Natural Health Relief For Fibromyalgia Sufferers

natural health

You’ve probably heard the term fibromyalgia before. Maybe you’ve experienced the symptoms, received a diagnosis or know someone who has. Maybe you’ve heard about it from a friend or have even wondered if it’s possible that you have it. I’m a firm believer in natural health, so if any of the above sounds like you then you must try the following tips.

Click here to take our online fibromyalgia test.

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What Is Fibromyalgia?

Let’s start by clarifying what fibromyalgia means. Fibromyalgia is a medical diagnosis. It is used to describe a certain set of symptoms. These symptoms can include;

  • Pain throughout the body
  • Increased sensitivity
  • Fatigue
  • Low energy
  • Poor sleep
  • Digestive issues
  • Brain fog
  • Lack of motivation

As you may be able to tell, these symptoms are quite vague and someone diagnosed with fibromyalgia may not have all these symptoms or may have other symptoms that are not on the list.

Fibromyalgia is known as a diagnosis of exclusion. This basically means that there is no specific test for it and every other relevant test has come back negative. That leaves us with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia and a person who overall feels quite unwell and unable to accomplish their daily goals.

What Causes Fibromyalgia?

It seems to be different for everyone. There is a lot of research going into this area and many theories and ideas into the causes and triggers of fibromyalgia are being investigated.

Theories range from changes in pain signalling pathways in the nervous system, to genetic variations, hormonal imbalances, and immune system changes. And, while each person is different, fibromyalgia often seems to be linked with stress and inflammation (1).

Naturopathic Approach For Natural Health?

Before we get into my naturopathic approach to fibromyalgia, I’d like to make an important distinction.

As a naturopath, I don’t treat fibromyalgia. I do, however, treat patients who may be experiencing symptoms that fit with a fibromyalgia diagnosis.

I make this distinction, not to be confusing, but because I find it can be too easy to focus on a diagnosis. Especially one as frustrating as fibromyalgia and lose sight of the unique person behind the diagnosis. That being said, here is my approach to helping patients who may be experiencing symptoms of fibromyalgia get their health back on track.

Natural Health Steps To Achieve Relief

stress
1. Address The Stress

The symptoms of fibromyalgia are usually brought on by a stressful life event (1). Whether it was a traumatic experience or a flu that never seemed to go away, it is important to address and process any unresolved emotions around that experience.

Daily life stress also seems to make all of the symptoms of fibromyalgia worse so finding ways to manage and better cope with stress is so important. There are many tools that we use as Naturopaths to help manage stress. These tools range from;

Also, it can even be as simple as doing one thing a day that brings you joy. That last one gets written down on my prescription pad often!

It is important to work with a healthcare professional to form your own unique toolkit to help you best manage your stress.

2. Diet & Nutrition

As previously mentioned, inflammation tends to play a large role in fibromyalgia. There are a lot of ways to reduce inflammation with diet. There are anti-inflammatory diets, intermittent fasting, and even specific foods that can help reduce inflammation. This is where it becomes important to work with a Naturopath to come up with dietary habits that work best for you.

Click here to read, “Foods to Avoid with Fibromyalgia”.

fibromyalgia relief
3. Address Sleep

There has been research to show abnormal sleeping patterns in people diagnosed with fibromyalgia (2). Checking in with your sleep patterns and practicing good sleep hygiene can help to reduce symptoms of fibromyalgia. Herbs, acupuncture, nutrition, and exercise can be useful tools in getting sleep back on track as well.

4. Rest, Rest, Rest

I say this three times because it is so important and many struggle with taking time to rest. It can be hard to accept not being able to do everything you could do before. However, it is important to listen to your body and take the time to rest. This rest time is important for recovery but also in re-focusing and re-establishing some of your health and overall life goals.

natural health
5. Exercise

Everyone is different.  However, I often find people who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia really benefit from restorative type exercises. Things that involve gentle movement like;

All of these help get the body moving and blood flowing without being too strenuous for someone who is already feeling depleted.

And there you have it, some areas to look into with your Naturopath if you are experiencing symptoms of fibromyalgia. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

References
  1. “Fibromyalgia – Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders.” Merck Manuals Professional Edition, Merck Manuals.
  2. Wu Y-L, Chang L-Y, Lee H-C, Fang S-C, Tsai P-S. Sleep disturbances in fibromyalgia: A meta-analysis of case-control studies. J Psychosom Res. 2017 May;96:89–97.

Fibromyalgia Symptoms Affect Mostly Women

fibromaylgia
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fibromyalgia symptoms women

Fibromyalgia Symptoms Women – Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome known by symptoms of musculoskeletal pain in specific anatomical sites. However the identifiable physical or physiological causes are unknown.  In addition, this diagnosis is considerably more common in women than men.

Why Does Fibromyalgia Affect Women More Than Men?

Think You Might Have Fibromyalgia?  Take Our Fibromyalgia Test

The Fibro Pain

The pain is also described as;

  • Sharp or achy
  • Spread out
  • Severe
  • Pounding
  • Stabbing

Some will have fairly consistent symptoms while others may experience periods of remission and then flare ups. When it’s at its worst they can be accompanied by heart palpitations.

Fibromyalgia Symptoms Women

Fibromyalgia symptoms in both woman and men can overlap into psychosomatic disorders  starting first from;

  • Pain
  • Headaches
  • Nausea
  • Seep disturbances

Which can turn into depression and anxiety.  Are we saying that Fibromyalgia is a mental problem?  No but it can lead to one.

It has more commonly been categorized as a central nervous system disorder.  One that can be chronic. However, research suggests a strong correlation between Fibromyalgia and mental health.

Fibromyalgia affects approximately 4% to 6% of the population.  Affecting 1 million people in Canada alone.  Interestingly enough, 70% to 90% of the diagnosed cases are women.

That doesn’t mean that men can’t be affected obviously.  However, it is clearly a condition affecting more woman.

Click to read, “The Dos and Donts of the Fibromyalgia Diet” to find the  best diet for fibromyalgia. 

No Fibromyalgia Lab Tests

Unfortunately there are no lab tests to diagnose fibromyalgia.  Determining the syndrome is by confirming a list of symptoms (see above).  Mainly the symptoms of pain and fatigue, assessed by a qualified doctor.

Why this is so important is because other conditions need to be ruled out.   Sadly, this condition can be used as a label to acknowledge a problem without any other known cause.

A fibromyalgia diagnosis can be considered if no other known cause is determined.  Presence of tender points in 18 possible sites on the body must also be present.  These points produce pain when pressure is applied.  A person must have 11 or more of these tender points among other symptoms if a diagnostic conclusion will be made.

Think You Might Have Fibromyalgia?  Take Our Full Fibromyalgia Test

References:

Amanda MacMillan / Health. (Sep. 2017). Lady Gaga Has Postponed Her Tour Because of Her Fibromyalgia. Here’s What to Know About the Painful Disorder.
Retrieved from http://time.com/4946983/lady-gaga-fibromyalgia-disorder/

(Jul. 2018). Fibromyalgia. Britannica
Retrieved from www.britannica.com/science/fibromyalgia

Online Fibromyalgia Test

fibromyalgia diagnosis

LIVING WITH FIBROMYALGIA? The following Fibromyalgia test will help you determine if you have the metabolic fingerprints of Fibromyalgia. Diagnosing Fibromyalgia is a challenge. There are many illnesses with similar symptoms that can be misdiagnosed as this condition that should be ruled out, and although there isn’t a specific blood test, there are markers that suspected patients with fibromyalgia will have that point in the direction of a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia . This questionnaire we have prepared is a simplified version of the diagnostic criteria provided by the American College of Rheumatology. Please note that there is not definitive diagnostic questionnaire available and you should always consult your doctor for medical advice any health concerns, however this tool can be used to provide some guidance. Fill in the form below and click the big button at the bottom to analyze your results.  Also, click here to learn about foods to avoid with fibromyalgia.

A. Widespread Pain Index

This is the first part of the fibromyalgia test. Where do you feel your pain? Using the diagram above indicate each of the 18 tender points on your body you have experienced pain over the past 7 days and count 1 for each point.

Total number of pain points: /18 Points

B. Symptom Severity Scale

Using a scale of 0 (No problem) to 3 (Severe and Ongoing), rate your symptom severity over the past week in each of the 3 categories.

Fatigue Waking Unrefreshed Brain Fog
/3 /3 /3

C.  Somatic Symptoms List

People with Check any symptoms you have experienced over the past week. Symptoms include:

Muscle Pain
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Fatigue/Tiredness
Thinking / Memory problems
Muscle Weakness
Headache
Pain/Cramps in Abdomen
Numbness / Tingling
Dizziness
Insomnia
Depression
Constipation
Pain in Upper Abdomen
Nausea
Nervousness
Chest Pain
Blurred Vision
Fever
Diarrhea
Dry Mouth
Itching
Wheezing
Hives / Welts
Ringing In the Ears
Vomiting
Heartburn
Oral ulcers
Loss/ Change in Taste
Seizures
Dry Eyes
Shortness of Breath
Loss of Appetite
Rash
Sun Sensitivity
Hearing Difficulty
Easy Bruising - Hair Loss
Frequent Urination
Bladder Spasms