Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Quick Look At Fibromyalgia

  • Fibromyalgia causes pain, stiffness, and tenderness of muscles, tendons, and joints without detectable inflammation.
  • Fibromyalgia does not cause body damage or deformity.
  • Fatigue occurs in 90% of patients with fibromyalgia.
  • Irritable bowel syndrome can occur with fibromyalgia.
  • Sleep disorder is common in patients with fibromyalgia.
  • There is no test for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia.
  • Fibromyalgia can be associated with other rheumatic conditions.
  • Treatment of fibromyalgia is most effective with combinations of education, stress reduction, exercise, and supplements such as Isotonix OPC-3, Isotonix Calcium Plus, and Glucosatrin.
  • www.isotonixopc3relief.com

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Is Fibromyalgia Pain Real?

HealthDayBy Robert PreidtMonday, December 18, 2006

MONDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- The pain of fibromyalgia is real, and doctors need to take patients' complaints seriously, concludes a review paper by University of Michigan Health System doctors.

"It is time for us to move past the rhetoric about whether these conditions are real, and take these patients seriously as we endeavor to learn more about the causes and most effective treatments for these disorders," Richard E. Harris, research investigator in the division of rheumatology, department of internal medicine at the U-M Medical School and a researcher at the U-M Health System's Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, said in a prepared statement.

Fibromyalgia is a debilitating pain syndrome that affects 2 percent to 4 percent of the population. However, the condition is often mistakenly diagnosed as arthritis or even a psychological issue, and many patients face questions about whether their condition is real, according to background information.

In their review, the U-M doctors said there is now "overwhelming data" that fibromyalgia is real. They said it's characterized by a lower pain threshold and is associated with genetic factors that can increase the risk of developing the condition.

The authors cited recent studies involving pain, genetics and brain activity, and said they hoped their findings would improve understanding and acceptance of fibromyalgia and related conditions.

The paper appears in the December issue of Current Pain and Headache Reports.HealthDay

Fibromyalgia And Exercise

One of the best things you can do if you have fibromyalgia is exercise. Begin with stretching exercises and gentle, low-impact activity, such as walking or bicycling. Start your exercise program slowly because if you start out doing too much it will make the pain worse. Some muscle soreness is normal when you're starting to exercise, but sharp pain may indicate a problem. Make sure that you do not overwork your muscles because it will cause more harm than good.

As you progress with exercise, it will become more comfortable for you. For exercise to help, you must do it regularly. The goal is to get started and keep going, to gain relief from pain and to improve sleep. Below are some exercises you might want to try:

Walking: Start slowly by walking a few minutes the first day. The next day, add a minute to this total. Keep adding a minute or two each day until you are walking 60 minutes each day. When you reach this point, walk at least 1 hour, 3 times a week. If you find yourself struggling as you're working your way up to walking 60 minutes, go back to the amount of time that you were comfortable with and continue walking for that amount of time for several days. Then continue to increase the minutes again until you reach the goal of 60 minutes. Try to reach your goal of walking 60 minutes as many times as you can until you succeed. Just make sure you don't overdue it.

Walking/jogging: After you feel comfortable walking 3 or 4 times a week, you can alternate walking with slow jogging. Walk for a few minutes and then jog for a few minutes. Do this as often as it feels comfortable. Keep extending the amount of time you exercise as long as you are comfortable.

Bicycling: Stationary bicycles (exercise bikes) work great because you have the benefit of working out indoors. Set a goal of cycling for 60 minutes. Gradually increase your time as you feel more comfortable.

The type of exercise you choose is up to you. It's important that you start exercising and keep doing it.

To help ease the pain of fibromyalgia and to help with your exercising, Isotonix OPC-3 is highly recommended. This will assist in blood circulation as well as ease the joints.

Fibromyalgia Medication

Fibromyalgia prompts doctors to prescribe medications for a variety of drug classes, but none of the medications used for fibromyalgia were actually developed for the condition or even approved by the FDA for treating it.

Nevertheless, a number of medications have shown effectiveness in randomized clinical trials of people with fibromyalgia. These include the anti-depressant medications, muscle relaxants, and certain analgesics. Some preliminary studies have shown that using anti-seizure medications are also demonstrating promising results in helping to ease pain, promote sleep and relieve fatigue.

There are some health products that you can buy besides medications that will help with fibromyalgia syndrome. Not only are they very helpful in relieving pain, but they are not as expensive as certain medications. Some supplements that you can take include Isotonix OPC-3, Isotonix Calcium Plus, and Glucosatrin.

What Causes Fibromyalgia?

No one knows what causes fibromyalgia, but there are several theories. We do know, however, that people with fibromyalgia can have abnormal levels of Substance P in their spinal fluid. Substance P is a short-chain polypeptide that functions as a neurotransmitter especially in the transmission of pain impulses from peripheral receptors to the central nervous system. What this means is that Substance P (which can be found the the spinal fluid) is a chemical that helps transmit and amplify pain signals to and from the brain. For someone with fibromyalgia it's as if there is a thunderstorm taking place in the brain's pain processing areas. There are many studies being done on how the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) process pain.For those who suffer from fibromyalgia doctors may want to put you on a number of medications which include medications for pain, fatigue, sleep deprivation, migraines, depression, etc. There are, however, natural supplements out there that will help with fibromyalgia. Isotonix OPC-3 (www.isotonixopc3relief.com) is a wonderful supplement that has helped many overcome fibromyalgia. If you want to see what Isotonix OPC-3 has done for millions of people you can visit www.betterhealthtest.com.

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is an arthritis-related condition that is characterized by generalized muscular pain and fatigue. The term "fibromyalgia" means pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons.

Pain is the most obvious symptom with fibromyalgia. It is usually found in the tender parts of the body (shoulders, elbows, knees, lower back, etc.) although people with fibromyalgia may experience pain all over. Other symptoms include fatigue and sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression, and migraines.

Isotonix OPC-3 is a wonderful health product that has helped millions of people find relief from fibromyalgia. To find out more about Isotonix OPC-3 go to www.isotonixopc3relief.com. You can also find testimonies from those who have used Isotonix OPC-3 at www.betterhealthtest.com.




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