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July 30, 2004

Technology Clarifying Fibromyalgia

A new client came to me yesterday suffering with fibromyalgia syndrome. Fibromyalgia is one of those diagnosis that are given once everything else is ruled out. Eleven out of eighteen pressure points in all four quadrants of the body must be exquisitely tender for a sure diagnosis. It's sufferers characterized their symptoms as hurting all over, fatigue, joint pain, migraine headaches, irritable bowel.

Technology offers insight into possible causes of fibromyalgia that hasn't been available in the past. An increasing number of scientific studies now show multiple physiological abnormalities in the FM patient, including: increased levels of substance P in the spinal cord, low levels of blood flow to the thalamus region of the brain, HPA axis hypofunction, low levels of serotonin and tryptophan and abnormalities in cytokine function.

What does massage therapy do for fibromyalgia patients? With good communication, massage offers temporary relief of symptoms, moves interstitial blood and lymph which, because of congestion, I believe makes the body feel "toxic." Massage also helps improve the chances for quality sleep which is generally lacking in the lives of affected individuals.

As an adjunct to massage, I recommend lymph drainage, mild pool exercises, and a constructive support group aimed at sharing information and constructive solutions.

Posted by linda at July 30, 2004 12:32 PM