Friday, April 20, 2007

If I Only Had a Brain...

So, sometimes I wondered if I was just losing it when I was symptomatic, now I know I was. Putting the humor aside, I thought I would post this article on the connection of fibromyalgia and gray matter loss.

Kuchinad A, Schweinhardt P, Seminowicz DA, Wood PB, Chizh BA, Bushnell MC.
McGill Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 2B2.

Fibromyalgia is an intractable widespread pain disorder that is most frequently diagnosed in women. It has traditionally been classified as either a musculoskeletal disease or a psychological disorder. Accumulating evidence now suggests that fibromyalgia may be associated with CNS dysfunction. In this study, we investigate anatomical changes in the brain associated with fibromyalgia. Using voxel-based morphometric analysis of magnetic resonance brain images, we examined the brains of 10 female fibromyalgia patients and 10 healthy controls. We found that fibromyalgia patients had significantly less total gray matter volume and showed a 3.3 times greater age-associated decrease in gray matter than healthy controls. The longer the individuals had had fibromyalgia, the greater the gray matter loss, with each year of fibromyalgia being equivalent to 9.5 times the loss in normal aging. In addition, fibromyalgia patients demonstrated significantly less gray matter density than healthy controls in several brain regions, including the cingulate, insular and medial frontal cortices, and parahippocampal gyri. The neuroanatomical changes that we see in fibromyalgia patients contribute additional evidence of CNS involvement in fibromyalgia. In particular, fibromyalgia appears to be associated with an acceleration of age-related changes in the very substance of the brain. Moreover, the regions in which we demonstrate objective changes may be functionally linked to core features of the disorder including affective disturbances and chronic widespread pain.

So let us know what you think about this study. To see more info on what you can do to stop the symptoms of fibromyaliga visit www.ridfibromyalgia.com.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Top Strategies for Living With Fibromyalgia

3 Top Tips to Help You Live With Fibromyalgia

If you suffer from Fibromyalgia and its many devastatingly painful and sometimes debilitating symptoms, there are steps you can take to help you live a better life with Fibromyalgia. You may wonder if there is life after fibromyalgia pain, fatigue, brain fog, and other horrible symptoms of the condition. You may wonder if you will ever lead a full life again. Well, the answer is yes, let’s take a look at the three steps.

The first step is to accept your condition and not live in denial of it. If you live in denial you can’t fight it. Getting this terrible illness was not your fault and there is hope. There are steps that can help you eliminate the symptoms of Fibromyalgia. Living in denial you will shortchange your opportunities to healing. Living in denial will have you neglecting the actions that you can take to fight this condition.

Another important technique to help you live with Fibromyalgia is to adjust your activity levels to the limits your body is capable of. What I mean by this is you don’t want to be out training for a marathon when you are in pain or fatigued. Accepting your limitations can equate to setting priorities. Pacing is a term that is used often when dealing with chronic conditions. Pacing ourselves within our limitations so that we don’t throw ourselves into complete exhaustion. Prioritizing what must get done with our wants. Ruling out what we don’t have to do will help us reserve strength and wellness for the activities that are important. We gain a sense of wellness when we live within our limits. Try embracing the idea that it’s okay to have to adapt your life to this illness, all the while knowing, you can take steps to eliminating the symptoms of Fibromyalgia.

One of the most important tips I can offer you is to create a support system. Chronic illnesses can be isolating and depression can set in. Having a support system of people who care about you and are willing to help you is crucial in people with Fibromyalgia. One word of caution when seeking out a support system, know that not everyone will understand. Chronic illness is hard for some people to grasp and be compassionate about. Don’t set high expectations on everyone you know. However, keep in mind you will need support and take it when offered to you.

Keep an optimistic attitude and educate yourself. Arming yourself with a positive attitude along with educating yourself about everything regarding this condition can open countless doors that can aid you in your recovery.

Finally, one other thing you can do to help you through this in the best possible way is to rest. Get plenty of rest whenever you can. Even if you can’t sleep make sure your body gets plenty of rest. When your body is asking for rest, give it the rest it needs. It’s much easier to rest when needed than playing catch up when you are exhausted. If you overdo it and don’t get needed rest, you may find yourself in bed for hours and hours.

Living with Fibromyalgia can be hopeful and full of life when incorporating these simple life strategies. When implementing these you will allow yourself the opportunities to begin healing. You can take back your life and have joy again, even with Fibromyalgia. At ridfibromyalgia.com you can find strategies that can help you completely eliminate your fibromyalgia symptoms and take back your life.

If you are tire of living with fibromyalgia and are ready to start living symptom free visit our site at www.ridfibromyalgia.com and see how you can eliminate your symptoms for good.

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Top Natural Treatments for Fibromyalgia That Work

Found an article that talks about a lot of these top natural techniques to fight fibromyalgia. I put some of the important snippits here. For the complete way to healing through natural treatments see http://www.ridfibromyalgia.com.

Acupuncture
This stems from the Chinese philosophy of energy flowing in the meridians that lie below the skin. Energy imbalances in these meridians is used for the diagnosis of disease. Acupuncturists insert very fine needles into the skin to balance energy as in fibromyalgia pain treatment.

Chiropractor
Chiropractic treatment is based on the premise that restricted movement in the spine may lead to reduced function and pain. Spinal adjustment (manipulation) is one form of therapy a chiropractor uses to treat restricted spinal mobility.

A natural Fibromyalgia Treatment and balanced fibromyalgia nutrition diet can be helpful in counteracting stress, removing toxins from the body, and restoring the natural balance of nutrients.

Homeopathy medicine, FIBRO-HELP products, help patients by combatting stress, replacing deficiencies, and supporting the immune system. Patients are recommended to limit the amount of sugar; caffeine; alcohol; and fried, processed, fatty foods consumed.

Exercise
Fibromyalgia Exercise is one of the most powerful remedies in the treatment of fibromyalgia. Increasing scientific evidence has shown that exercising for a minimum of 20 minutes per day will help fibromyalgia patients as a natural fibromyalgia treatment.

Massage Therapy
Massage involves the use of different manipulative techniques to move the body's muscles and soft tissues. Massage Therapy aims to improve circulation in the muscle, increasing the flow of nutrients, eliminating waste products.

Self Care
Self Care is critical in the treatment of Fibromyalgia Syndrome. Some important tips for self care: • Reduce Stress - Avoid or limit overexertion and emotional stress.

Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyle - Eat a balanced diet, limit caffeine and alcohol intake, get plenty of rest, exercise regularly, and do a leisure activity which is enjoyable and fulfilling and get your sleep.
Health Blogs - Blog Top Sites