FIBROMYALGIA SYNDROME (FMS) causes chronic pain in muscles, ligaments
and tendons. But what causes FMS is another story. It is a mysterious
syndrome, affecting four-times more women than men, with no apparent
physical cause.
Some of the more obvious factors that are considered likely to be
causes include injuries, accidents, surgeries, other illness or infections
that compromise the immune system, and stress.
While there are no specific diagnostic tests to label this disease with
100 per cent certainty, it can affect nearly every part of the body. So
when testing for it, doctors will check 18 tender points. The majority
of these points cluster around the upper body including the neck,
shoulders, chest, elbows and mid back. The lower body gets attention around
the hips, thighs and buttocks.
Some associated symptoms with fibromyalgia include irritable bowel
and/or bladder, strange sensations of the skin, headaches, insomnia, TMJ,
dizziness, sleep disorders, chronic fatigue, digestive upset and
malabsorption, anxiety or memory impairment.
To further complicate things, the correlation between FMS and its
"symptom" of depression, is a little blurry.
The question remains, which came first? The chicken or the egg?
Daily activities like lifting, walking up stairs, and — for some severe
cases — even sitting, are often very difficult and painful. As if
chronic pain isn’t enough to reckon with, when it interferes so much with
daily routine, it isn’t surprising that depression takes hold.
New research is tackling FMS from an emotional standpoint. We can’t
discredit the fact that our stress response doesn’t know the difference
between physical, chemical or emotional trauma. Each can have the same
heavy impact on overall health and wellness.
This concept is perhaps why some researchers think that the correlation
is so strong that they are willing to name emotional trauma or
depression as a leading cause of FMS. This approach is getting some attention
from the treatment side of the issue too.
While such treatments as chiropractic, osteopathy, massage therapy,
physiotherapy and acupuncture are well accepted protocol, a special kind
of treatment is taking the limelight. EFT is a form of acupuncture
specially designed to treat psychological issues.
This is not to imply that the pain is "all in the head" in an imagined
way, but more on a psychosomatic — or psychophysiological — level. We
know that what is in the head can affect the body in a very real and
damaging way. It is important to understand and manage the mind-body unity
with proper emotional and psychological support.
With the mind and body at war with each other, it’s no wonder that
sufferers find it difficult to fathom taking on an exercise routine. But
this might be one of the tactics to help lessen the effect of the
syndrome.
In fact, lack of exercise can worsen the symptoms. If a person avoids
exercise, the muscle will atrophy, making pain worse in the long run. It
is important to pain management that the joints and muscles stay
active, supple and mobile.
There is a fine line, however, between moderate exercise and
overexertion. This line is unique to each person based on the severity of their
condition. In general, you want to get light exercise everyday, not like
some other fitness goals that say you need moderate to heavy exercise
every other day.
Cardiovascular exercise is important for circulation and mobility.
Endurance and low impact exercises are the best. So the steadfast things
like walking, swimming or cycling are good options.
But don’t shy away from strength training. A growing amount of research
has shown that exercise can actually reduce pain. It has also been
proven to relieve some of the other debilitating symptoms of fatigue and
mood swings and it improves overall strength and function.
While it might seem counterproductive at first — to fatigue already
sore and tired muscles — a properly designed regimen can have long-term
benefits. As one researcher put it, sufferers are already in pain, so
they can have sore, weak muscles or sore, strong muscles.
A routine should focus on core and functional strength, to improve
overall strength and endurance. Generally, an athlete would train the
muscle to failure for optimal strength training results. For a person
struggling with FMS, this type of fatigue might occur just from walking to
the gym, let alone getting the workout done.
Light-resistance weight training is an option, but Yoga, Pilates, Tai
Chi or any other low impact strength/stretch routines work nicely too.
A gentle stretching routine must be incorporated into the daily
routine, ideally after the workout while the muscles are still warm.
Stretching is vital to maintaining good range of motion through the joints and
muscles and to reduce any chance of cramping. You can also ease some of
the post workout strain with a soothing hot epsom salt bath.
You can further service the body by avoiding aggravating foods, such as
those that contain solanine. This component interferes with enzymes in
the muscles, potentially leading to pain and discomfort.
You can also ensure proper intake of protein and carbohydrates to help
energy production. When the body doesn’t have enough fuel it will start
to rob the muscles of essential nutrients, causing muscle wasting and
pain.
It’s a good idea to keep a diary and log all your activity, rest, diet
and treatments. You can gain a general perspective on what is helping
versus hindering you in your holistic healing regimen.
Article origin: http://thechronicleherald.ca/Sports/549523.html | |
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