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What is Fibromyalgia (FM)?
Definition
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition affecting primarily (~90%) women and causing severe fatigue, problems sleeping, and pain all over the body. Nobody has clearly identified the cause, and up until now, nobody has found a cure.
- Fibromyalgia is not "all in your head." We are committed to defining the nature of this physical problem and offering ways to correct it.
- Self-empowerment has a powerful role in healing. As a result, we have a strong orientation toward helping patients help themselves through education, demonstration, and cooperation.
- Fibromyalgia or muscular pain does not have to be endured. Our goal is to eliminate pain, and help you lead a normal, pain-free life.
Diagnosis
There are three criteria for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia:
- Chronic fatigue present at least three months and bad enough to interfere with a person's normal activities (job, housekeeping, hobbies, etc.).
- Sleep problems (especially non-refreshing sleep) present at least three months.
- Pain and tenderness in at least 11 out of 18 specific spots all over the body.
Treatment
Traditionally, the care of FM patients has consisted of:
- Antidepressants, to help patients sleep better, raise their tolerance for pain, and treat depression if it's present. For depression, the dose is somewhat higher.
- Muscle relaxants, to reduce muscle tension and thereby improve pain.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (e.g., ibuprofen), to reduce inflammation (probably mistakenly) and for pain relief
- Analgesics (Tylenol, Darvocet, Tylenol w/ codeine), for pain relief
- Psychotherapy, in the belief that stress caused FM
- Exercise, to improve depression (often present in FM) and reduce FM symptoms
The Paragon Clinic takes pride in being on the cutting edge of fibromyalgia care. While capable of providing all the classic treatments, we also:
- Apply myofascial trigger point therapy, a highly effective hands-on treatment
- Recognize and treat undetected hypothyroidism in fibromyalgia patients
- Recognize the impact of candida hypersensitivity on fibromyalgia
- Utilize psychotherapists who have personal experience with fibromyalgia or similar disorders.
- Apply exercise training techniques designed specifically for fibromyalgia
- Place a strong emphasis on self-care, putting control of the disease back in the hands of the patient.
- Continually research and apply promising new techniques in fibromyalgia care
More - Fibromyalgia - The Nature of the Disease
More - Fibromyalgia - Treatment
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