Posted on 08/22/2005 10:50:57 PM PDT by Plutarch
Exploring fibromyalgia's mysteries, researchers look to the central nervous system, gaining deeper insight into why we suffer.
...A groundswell of research has begun to expose the underpinnings of the baffling disorder that affects an estimated 6 million to 10 million Americans, most of them women. Not only do the findings have the potential to ease the condition's stigma, they also may provide clues to other illnesses for which there is no clear clause.
Fibromyalgia, experts now believe, is a pain-processing disorder — arising in the brain and spinal cord — that disrupts the ways the body perceives and communicates pain.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
If they didn't use trigger points of which there are anywhere from 13 to 18 then you didn't have this done by a Reumatologist.
You comments in the previous posting are what cause people so much harm. This is a very real disease and can be debilitating to those who have it. You attitude doesn't help the depression either it just intensifies that part of it.
Invisibile disabilities are the worse because no one believes you except your doctor.
For later reading.
This runs in my family, as does Lupus.
I've had it since the teenage years, Gail. I also have been diagnosed with hypo-thyroidism, Meinere's Disease, Epilepsy (life long), the jaw thingy (I never can remember that one), Spondylitis of both the Cerival and Lumbar regions on the spine among other things.
It's not any fun and light excercise is good, but since I like to walk I sometimes over do it. (But then who doesn't especially when it comes to shopping.)
And you are sick!
I find that probiotics help alot, too. I use both.
A WELL PERSON CAN NOT TRULY RELATE TO A PERSON WITH PAIN. ESPECIALLY CHRONIC PAIN. PRAY TO GOD BELIEVING THAT HE WILL ANSWER WITH HIS TENDERMERCIES.
Sorry I did not notice I was writing in caps. No intention of shouting.
An young person can not imagine what it is to be old. Impossible to really understand until they get there for theirself.
May God ease your pain daily and bless you with comfort and strength. Amen
Thank you Countyline.
I have Osteo Arthritis in C 6 & 7, L 4 & 5 plus a T zone disc as well as having it in both hands with it beginning to cause the knots to form in my finger joints and to disform the thumb and index finger knuckles on my right hand. I can't honestly say which is more painful the muscles or the joint pains. Even my left knee screams quite a lot, not so bad since I lost 33 lbs though.
I had problems getting a diagnois, even though their darted test showed nerve damage in both arms due to the pinched nerves in the neck, the neurosurgeon told me it was ALL in my head and to see a shrink. I found a good arthritis doc and finally got a diagnois' but the med he put me on had so many side effects I opted to go medicine less except for tylenol/advil and occassionally asprin. I've had lots of experience with reaction to meds.
I hope that they can figure out a better treatment that helps you soon.
I get "knots" in my muscles.... my wife lifted 4 kids and had knots in her shoulders and arms.... my son is doing push-ups and sit-ups and gets knots in his thighs and shoulders...
Most people that lift anything from waist high to chest (cashiers, teachers, librarians, waiters, waitresses, brick layers, plumbers, painters, mechanics, farmers, ranchers, gardeners...etc)have "knots" in the muscles of their neck and back of their shoulders all the time that spasm and sometimes don't ever go away.
My point is that "fibromyalgia" is perfect for an unexplainable disease, with a myriad of symptoms, without known cause or onset, has no known diagnostic objective way of measuring pathology, has no way of measuring (objectively) recovery or even of effective treatment since there is no way to measure what you're treating other than... I have pain and no energy..... everywhere, sometimes, it's just here now... but I'll feel better, maybe, sometime, probably if we change meds and measure a ......... er..... standing stool velocity or something...maybe.
I guess I prefer to listen to people who have studied the condition in detail, and who are actively working to find a eason for the condition, and a suitable treatment.
you're missing my point... i don't deny "pain". If you're in pain then it's a symptom of some pathology or of a way that you're body is processing the stimuli from the nerves into your brain.
I just think that doctors and the public...and the pill makers... and the lawyers love these waste basket "diseases". Everybody makes money except the patient who isn't diagnosed correctly....
As for not "knowing what I'm talking about"....... you may be surprised... I guess we are all anonymous here. But try this "test" if you're able to.... try to find 3-4 doctors that aren't "Pain management physicians" and if you ask them, "What's the main cause of fibromyalgia, how do you diagnose it, how do you treat it and how can you tell if it's getting better?.... If you're satisfied with their answers then.... I guess you're right.. I don't know much about it... however if you catch a lot of docs, just shooting the bull and ask them about "fibromyalgia" you'd be dumbfounded by the number of eye-rolling "Yeah, right... " responses you'd get.
of course this is only my opinion..... and I could be wrong.
I think now the diagnosis standard is testing the trigger points -- when I was misdiagnosed that was not the case.
You are correct, and insensitivity and uncaring people are a secondary reason for the depression, pain is first. I could write a book about the nasty SOB"s both women and men that have mucked me up for 24 years insisting that the disease was "all in your head" or "you look fine". These same nasties are the reason why people put off treatment and progress to other diseases as a result. Autoimmune diseases, like thyroiditis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, etc are associated with it. Your local Rheumatology Association does training sessions on home to manage your FMS because it is one of the 100 odd forms of Arthritis. Being a type 1 personality is a problem, and if you are predisposed by genetics anything can trigger it like a virus or mental, emotional or Physical trauma. I could write a huge book on pain all by myself.
I refused to believe I had something like FMS but when the pain from it got bad enough I started listening and found ways to help myself with my doctors' help.
None of my doctors were pain management doctors. They were GP's, neurologists and neurosurgeons.
Does a good chiropractor help with this?
ping to mrs. redwood
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