Fibromyalgia

About 90% of fibromyagia sufferers are women. Published in the Annals of Rheumatic Disease (2001; 60: 21-26) was a small study, involving 21 women. Eleven went through a strength training program, 10 received no special care. After a 21-week strength training program, women with fibromyalgiaexperienced a reduction in their levels of depression and fatigue. Their […]

According to research appearing in the Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain (2001;9(3):107-113), there may be a connection between fibromyalgia and bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine. The study involved 815 subjects, of whom 152 were diagnosed as having fibromyalgia. Of the 152 fibromyalgia patients, 29 had inflammatory bowel disease and were excluded from the study. Of

The term “fibromyalgia” literally means pain in the muscles. In 1990 the American College of Rheumatology finally recognized fibromyalgia as a disease, and created criteria for diagnosing it. Fibromyalgia is present when there is a history of widespread pain, on both sides of the body, and above and below the waist. The pain must also

According to a small study appearing in the journal Redox Report (2006; 11(3): 131-5), found that 20 fibromyalgia patients were under more oxidative stress than 20 controls. When compared to the healthy subjects, the fibromyalgia patients had a lower total antioxidant capacity. Total peroxide level and oxidative stress index was significantly higher in patients with

A study published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings (2006; 81(6): 749-57) tested the efficacy of acupuncture for treating patients with fibromyalgia. The subjects were 50 patients with fibromyalgia (according to the AmericanCollegeof Rheumatology guidelines) and who had tried other forms of conservative care. Half of the subjects received a total of six acupuncture treatments over

Research published in Archives of Internal Medicine (2003;163:1832-1836.) and performed by scientists at GeorgetownUniversityMedicalCenter, shows a link between fatigue, unexplained pain and chronic sinusitis. A study conducted at Harvard had shown that fatigue and pain scores of sinusitis patients were similar or worse than a group 20 years older with lung disease, congestive heart failure,

TexasA&MUniversity psychologist Mary W. Meagher, who has conducted pain research for 16 years, says that fear and anxiety affect how a person experiences pain. Fear tends to reduce pain, anxiety increases it. She says, “From a clinical perspective, these data suggest that a patient anticipating an unpredictable threatening event will experience enhanced pain,” she says.