By Toni Narins, L.Ac. Fibromyalgia (FM or FMS) affects between 3 to 6% of the general population, with females being affected 9:1 over males. While the disease isnt usually life threatening, its various symptoms can be distressing at best, and debilitating at worst. The primary symptom associated with fibromyalgia is pain. Pain can be general or specific, is found primarily in the muscle fibers, and sometimes the joints. The pain can be experienced as heightened sensitivity to light touch, or it can be tingly, achy, spasmodic, and can also include muscle weakness. Unfortunately, there are no objective markers for fibromyalgia – no blood or urine tests which would give a definitive diagnosis. So physicians must diagnose according to symptoms, and must also differentiate fibromyalgia from other rheumatic disorders, such as polymyalgia rheumatica. Since fibromyalgia is often called a syndrome, there are other possible clusters of symptoms associated with it, other than pain. One of the most common is chronic fatigue. Sleep disturbances and the inability to reach deep REM stage sleep are also common. Many patients report what they call brain fog – the inability to concentrate or focus for any length of time, and/or the inability to multi-task. Many doctors believe that there is a psychosomatic or psychogenic cause of fibromyalgia. There are studies which suggest that over 50% of fibromyalgia patients suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. (1) As a result, western medical drug therapy focuses on treating the symptoms of fibromyalgia, usually with a combination of drugs: anti-depressants, pain relievers and a variety of sleep aids. Another theory which has gained popularity is that fibromyalgia involves abnormal deposits of phosphorous and calcium in the cells of the body. Diagnosis of fibromyalgia by adherents to this theory involves something called mapping, in which various areas of the body are palpated to detect lumps and spasms. This is different than detecting trigger points, which has been a basis of diagnosis doctors have used for many years. The treatment protocol for those who follow this theory is guaifenesin, which is an ingredient in some decongestants. Those who follow the guaifenesin protocol are advised to not ingest any form of salicylic acid in medications, on the skin, or of unknown origin, meaning herbal remedies. Many people today shy away from drug therapy altogether for a variety of reasons, and many more are becoming wary of taking combinations of drugs. For those people who do not wish to take combinations of drugs, or follow the guaifenesin protocol, there is another alternative: Chinese medicine. Acupuncture and herbal remedies have been alleviating pain, aiding sleep, and aiding in mental alertness for centuries. In Chinese medicine, pain equals stagnation. In normal physiology, energy flows to all parts of the body evenly and smoothly, following a prescribed course. When there is pain, it means that something has impeded the flow of energy. There are several possible reasons for this. One possibility is that there isnt enough energy, so the normal flow – which should resemble that of a healthy stream – is reduced to a mere trickle. Patients in this case will often report fatigue, weakness in the limbs, headaches, perhaps a feeling of coldness in the limbs and brain fog. For these patients, a close look at dietary factors is important, as well as herbal therapy. Other patients will report conditions such as interstitial cystitis, muscle spasms and nerve pain as well as muscle pain. These people might report feeling hot and irritable. They, too, can experience headaches, but they will be different from those in the first group. A qualified practitioner of acupuncture, herbs and Chinese medicine should be able to distinguish those differences and be able to prescribe the appropriate therapy. Also, it is important for the fibromyalgia patient who is taking a prescription medicine to report this to their acupuncturist/herbalist. A well-trained practitioner will be able to write an herbal prescription and give directions for use which will not interfere with, or cause any interactions with a western medical prescription. Toni Narins, L.Ac. is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist in San Diego, CA. She maintains a busy clinical practice in Mission Valley, treating women with fibromyalgia, insomnia, chronic fatigue, arthritis, menstrual problems, menopausal symptoms and a wide variety of pain. Aside from acupuncture and herbs, she addresses her patient’s diet, exercise, and lifestyle. For more health information, visit Mission Valley Acupuncture Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Toni_Narins,_L.Ac. http://EzineArticles.com/?Alternative-Strategies-For-Treating-Fibromyalgia&id=482361
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