Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue (CFS) Therapy
Treatment for Fibromyalgia
and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) Therapy
Fibromyalgia is a mysterious, chronic condition which is often a debilitating disease that affects approximately 10 million people in the US (most of whom are women), according to the National Fibromyalgia Association.
Treating Fibromyalgia Pain and CFS can be tricky because there is no agreed-upon cure for Fibro or CFS, the general consensus at present for the best methods of treatment are: pain management, lymphatic fluid movement, and the improvement of sleep.
All of these things are improved
with lymphatic massage.
Traditional Treatments for Fibro and CFS
Medical advice that is often given is to take medication usually in the form of several of the following medications: muscle relaxants like Flexeril, antidepressants like cymbalta and savella, painkillers including anti inflammatory drugs, opioids or opiod-like drugs such as ultram or nucynta and tramadol, anti seizure medications like Lyrica and gabapentin to alter pain perception, as well as various sleeping medications in order to help the sufferer obtain critical restful sleep. Sadly, many fibro patients end up being referred to pain clinics by their primary health care provider because he or she is nervous about writing so many scripts.
The problem is that all of these drugs merely mask pain symptoms – for example they manage pain or alleviate pain, they may help improve sleep or mitigate sleep disturbances. What they do not do is address the triggers of these conditions.
Fibro folks who are fed up with this ineffective standard medical approach seek out Alternative Treatments to mitigate symptoms.
NEW RESEARCH
Lymphatic Vessels Drain the Brain
So Lymphatic Drainage Can Help Fibro
Relatively recent mapping of the brain’s structures have shown that lymphatic vessels exist in the brain. These lymphatic vessels drain out old Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF), taking with it cellular waste from the brain.
What the Research Says
Lymph Functions as a Flushing Mechanism
“Studies indicate that most of the glymphatic flushing that occurs in the brain occurs during sleep – a problematic time for many people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia. Then there’s Dr. Perrin who swears that his lymphatic drainage techniques help people with chronic fatigue syndrome. He believes the cognitive and other problems found in ME/CFS are due to too much sludge in the system.”
(Credit: “Medical Game-Changer” To Shed New Light on Neuroimmune Diseases”)
You can read the actual research about this process here.
Concerned Treatment Will Hurt?
Rest assured that at Pain & Swelling Solutions you are trusting your care to someone who understands your pain personally.
While many people may offer treatment for Fibromyalgia, not many practitioners have it themselves. It’s different at Pain & Swelling Solutions because the therapist has it also.
Your needs during therapy will be honored, and you will be in a safe place to ask questions and request any adjustments to your session at any point including stopping to take a break if that is what you need.
Most people become so relaxed that they drift off to sleep – even people with Fibro and CFS who have difficulty sleeping.
“I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia around 2010 and I’ve been through the whole circus of referral from one doctor to the next, being told it was ‘all in my head,’ being told I was ‘just trying to score more pills’ despite desperately wanting to be off of them. (After several years of researching and strict diet modifications I did get off of all my medications.)
I know what it feels like to lie in bed not knowing how I will get through the day because of the pain. I understand what it’s like to have a disease that no one can see. I also understand that sensations that shouldn’t cause pain can be excruciating, and I’m willing to make whatever modifications are needed to help my clients.”
— Shannon Goins-Blair, Therapist
What is Fibromyalgia?
Symptoms of Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a condition that is characterized by symptoms including distinct tender points, widespread body pain (often thought to be musculoskeletal pain), severe fatigue, and insomnia. Fibromyalgia sufferers are often irritable, have headaches and stiffness, and experience a phenomenon called “fibro fog” wherein they are often forgetful or easily confused despite being intelligent people.
Hypersensitivity is another common symptom of fibromyalgia. People with fibro can be sensitive to chemical/perfumed smells such as what one might find in air freshener or laundry detergents. Others are sensitive to touch that should not cause pain (a condition known as allodynia). Common triggers are a breeze from an overhead fan, clothing touching the skin, and pain when getting into the shower when the water hits the skin.
One recent study links the presence of silicone breast implants to CFS and fibromyalgia. While this clearly does not apply to all people suffering these conditions, it implies that toxins and foreign substances to which we are exposed may be the triggering element.
Depression and anxiety are also commonly found in fibro folks, although the link to those symptoms is unclear. As a result, many fibro patients are put on antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications by their rheumatologists when they are diagnosed. Physical trauma and emotional trauma are commonly associated with the onset of fibromyalgia, so many doctors refer fibro folks to psychologists and other mental health professionals.
What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is another mysterious condition that cannot be directly diagnosed. Healthcare professionals who diagnose CFS first seek to rule out other illnesses that may be causing the symptoms.
These include sleep disorders like insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome. Symptoms of CFS may also come from anemia and hypothyroidism. Circulatory and respiratory issues as well as mental health disorders like anxiety and depression can also mimic CFS.
Living with Fibromyalgia & CFS
Although there is no cure for Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, you can help manage your condition with natural treatments.
Stress reduction and relaxation techniques help to calm the nervous system. They can help reduce emotional stress which can improve sleep. This in turn reduces tiredness and waking up feeling exhausted.
One program that I have found particularly helpful in my own situation is The Gupta Program.
The program takes advantage of the fact that our brains are neuro-plastic, meaning that they can be retrained. The Gupta Program teaches you how to identify the thought patterns that trigger additional stressors that make Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome even worse. Once you have identified these thought patterns, you learn how to calm your mind and calm your symptoms. This calmness can lead to better sleep patterns which help a great deal in breaking the fatigue and pain cycles associated with Fibro and CFS. The Gupta Program is an all-natural, drug-free way to help yourself in your own home, and it comes with a money-back guarantee.
Another great way to help Fibro and CFS comes from eating a balanced diet of whole plant-based foods that are not inflammatory. Reducing inflammation can help reduce the constant aches that are present with fibromyalgia and provide more energy for those with CFS.
