| Fibromyalgia | | | | our brain monitor, adjust, and optimize our |
| What is Fibromyalgia? | | | | environment and health. |
| There are 5 to 6 million known cases of | | | | One way I tell my patients to think of it is to |
| Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) in the United Stares, | | | | imagine a garden hose coming out of the front of |
| and many more that have yet to be diagnosed. | | | | your house. The hose is supplying water to a |
| Fibromyalgia is one of the most commonly | | | | sprinkler watering the grass. The sprinkler is like |
| misdiagnosed conditions in this country. False | | | | the smaller nerves that supply the smaller cells. |
| diagnosis for FMS is commonly diagnosed as | | | | Now, it is important for the grass to get the right |
| chronic fatigue syndrome, lymes disease, chronic | | | | amount of water. Lots of patients in my practice |
| myofascial pain syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, | | | | come to see me with a pinched nerve. Now, |
| and many others. There is no definitive diagnostic | | | | pinched nerves are like someone standing on the |
| test for fibromyalgia that can determine for | | | | hose. The water doesn't come out as much as it |
| certain that FMS is the cause of the symptoms. | | | | should, and the water doesn't give the grass its |
| Fibromyalgia is a complex disorder involving | | | | nourishment, it wilts, and dies. Pinched nerves are |
| several symptoms and is basically a rule-out | | | | very similar. Now, fibro is the complete opposite |
| diagnosis. A rule out diagnosis means that you | | | | of that, Imagine hooking up a fire hose to the |
| cannot definitively diagnosis fibromyalgia based on | | | | sprinkler? Probably would like right huh? Water |
| any one test, symptom, or examination. No | | | | flying up in the air, all over the place, putting lots |
| doctors can definitively diagnosis fibromyalgia | | | | of stress on sprinkler head, and probably giving |
| without ruling out other causes of the symptoms | | | | way too much water to the grass. And what will |
| first. There are many conditions which can mimic | | | | happen if you keep over watering the grass that |
| and present similar to fibro, and should be ruled | | | | way? It will also get brown and die. The firehouse |
| out before the diagnosis is definitive. Some of | | | | to a sprinkler is the best analogy I can give to |
| these disorders include autoimmune disorders, | | | | fibromyalgia. The nervous system is hyper active. |
| tick-borne illness, genetic deficiencies and others. | | | | Just as an under active nervous system can |
| Some common disorders to rule out include lymes | | | | make you numb, and over-active nervous |
| disease, lupus, irritable bowl diseases, arthritis, and | | | | system makes you over sensitive to stimuli. We |
| others. Diagnosis will be discussed in further detail | | | | will be talking about diagnosis soon; however, one |
| separately in the book. | | | | of the definitive diagnostic tests for fibro is the |
| Many doctors, studies, and institutions have tried | | | | trigger point assessment. Basically the test |
| to determine the root cause of FMS. FMS affects | | | | discovers if certain points in the body are |
| mostly women and typically the symptoms begin | | | | over-sensitive. This is testing the nervous |
| in young adulthood. Several hypotheses have | | | | systems response. If you touch a certain part of |
| been put forward to try to explain fibromyalgia | | | | your body, in a certain way, your nerves should |
| and include immunologic abnormalities, chemical | | | | respond a certain way. In fibro patients, those |
| insensitivity, Epstein Barr Virus infection, Candidia | | | | certain points with a certain pressure, elicit an |
| Ablicans infection, chronic mercury poisoning from | | | | over reactive and over sensitive response. This |
| dental fillings, anemia, parasites, phyopglycmia, and | | | | demonstrates the body's hyperactive state. The |
| hypothyroidism. However, as with most medical | | | | over-active nervous system model can be applies |
| issues, I think that we overcomplicate things. In | | | | to all signs and symptoms of fibro. Scientifically, |
| this book, I will try to describe complex medical | | | | this idea has been proven by several studies, |
| terms, hypothesis and treatments in easy to | | | | which have demonstrated an increased level of |
| understand language and recommendations. | | | | substance P, a neurotransmitter in the brain and |
| There are lots of fancy medical words and large | | | | spinal cord that causes pain. (1,2,3) |
| concepts that we could use to tell you about | | | | This over active nervous system is more |
| fibromyalgia. It would make me sounds smart and | | | | responsive to pain than a normal nervous system. |
| like I knew what I was talking about, however, it | | | | Also the increased levels of substance P, tell us |
| wouldn't help you all that much. Plus, most of | | | | that the brain and spinal cord are inducing more |
| those big words are just Latin that us doctors | | | | pain. My neurology instructor in graduate school |
| use to make ourselves sound smart. I would like | | | | told our class that if our brain acknowledged all |
| to explain fibromyalgia to you in simple terms. I | | | | the pain our nerves felt all day, we would go |
| think anyone who has been diagnosed with fibro, | | | | insane. In fact, it has been shown in studies that |
| thinks they may have fibro, or has a friend with | | | | 99 percent of all pain signals recorded by the |
| fibro, knows that if you got 10 doctors in a room | | | | nerves are ignored at the brain. The brain is |
| to discuss fibro, four wouldn't believe that fibro | | | | normally trying to protect us from all the pain that |
| exists, and then you would get 10 opinions from | | | | we feel. The nerves do a great job at monitoring |
| the other six doctors. Unfortunately, the etiology | | | | all that goes on in the body, especially pain signals. |
| (cause) of fibromyalgia is not completely known. | | | | However, it's the brains and spinal cords job, to |
| However, I believe that it is easily explainable; we | | | | edit these signals. To decide which are important |
| just try to over-complicate the issue. | | | | and which are not. Unfortunately, with FMS these |
| Fibromyalgia is a disorder, which consists of an | | | | edits don't seem to be working, and the patient |
| overly active, overly sensitive nervous system. | | | | feels much more than is normally tolerable. |
| That is it! I couldn't make it much simpler. | | | | This excess reaction is a root cause for all FMS |
| Fibromyalgia consists of a body's own nervous | | | | symptoms. Of course there are other hypothesis |
| system over-reacting. The nervous system is the | | | | for the cause of fibromyalgia. Some doctors have |
| master controller of the body. The human body | | | | suggested that fibro is due to chronic of previous |
| can survive approximately 6 weeks with no food, | | | | infection, some claim sleep disturbances can cause |
| about 6 days without water, about 6 minutes | | | | it, and some even believe that there is a genetic |
| without a heart, and about 6 milliseconds without | | | | component. More studies will be done, however |
| a nervous system. The nervous system is the | | | | most are in the general agreement that the |
| master controller of everything your body does. | | | | nervous system is key, and that it is |
| The brain monitors and controls every cell, tissue | | | | overreacting. The final details will come, but that |
| and organ through the central nervous system, or | | | | makes the most sense to me, and I see FMS |
| spinal cord, down to the spinal nerves and then | | | | every day. Several studies have come to similar |
| out to the cell, tissues, and organs. The brain | | | | conclusions as this to the root of FMS. However, |
| sends messages through this control system, and | | | | this is my opinion based on years of clinical |
| the tissues send messages back, this forms the | | | | experience and the research that has been |
| two-way communication, which is the essence of | | | | performed. Unfortunately like many aspects of |
| health and life. This messages lets the brain | | | | FMS, there is no definitive widely believed root |
| monitor and record everything that every little cell | | | | cause of FMS, however, most opinions and |
| is doing, and it makes changes, or adjusts, based | | | | research studies have shown an over-active |
| on the information it receives. This system lets | | | | nervous system as the cause of fibro. |