by Terry McDermott
For weeks you have been aching from head to foot. You have no energy, you can’t concentrate and you can’t remember the last time you got a good night’s sleep. You have been to the doctor a few times already and all he can tell you is what you DON’T have. You have read about fibromyalgia and even talked to others that have been diagnosed with the disease. Yet, so far, no one can tell you whether you have it or not?
Sound familiar?
Well welcome to the world of fibromyalgia diagnostics. It is bad enough that there is no cure or significantly effective treatment for this condition, but it is even more frustrating when it takes so long for anyone to tell you that the problems you are having are caused by fibromyalgia.
There is no debate as to the validity of fibromyalgia as a disease. In fact, the World
» Continue reading: Is Fibromyalgia a Disease?
by Paul Wallace
Free radicals are unstable molecules with extra “free” electrons looking for a connection. They can latch onto a cell membrane or blood vessel lining and create constant inflammation, leading to eventual damage, serious disease, and even to an early death.
Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms that contain at least one unpaired electron that attack healthy cells. If an electron is unpaired, another atom or molecule can easily bond to it, causing a chemical reaction.
Damage caused by the “stress” of excessive numbers of free radicals in the body accumulates with age. Many scientists are convinced that early aging and chronic health problems (cancer, heart disease, thrombosis, cataracts, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, etc.) are initiated by free radical damage. They then take years to develop.
Free radicals in the body have been proven to:
Damage cholesterol-carrying particles,
May increase the risk of atherosclerosis.
Contribute to the formation of blood clots,
May increase the
» Continue reading: Free Radicals – Should I Be Concerned?
I know this post has nothing to do with fibromyalgia. However, I saw a link to this story from someone on Twitter and felt I needed to spread the word.
According to a MSNBC article today, roughly 100 Manatees, both young and old, have died during the month of January due to the unusual cold weather Florida has been experiencing.
Manatees are protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act because of declining numbers over time. The state in 2009 counted 3,802 manatees.
The above article is short, but covers some good facts. I encourage you to take a few moments to read about their plight.
Here is a link to a Manatee charity organization – Save the Manatee Club who is endorsed by Jimmy Buffet and has been around since 1981.
» Continue reading: Manatees in Florida need our help
by Lee Berlemann
According to the American College of Rheumatology, Fibromyalgia affects 3 to 6 million Americans. Other sources say the total number affected could be 8 million people. It primarily occurs in women of childbearing age, but children, the elderly, and men can also be affected. (Approximately 80 percent to 90 percent of affected people are women.)
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by fatigue and widespread pain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons. At first, it was not considered an illness at all. Doctors could not find any thing wrong with patients so they believed it to be psychosomatic.
Slowly that dismissive view is changing. Published research at Johns Hopkins, University of Pennsylvania and other top research facilities points to immune dysfunction and cardiac abnormalities in
these illnesses. It is difficult to believe that some doctors still regard people with Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome as nothing more than ‘extremely worried well
» Continue reading: 4 Simple Changes to Regain Your Life from FMS
By Raymond Attebery
For years, men and women with chronic generalized pain were thought to suffer from mental health disorders. Ironically, researchers eventually discovered that for some the problem was in their heads, but Fibromyalgia is not a mental health issue.
Unfortunately there is no specific test for Fibromyalgia, so expect a variety of tests to rule out other conditions. Since FM only gained recognition by the American College of Rheumatology in 1990, experts stress the importance of being diagnosed by a qualified rheumatologist or pain specialist. But keep in mind that to date, there is no cure.
If you are diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, treatment will generally focus on relieving symptoms for your pain condition consisting of among other things, drugs that regulate neurotransmitters, including certain anti-seizure medications and antidepressants that serve as analgesics for FM sufferers by reducing their pain intensity.
Not surprisingly, to avoid pain many with FM become sedentary. So, slowly
» Continue reading: Fibromyalgia – How to Live With It
