Acupuncture & Qi Gong Can Successfully Treat Fibromyalgia pain
What is fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes pain, stiffness, and tenderness of muscles, tendons, and joints. Additionally, it is also characterized by restless sleep, awakening feeling tired, chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression, and disturbances in bowel function.
The condition fibromyalgia is non-life-threatening and does not cause body damage, deformity, or injury to internal body organs. Fibromyalgia is sometimes referred to as fibromyalgia syndrome and abbreviated FMS. Fibromyalgia was formerly called fibrosis.
Specifically, the term fibromyalgia comes from fibrous tissue (fibromyalgia) and muscle pain (alga) in Greek.
Fibromyalgia is considered an arthritis-related condition.
However, it is not a form of arthritis because it does not cause inflammation in joints, muscles, or other tissues.
Instead, fibromyalgia is a muscle disorder that can still cause significant pain and fatigue and interfere with daily activities.
Fibromyalgia (fibromyalgia) affects predominantly women (over 80% of those affected are women) between the ages of 35 and 55. Additionally, it can also affect men, children, and the elderly. It can occur independently or be associated with another disease, such as systemic lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
Fibromyalgia prevalence varies by country.
Additionally, in Sweden and Britain, about 1% of the population is affected by fibromyalgia.
In the United States, about 4% of the population has fibromyalgia.
The cause of fibromyalgia is not known.
Moreover, those affected experience pain in response to stimuli that are normally not painful.
Researchers have found elevated levels of a nerve chemical signal, called substance P, in the spinal fluid of patients.
Levels of the brain chemical serotonin are also relatively low in patients.
Studies of pain indicate the central nervous system may be hyper-sensitive.
Additionally, patients with the condition have an impaired non-REM sleep phase.
The onset of the condition has been associated with psychological distress, trauma, and infection.
The symptoms and signs of fibromyalgia include fatigue and widespread pain.
Fibromyalgia is not always easy to diagnose. Additionally, the condition fibromyalgia presents with variable symptoms across individuals. Many symptoms mimic those of other disorders. Physicians cannot see obvious signs. There is no definitive laboratory test for this condition. The next several slides review some of the more common symptoms of the disorder.
Tender points are a hallmark of fibromyalgia, indicating areas of heightened sensitivity.
fibromyalgia presents with tender points that are localized to specific body areas.
Additionally, they are commonly found around the elbows, shoulders, knees, and hips.
They also appear at the back of the head and the sides of the breastbone.
Tender points are sometimes called ‘trigger points,’ describing a situation where pressing them can trigger symptoms.
However, this is not the case with fibromyalgia tender points, which are chronically a focus of pain in involved area.
Fibromyalgia Pain
The universal symptom of fibromyalgia is pain. As noted earlier, the pain in the condition is not caused by tissue inflammation. Moreover, individuals with the condition have increased sensitivity to many sensory stimuli. They also show an unusually low pain threshold. The pain is generally widespread, involving both sides of the body. Pain usually affects the neck, buttocks, shoulders, arms, the upper back, and the chest. The body pain from the condition can be aggravated by noise, weather changes, and emotional stress.
Additionally, fatigue is a common symptom of fibromyalgia.
Fatigue affects about 90% of patients.
Furthermore, fatigue may relate to abnormal sleep patterns.
Normally, there are several levels of sleep depth.
Getting enough deep sleep may refresh a person more than the total hours of sleep.
Patients with fibromyalgia lack the deep, restorative level of sleep, called non-REM sleep.
Consequently, they often awaken in the morning without feeling fully rested, even though they have slept enough hours.
Some patients awaken with muscle aches or a sensation of muscle fatigue as if they had been working out all night.
Mental and emotional disturbances can accompany fibromyalgia.
Additionally, these symptoms may affect mood, sleep, and daily functioning.
Mental and/or emotional disturbances occur in over half of people with fibromyalgia.
These symptoms include poor concentration, forgetfulness, and memory problems, as well as mood changes, irritability, depression, and anxiety.
Since a firm diagnosis of fibromyalgia can be challenging, there are no confirmatory laboratory tests available.
Additionally, patients with fibromyalgia are often misdiagnosed as having depression as their primary underlying problem.
Additional symptoms of fibromyalgia vary among individuals. Moreover, this section highlights common extras and when to seek medical advice.
Other symptoms include migraine and tension headaches.
Additionally, numbness or tingling on different parts of the body can occur.
fibromyalgia is discussed with abdominal pain related to irritable bowel syndrome (spastic colon) and irritable bladder, causing painful urination.
How is fibromyalgia diagnosed?
However, there are no blood tests or X-rays pointing to fibromyalgia. Additionally, tests are typically done to exclude other possible diagnoses. Ultimately, the diagnosis is based purely on clinical grounds from history and examination. In chronic widespread body pain, clinicians identify tender points and rule out mimics. Some patients have at least 11 of the 18 classic tender points.
Additionally, several conditions mimic fibromyalgia.
As mentioned, no simple blood test or X-ray can tell you if you have fibromyalgia. Because many medical conditions can cause pain in different areas of the body, your doctor may still want to do blood tests or X-rays to rule out illnesses that mimic fibromyalgia. Conditions that mimic fibromyalgia are listed on this slide.
What Is the Treatment for Fibromyalgia?
Although there is no cure for fibromyalgia, treatment can relieve some of the symptoms. Since symptoms are diverse and vary among patients, treatment programs must be individualized for each patient. Treatment programs are most effective when they combine patient education, stress reduction, regular exercise, and medications. Ultimately, the acupuncturist, and patient may all play an active role in the management of fibromyalgia. Recent studies have verified that the best outcome for each patient results from a combination of approaches that involves the patient in customization of the treatment plan.
Fibromyalgia Treatment: Patient Education
Patient education is an important first step in helping patients understand and cope with the diverse symptoms.
Fibromyalgia Treatment: Stress Reduction
It is extremely difficult to measure stress levels in different patients. For some people, spilling milk on the table can represent a significant tragedy. For others, a tank rolling into the living room might represent just another day! Therefore, stress reduction in the treatment of fibromyalgia must be individualized. Qi Gong, Chinese Massage is one specific way to help relieve stress. Qi Gong massage is a medical massage used to treat disease.
Fibromyalgia Treatment: Exercise
The most important therapy for muscle pain is regular low-impact exercise. Keeping muscles conditioned and healthy by exercising three times a week decreases the amount of discomfort. Low-impact aerobic exercises, such as swimming, cycling, walking, and stationary cross-country ski machines, can be effective fibromyalgia treatments. Exercise regimens are most beneficial when performed on an every-other-day basis, in the morning. How exercise benefits fibromyalgia is unknown. Exercise may exert its beneficial effect by promoting a deep level of sleep (non-REM sleep). Sometimes physical therapy can be helpful to optimally guide the exercise plan.
Fibromyalgia Treatment: Diet
Research hasn’t shown that there are specific foods that all fibromyalgia patients should avoid or add to their diets. But it may still be worthwhile to take a closer look at how foods impact the way you feel. A good way to start identifying the foods that may aggravate your symptoms, experts say, is by keeping a daily food journal. To find out what works for you, try eliminating foods one at a time. As you make changes to your diet, keep in mind that people with fibromyalgia tend to benefit most from taking a variety of approaches to managing their symptoms.
Avoiding alcohol and caffeine before bedtime can help promote a more restful sleep. Foods that lead to comfortable sleep should be favored. While these dietary changes may not apply to everyone, they can be very helpful for some. When patients have accompanying irritable bowel syndrome, the diet should be adjusted to not aggravate the bowels. Likewise, when patients have accompanying interstitial cystitis, foods that irritate the bladder should be avoided.
Treatment
Local injections of analgesics and/or cortisone medication into the tender point areas can helpful in relieving painful soft tissues, while breaking cycles of pain and muscle spasm. However non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), while very helpful in treating other rheumatic conditions, have only a limited value in treating fibromyalgia pain. Narcotic pain relievers are typically avoided in fibromyalgia patients because they have not been shown to be beneficial and have potential adverse side effects, including dependency, when used long term.
Fibromyalgia Treatment with Acupuncture
With acupuncture, a practitioner inserts dry needles into the skin and underlying tissues at specific points.
Gently twisting or manipulating the needles causes a measurable release of endorphins into the bloodstream.
Endorphins are the body’s natural opioids.
Additionally, energy blocks are removed, restoring the flow along meridians.
Studies show acupuncture may alter brain chemistry and neurotransmitter release.
These neurotransmitters stimulate or inhibit nerve impulses that relay pain.
As a result, the patient’s pain tolerance increases.
fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition that may respond to acupuncture.
One acupuncture treatment in some patients may last weeks to help alleviate chronic pain.
An alternative fibromyalgia treatment is Qi Gong massage therapy.
Additionally, it blends mindful movement and therapeutic touch.
Massage can reduce muscle tension and ease pain in the muscles and soft tissue.
Additionally, it can improve circulation and range of motion and boost production of natural painkillers.
Some studies suggest it can improve your mood.
For people with fibromyalgia, sleep often improves with massage.
Formal studies of the effects of massage on fibromyalgia symptoms are few and results are mixed.
However, researchers at the University of Miami’s Touch Research Institute report that just 20 minutes of moderate-pressure massage can lessen the flow of chemicals associated with pain and stress.
They also note it increases production of serotonin.
The result is a better night’s sleep.
That can help combat fatigue.
The inability to concentrate is known as fibromyalgia fog.
What is the outlook for patients with fibromyalgia?
The outlook for patients with fibromyalgia (fibromyalgia) is generally good.
However, it is not an organ-threatening illness.
Those with a thoughtful treatment approach tend to do best, with sleep improvements, stress reduction, and exercise.
