate at least 40 minutes of strong light exposure after rising in the mornings.
We recognize the importance of including chiropractic in your treatment planning and realize you have a choice of providers. If you, a friend or family member requires care for FM, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services and look forward in serving you and your family presently and, in the future.
YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR FIBROMYALGIA! FOR MORE INFORMATION LOG ON TO: www.stopyourfibronow.com
Fibromyalgia Facts
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a condition that is characterized by widespread, generalized pain “all over” the body that does not follow any specific anatomical pathway like the course of a nerve, muscle, or blood vessel. It is often diagnosed only after all other conditions have been eliminated by using various testing approaches such as blood tests, x-ray, CT or MRI Scans, and others. Controversy exists between health care providers (HCP’s) as some believe that FM either doesn’t exist at all or if it does, it’s grossly over diagnosed while others feel most patients have some form or degree of FM. Because of this common split in beliefs, patients may be treated poorly by those non-believing HCP’s, which often alienates them from seeking further care for FM.
Recent literature suggests FM is disorder of “central pain processing” or, a specific situation where the pain threshold (the point where pain is felt) is reached sooner than what is normal. Fibromyalgia has been classified into 2 separate groups – primary and secondary FM. Primary FM is diagnosed when no known cause can be identified while secondary FM is related to a specific cause such as a disease or condition. Conditions that have been reportedly associated with FM include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), TMJ (jaw disorders), chronic low back pain, and headaches. There are genetic as well as environmental factors associated with FM. Researchers have found that there is a strong familial component with 1st degree relatives where an 8 fold greater risk of developing FM compared to the general population exists. These people are also more likely to have one of the other associated conditions previously mentioned (IBS, TMJ, headaches). Environmental factors can lead to FM in 5-10% of the cases. Some of these include physical trauma such as car accidents, following infections such as parvovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and Lyme disease. Psychological stress, hormonal alterations such as hypothyroid, drug side effects, vaccination reactions and certain catastrophic events such as war are included in the “environmental factors” category. Gender differences include woman being 2-3 times more likely to suffer from FM than men.
So, what are the treatment options for FM? Typically, if you go to a medical doctor, you can expect various forms of drug therapy – possibilities include anti-depressants, anti-anxiety meds, and sleep aids but with these, watch out for grogginess, side effects and some habit forming/dependency problems. Pain killers or analgesics – opioides are NOT appropriate but often prescribed and narcotics can also be habit forming. Tylenol is perhaps the safest but is not very effective. Anti-inflammatory include aspirin, ibuprofen but watch for stomach irritation and blood thinning problems. Dr. Christopher Morris, MD reports that drug treatments for FM have, “…very limited success in providing significant improvement in most patients.” He recommends behavior modification for sleep improvement, exercise (walking, water exercises, strength training, yoga, tai chi, Qi Gong), as well as cognitive behavioral therapy, massage therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, biofeedback, hypnosis, and dietary modification. Examples of dietary changes include avoiding foods with certain additives including MSG (monosodium glutamate) and aspartame where in one study, “complete resolution” of FM symptoms was reported.
Patients with FM NEED a “quarterback” to guide them in their management of FM and chiropractic is the PERFECT choice as many of these holistic approaches are utilized or can be coordinated through our office.
We recognize the importance of including chiropractic in your treatment planning and realize you have a choice of providers. If you, a friend or family member requires care for FM, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services and look forward in serving you and your family presently and, in the future.
YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR FIBROMYALGIA! FOR MORE INFORMATION LOG ON TO: WWW.STOPYOURFIBRONOW.COM
