Discover Why This Surprising Fibromyalgia Treatment Is Worth Trying

If you, or a family member, are living with fibromyalgia you will already know how debilitating it can be. It sucks!

And, as yet, there is no cure for the pain and the constant fatigue you may be experiencing.

I totally get it that this “Invisible Illness” is often dismissed and disregarded by the public because they can’t see anything apparently wrong with you.

It saddens when I reflect on someone I USED TO BE close to (but not anymore) who accused her friends daughter of being a lazy, skiving, useless person, when this young lady in her mid-20s was unable to work for long periods of time, in her job as a teacher, due to her fibromyalgia flareups.

This young lady had an experienced a huge trauma a few years earlier, when her dotting father had an affair, left his wife and promptly abandoned his daughter, and son.

In this post I'm going to take a look at the causes, the symptoms, and the ways you can help through medication and self-help ... and I'll introduce you to a quick and easy natural therapy which has the ability to help reduce the symptoms.

And you will be able to read how Dani copes when she gets a  Fibro Flare-up ... 

Causes

Although the precise cause for fibromyalgia isn’t known, it is believed that it is related to increased amounts of certain chemicals in the brain and the way pain messages are processed by our central nervous system.

It is also believed that some people can develop fibromyalgia due to genes inherited from their parents.

However, It’s hardly surprising the young lady I describe above developed Fibro, as a life trauma can be one of the causes.

Around 64% of people with fibromyalgia have experienced trauma as children.

One of the biggest triggers for fibromyalgia is the occurrence of a stressful event, which could either emotional or physical.

These include

• an infection or
• physical injury
• giving birth
• an operation or surgery
• the death of someone close
• traumatic breakdown of a close relationship

Symptoms

For most sufferers with fibromyalgia pain all over the body is the main symptom.

Other symptoms include:

• extreme fatigue
• poor sleep patterns
• sensitivity to pain and touch
• extreme muscle stiffness making movement difficult
• difficulty in concentration, memory retention and mental awareness – often referred as “fibro–fog”
• feelings of depression and lack of hope

Despite there not being a cure, thankfully there are some things you can do to help relieve the symptoms.

These fall into 3 main areas:

• Medication
• Self-care
• Lifestyle changes

Let's take a look at each in turn

Medication

Currently there are 3 drugs that have been approved by The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – the federal agency for certifying that drugs are safe and approved.

1. Pregabalin (Lyrica)

This medication is also approved for use in:
Neuropathic pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy
Neuropathic pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia
Adjunctive therapy for adult patients with partial onset seizures

2. Duloxetine (Cymbalta)

This medication is also approved for use in:
Major depressive disorder
Neuropathic pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy
Generalized anxiety disorder

3. Milnacipran (Savella)
This is an anti-depressant medication that is similar in action to duloxetine.
It is only approved for use in fibromyalgia.

As you can tell these are pretty strong drugs and therefore they will need to be prescribed by your doctor.

In addition there are a number of what are regarded as off label drugs that can also be used in the treatment of fibromyalgia. Off label means it is useful, but not FDA approved, for this condition.

You might find useful this comparison of drugs used to treat fibromyalgia by drugs.com 

Talking Therapies

In some cases talking therapies like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Counselling can help – especially if the trigger for the fibromyalgia has been through any trauma that hasn’t been identified and discussed. 

Follow the links above if you'd like to find out more about these talking therapies.

Self-care

There are a number of things you can do can be regarded as "self-care".

Not all of the following self-care techniques will work for everyone, and so you might like to give them a try and see what works for you.

• A gentle massage with an experienced and careful therapist could help improve the pain, anxiety and depression
• Mindfulness exercises could help
• Some physical exercise – even if your joints are stiff and painful some gentle exercise could help – even a short walk can be beneficial to get your muscles moving
• Try some yoga stretches or some tai chi – you could join some classes or seek out your own exercises off the Internet
• Meditation or visualisation techniques to help focus your mind away from the pain and fatigue
• Try if you can, to find something to laugh about, watch a comedy show, read some jokes, share a laugh with a friend – anything that can help lift your mood (what I am going to share with you soon can also help as a mood enhancer)

Lifestyle choices

An important thing that you can do is to make some lifestyle choices

Choosing a healthy diet and try getting plenty of sleep (I appreciate this can be difficult at times) is key to a healthy lifestyle for everyone – but can significantly help you to cope with your symptoms.

In my opinion (and probably most of the medical profession would agree) there is no need, or benefit, to go on any crash diets but instead just choose to eat healthy foods and cut down on junk food which serve little nutritional purpose.

Stress - and keeping it under control

It is difficult not to feel stressed when faced with the misery of fibromyalgia.

For most of us a little amount of daily stress is a good thing – and can help focus the mind.

However, too much stress, and a regular basis, has the opposite effect and is very harmful to our health and wellness.

High levels of persistent stress have been linked to the root cause of many physical and emotional problems.

When you stressed do you find that your fibromyalgia symptoms get worse or you get a flareup?

If so, you are not alone – and therefore it is important to reduce stress as much as possible.

Easier said than done – I appreciate.

Uncontrollable stress can affect you in so many ways:

• Inability to make decisions
• Lack of concentration - "Fibro fog"?
• Constant worrying
• Negative views and outlook on life
• Anxiety
• Short temper
• Poor memory
• Distant appearance
• Aggressive behaviour for no reason
• Overreacting to situations
• Feeling overwhelmed and isolated
• Unhappiness

Nothing seems to go right and the pressure piles on

• You may have very disturbed sleep patterns
• Feeling tired all the time
• Aches and pains may develop
• You may get diarrhoea or constipation
• Rapid heart beat and chest pains
• An ongoing cold
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Lack of libido
• You may develop an unhealthy reliance on alcohol, drugs or cigarettes and overeating junk ‘comfort’ food

Do you recognize any of these symptoms in yourself or someone around you?

Prolonged stress could result in losing your job, relationship breakdowns and/or these additional health problems:

• Pain of all kinds
• Heart disease
• Digestive problems
• Sleep problems
• Depression
• Obesity
• Autoimmune diseases 
• Skin conditions, such as eczema and rashes

It’s no wonder that the medics suggest that stress will only increase the symptoms of your fibromyalgia

Reiki and Stress

If you have been prescribed any of the medications, and they haven't worked for you – or – you would prefer not to take prescribed drugs then I have an alternative for you to consider.

I’d like to introduce you to something that is not new but might be new to you – and that is the natural healing therapy of Reiki. 

Reiki is a natural hands-on energy healing therapy which anyone can do.

It is completely harmless, is nonaddictive and can’t be overdosed.

Reiki involves:

• NO pills or potions
• NO manipulation
• NO needles
• NO pulling, prodding, or pushing

Wonderful benefits of Reiki:

• Releases Stress
• Reduces anxiety
• Tempers panic attacks
• Helps with relaxation
• Increases energy levels
• Can help reduce pain and suffering
• Complements all medical treatments
• Completely harmless
• Boosts immune system
• Accelerated body’s self-healing
• Promotes a natural balance

Reiki is simple to learn and easy to do, and as one of its biggest benefits is to help keep with relaxation and to keep stress under control, it is well worth having Reiki in your “toolbox” when coping with fibromyalgia.

If you want to read more about research with Reiki  you can find some links  here

 

Reiki level I qualification including Reiki for Stress

 I have been an International Reiki Master teacher for many years and have trained many people in the skills of Reiki – so that they are able to help themselves and their loved ones and also their pets.

In my Reiki for Stress Home Learning packages I provide the full training necessary in order to have all the skills required to give hands-on Reiki.

I will show you step-by-step where to place your hands for optimum healing effect – this can be either on yourself, if it is you suffering with fibromyalgia, or your loved one.

I also talk about lots of other techniques to help you cope with stress, including what foods to eat and what not to eat, helpful vitamins, using crystals… and much much more!

Reiki is very simple to do and within 24 hours from now you too could have the ability to give Reiki ... and gain what I call the "Gift of Healing"– and this gift will then remain with you for a lifetime.

There is no cure for fibromyalgia, but if you can use Reiki natural energy healing in combination with some of the other treatments and lifestyle changes then you are giving yourself the best chance to improve the condition.

I know that if you are one of the estimated 5% to 7% of the world’s population suffering with fibromyalgia then you will want to do all you can to reduce the misery.

If you want to do something that supports any medication you been prescribed and could help you, or loved one, to keep excessive stress and anxiety from causing the symptoms to get worse then do take a look at my Reiki for Stress training packages.

For your total peace of mind these packages are accredited by the International Guild of Complementary Therapists (IGCT) and are covered by a 60 day guarantee.

Go here to read more and do take advantage of the special 20% discount especially for fibromyalgia sufferers.

Read how dog groomer Dani from  West Yorkshire uses Reiki to cope with her Fibro flare ups 

" Fibromyalgia comes in waves for me, but Reiki helps me to ground and calm myself when I can get quickly frustrated.

Not being able to do something for myself or not get my words out properly is very frustrating so I can get angry at myself very quickly.

Reiki has allowed me to stop this cycle and give myself the grounding I need. Which also serves as a pain reliever as when we get angry we create inflammation which causes pain.

Reiki stops that cycle for me so I can live a better life and have my fibro a bit more under control when I get my bad flares.

Thank you Rob for giving me the opportunity to learn Reiki – it is really helping me to cope with my Fibro especially as my job is so full on! "  

Dani

 Related Posts:

13 Startling Fibromyalgia Facts and 5 Myths Busted

Fibromyalgia: 4 Top Vitamins to Help Lower Stress 

Please note: If you consider you, or a loved one, has fibromyalgia it is recommended that a diagnosis is obtained from your doctor. There is no suggestion that Reiki can, or will, cure fibromyalgia. Reiki, may however, give some relief of the symptoms.