Garlic For Fibromyalgia

The smell of garlic on your breath can keep your spouse at arm’s width or further, but maybe he should start eating the stuff too, if it can relieve your fibromyalgia inflammation, kill germs and make a mean Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, too. It’s proven: there’s overwhelming evidence that garlic can block the enzymes that bring on inflammation thus giving relief to those who suffer from ailments like arthritis and asthma.

Inflammatory Conditions

For many years, experts have known that a large number of pro-inflammatory cytokines (proteins excreted by cells in the immune system) are found in chronic fatigue syndrome patients. Until now, scientists weren’t convinced that fibromyalgia patients experienced a similar inflammatory response, but new evidence has turned this idea on its head, lending credence to the theory that many of the conditions associated with fibromyalgia are of an inflammatory nature. But anti-inflammatory drugs can be hard on the liver and digestive tract, so it’s important to find another way to fight off inflammation.

Garlic has been shown to not only relieve inflammation, but can eradicate the bugs that can bring on colds and flu, stomach viruses, yeast infections, tuberculosis, and botulism. The herb has also been demonstrated to reduce levels of the chemical that make your body friendly to certain viruses, such as HIV. Using garlic can therefore result in a lower viral load. Garlic is also known to promote good heart health and may also lower your risk profile for certain cancers.

Garlic Therapy

If you want to get the most out of your garlic therapy, choose fresh garlic over the powdered variety. If you don’t have much experience in cooking with fresh garlic, surf the net for recipes that include this common ingredient. You can also find tips on how to select the freshest garlic and how to prepare it so as to obtain a wide variety of flavors in your cooking, from strong and pungent, to mellow and sweet.

If you’re the earth mother type, nothing is easier to grow than garlic. Plant a few bulbs and see the difference in homegrown verses commercially-sold garlic.

Of course, some people just can’t stand the flavor of garlic. Don’t despair. You can still make good use of the stuff as an anti-inflammatory by taking garlic in supplemental form. Read the label to make sure you’re purchasing the type that is odorless. Otherwise, you won’t gain anything—you’ll have the smell and taste of garlic about you all day long.

Massage Treatment and Fibromyalgia

It’s not uncommon for fibromyalgia suffers to seek alternative care like massage as a way to manage the symptoms of the disease and find some pain relief. Skilled remedial massage therapists often come across patients with fibromyalgia. Some therapists also specialize in working with fibromyalgia patients. They have special training in the disorder and know how to work around the pressure points to provide some pain relief.

What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a chronic musculoskeletal condition that can cause such severe widespread pain and fatigue that the afflicted are unable to do anything and spend most of their days in bed. Some statistics suggest that as many as seven million Americans have the condition and most of those afflicted are women.

While people have been experiencing this disorder for many years, it’s only recently been recognized by the American medical community (and the medical communities of other countries) as an actual illness. Approximately 20 years ago it was officially recognized as a physical condition. Before that fibromyalgia was seen as a psychosomatic disorder. A psychosomatic disorder is one where there are physical symptoms but the symptoms are caused by the mind and emotions. Basically, the medical community thought fibro was not a real condition and that people could think their way out of the pain.

Now that fibromyalgia is considered an actual medical condition, money has been put into researching the cause and the reason for the condition. Still, medical researchers aren’t sure what the pathological events are that cause the development of the condition. There is a popular theory that the condition is a neurotransmitter misbalance that’s triggered by anything from stress to sleep disorders, to hormonal changes to chemical exposure.

Explanation of the Chronic Pain in Muscles

Connective tissues play an important role in managing fibromyalgia pain. They provide pathways for blood vessels and nerves which can send pain signals to the brain. When muscles and tendons are strained, they become inflamed. Inflammation can cause calcium deposits where the muscles and tendons attach to the bones. This can cause chronic pain. There is also a connection between the calcium deposit build up, chronic pain and neurotransmitter levels.

Some medical studies show that fibromyalgia patients have low levels of adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) in their muscles. ATP provides energy to the muscles. ATP molecules are used when the central nervous system sends a signal to the muscles to move. ATP causes actin and myosin to slide past or attach to one another during muscular contractions which make the muscle tense up. The right levels of ATP molecules also allow the actin and myosin to detach which makes the muscles relax. The longer the muscle remains tense, the sooner the ATP depletes which means there’s no ATP to help the muscle properly relax again. It remains tense.

The cycle continues. When the muscle is needed to complete a task, it uses ATP to tense up. But if the ATP supply is depleted, there isn’t enough to allow the muscle to completely relax. This causes tension to build up in the muscles which decreases their elasticity and ultimately the microcirculation.

Insufficient blood supply changes the pH of the blood and activates pain receptors. If this happens long enough, the pain receptors are over activated which changes neurotransmitter activities. Chronic pain and other fibromyalgia symptoms emerge.

Massage Treatment

In about 10 percent of patients, massage can permanently aggravate the pain. The reason for this is not known. Most patients experience more pain for the first three or four treatments and then notice an improvement.

Massage therapists suspect that the increased pain could be caused by the stimulation of oxygen to the oxygen-starved blood cells. This sudden overload of oxygen leads to excessive release of toxic waste from the circulatory system and tissues. This can cause more pain. Usually within 10 to 15 treatments the patient experiences significant positive changes.

Some sufferers of fibromyalgia are willing to do almost anything to relieve the symptoms of this chronic, non-curable condition. This syndrome causes widespread pain, extreme fatigue and even depression that can make a person’s daily life very difficult.

Sufferers tend to have similar symptoms but they show up differently from person to person. Each person with fibromyalgia experiences the classic symptoms of the condition differently.

There are a variety of medical treatment options available like Mirapex, prescription muscle relaxants and progesterone treatment. Symptoms of fibromyalgia can also be relieved through lifestyle changes and alternative therapies like acupuncture, light therapy and reflexology.

The effectiveness of the treatment options varies among sufferers. Some people might find that a lot of the standard treatment options for fibromyalgia don’t work well for them. They may even unsuccessfully try many of the alternative methods of treatment.

The ineffectiveness of these treatment options may lead people to try cannabis.

Cannabis for Fibro?

Study into the effectiveness of medical marijuana on treating fibromyalgia has been limited, but there are some that suggest that cannabis works to help relieve the chronic pain associated with the condition, as well as make patients feel psychologically better.

Dr. Stuart Silverman, a clinical professor of medicine and rheumatology at the Cedars-Sinai University of California in Los Angles agrees with the effectiveness of marijuana to treat fibro. He says that the unconventional drug has been used “historically and anecdotally” as a painkiller.

The studies that have been done on the effectiveness of cannabis for fibro show that the drug releases cannabinoids. These cannabinoids seem to trigger the release of more endorphins, a natural pain reliever produced by the body.

Marijuana appears to treat multiple symptoms in some fibromyalgia patients including anxiety, restless legs syndrome and difficulty sleeping.

The Problem With Medical Marijuana

Marijuana is a complex plant. It has 60 different compounds. These 60 different compounds can each cause different medicinal effects. This means that the results of treatment can be inconsistent. This inconsistency significantly reduces the effectiveness of the drug.

Some researchers, like Dr. Mark Ware, the executive director of the Canadian Consortium for the Investigation of Cannabinoids, would like to see more research into producing a synthetic drug that’s based on the compounds in marijuana.

Cannabis-based Medicines

There are drugs on the market that are loosely made to copy certain compounds found in marijuana.

· Cesamet. This medicine is made from the compound nabilone found in marijuana. In fibromyalgia, it’s used to help patients sleep better and ease pain. It can also help treat anxiety. Studies have shown that it’s more effective than the tricyclic antidepressant, amitriptyline.

· Nabilone. This drug contains a synthetic version of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1985 to relieve the nausea experienced by cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. It’s rarely used to treat fibromyalgia patients.

· Marinol. Another cannabis-based drug that contains the synthetic version of dronabinol. It’s FDA-approved to treat vomiting and nausea associated with chemotherapy. The FDA hasn’t formally tested and approved it for the treatment of fibromyalgia, but some patients have received prescriptions for it. Some patients have said the drug relieves the pain but makes them feel more tired.

· Sativex. Another cannibas-based drug containing THC and cannabidiol. It’s undergoing clinical trials in the US as a way to treat cancer pain. Early studies show the drug eases pain and inflammation and can help relieve anxiety. It’s sprayed directly into the mouth either into the cheek or under the tongue.

Fibro 

Chiropractic Care

The chronic pain and other unpleasant symptoms of fibromyalgia and associated conditions can be debilitating and have a significant negative impact on a patient and often their families as well.

Promoting Chiropractic Care

According to the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, a non-profit organization founded in 2003 to increase public awareness of the benefits of chiropractic care, chiropractic treatments can help reduce the extreme fatigue and joint stiffness fibromyalgia sufferers experience.

According to the foundation spokesperson and the president of Life Chiropractic College West University, Gerry Clum, D.C., fibromyalgia involves “turmoil of the central nervous system.” Chiropractors are trained to deal with the central nervous system and can provide treatment to help reduce the system’s sensitization.

Gentle manipulation of the pelvis and spine can help correct any misalignments and help reduce pain. The hands-on adjustments can also help improve joint movement and the pain associated with joint stiffness. Sometimes frequent treatment can help eliminate the pain completely.

An elimination or reduction of pain can help alleviate some of the other symptoms of fibromyalgia like sleep deprivation, fatigue and depression, according to the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress.

Just Public Relations Hype?

Statements by the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress may come across as simple public relations. After all, you might think, the purpose of the foundation is to promote chiropractic care and they may be willing to say or do anything to make it look better than it is.

Perhaps. But experiences from actual fibromyalgia patients show that chiropractic care is effective, at least for some people. The difficulty in treating fibromyalgia is that the symptoms show up differently in different people.

Retired Brig. Gen. Becky Halstead is quoted in Medical News Today as saying the treatments she received from her chiropractor helped her feel better on a day-to-day basis. The first woman General in the US Army to command in Iraq says that the chiropractic treatment wasn’t taken alone but was used in conjunction with other treatments like diet changes and lifestyle changes.

Arlene, a woman in her early 60s who has suffered from fibromyalgia and extreme fatigue for several years, says that chiropractic care has helped her become more active and help her become more involved in the lives of her grandchildren.

“Chiropractic care isn’t a cure,” says Arlene, “but it almost felt like a cure after I started feeling better after a few treatments. I was able to move around easier and I was able to sleep better went a long way to making me feel overall better and like a contributing member of society.”

Arlene is quick to point out that she still experiences the symptoms of fibromyalgia and that she’s also taking medication to help alleviate the symptoms. But she also says that she doesn’t think that she would be able to do what she can do today without her regular chiropractic adjustments.

Getting the Right Chiropractic Treatment

Not all chiropractors are the same. Some don’t know what fibromyalgia is. If your joint movement is very limited, some may claim not to be able to do anything for you.

This happened to Lisa, a 40-something fibromyalgia sufferer. “The first chiropractor I went to said he had never seen so many locked up joints in his life and there was nothing he could do to help me.”

But part of making sure you get the best medical care possible is to be your own personal advocate. This is what Lisa did.

She found a chiropractor who practiced a technique called motion palpation. This is where joints are adjusted and then checked to make sure they’re moving properly after adjusting. More adjustments are done until the joint is moving as smoothly as possible.

You need to make sure you choose a chiropractor who is willing to test and do this to all your major joints. When choosing a chiropractor make sure they plan to tests the joints in the following areas:

· Middle back

· Upper back

· Neck

· Lower back

· Knees

· Wrists

· Ankles

· Neck

· Elbows

· Shoulders

ATP & Fibro

It’s no secret that our environment is toxic and that we are constantly being bombarded with harmful chemicals in our day-to-day lives. We also know that both bacteria and viruses lie dormant in our bodies, many times for years on end, until some trauma or environmental trigger causes them to surface. Science has proven over and over again that our immune systems can be compromised by our environment and that is, perhaps, one reason why we are seeing more and more cases of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Some contend that they are both different yet similar facets of the same disease.

Whatever fibromyalgia is, in terms of its genesis, we see the effects of it on the bodies and in the lives of those who suffer with it. Fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic pain in the muscles, depression and fatigue. Many people with the disease seek relief through surgery, physical therapy and/or pain medications, yet continue to agonize, “I hurt everywhere.”

Treating Fibromyalgia

The symptoms of fibromyalgia can be treated with prescription medications quite effectively. However, these very medications are able to employ only the current supply of neurotransmitters and nutrients to bring relief; they are unable to create new neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are the chemicals in the brain which communicate with the nerves and muscles in the body. Constant pain, stress, depression and anxiety all burn amino acids and minerals, which are necessary for the proper function of the body. These nutrients must be replenished if the body is to function properly and if it is to manage pain and stress efficiently.

Studies have shown that when nutrient deficiencies are reversed, then healing is enhanced. Proper nutrients can have a positive and longer lasting effect upon pain, anxiety and depression than prescription medication.

Research has shown that people with fibromyalgia may be deficient in certain of the compounds which are necessary for the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the component which is believed to provide 90-95% of all cellular energy and has been found to act as a neurotransmitter outside of the cells. If the body is unable to synthesize ATP, which is manufactured by mitochondria -the powerhouses of the body – then there is unavoidable death to cells, a severe lack of energy, muscle weakness and pain (as in fibromyalgia) among other symptoms.

By eliminating toxins that cause cellular damage and following methods which promote natural restoration of the body, it may be possible to reverse the pain and depression associated with fibromyalgia. Cordyceps, a widely used medicinal fungus, when given in human clinical trials, demonstrated improved liver health and increased the supply of ATP in the liver. Guaifenesin, derived from a tree bark extract called guaiacum, has been a successful tool in pain relief for fibromyalgia sufferers as it causes urinary excretion of excess uric acid and other substances which depress ATP formation in the body. It also serves to reinforce cell walls, protecting them from further damage.

While we’re grateful for medications, they are not always the best way to restore the body. The body is a magnificent creation and with natural care, it can be helped to properly function for a lifetime.

TENS therapy stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation that uses a low-voltage electrical current to provide pain relief.  Women are starting to use TENS as a natural pain reliever during childbirth and sufferers of fibromyalgia find that TENS provides great relief.

How It Works

It’s possible to do TENS on your own using a special battery-powered machine. TENS machines are about the size of a pocket radio and involve connecting two electrodes to your skin. The electrodes are the wires that transfer the electrical current from the machine.

Positioning of the electrodes is important to experience maximum pain relief. They need to be placed at the pressure point or near the area of pain. When the electrical current is turned on, the impulses travel along the fibers of the nerves.

There are two reasons or theories that explain the effectiveness of electrical therapy in pain management.

1. It’s thought that the electricity stimulates the nerves that send signals to block or mix-up the normal pain signals the brain sends out.

2. Some believe that when the nerves are electrically stimulated, they’re encouraged to block endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers. Increased endorphin production is thought to block the perception of pain.

Can Be Done at Home

TENS therapy is a type of treatment that you can do on your own at home. But before you can take it home and use it, you will need proper instruction in how to use it as well as an introduction to the machine.

The TENS machine can be set on different wavelength frequencies and electrical current intensity. It’s possible to set it for a burst of electrical current or for a steady flow of low-voltage electricity. Usually your doctor, acupuncturist or physical therapist will determine these settings.

Is It Safe?

Medical experts generally agree that TENS treatment is safe if done correctly. Individuals with circulation problems may be advised against using TENS.

Generally this type of alternative therapy is used in conjunction with conventional therapies.

Those with chronic numbness, pacemakers or epilepsy should not use TENS therapy. It shouldn’t be used near the eye or on the carotid sinus, a major artery in the neck that provides oxygen and blood to the neck and the head.

So, Does it Work for Fibro?

The answer to this question is both yes and no, depending on your perspective. Not all medical experts agree that TENS treatment is effective for providing relief of fibromyalgia pain but some would agree that it could help relieve the pain symptoms of associated conditions.

Fibromyalgia pain tends to be chronic and widespread. According to Dr. April Chang-Miller of the MayoClinic, “TENS therapy isn’t likely to be an effective fibromyalgia treatment” since fibromyalgia pain is so widespread and not limited to just one area.

One women who suffers from fibromyalgia says that TENS therapy provided some relief of shoulder, elbow and lower back pain. But she also sufferers from cervical disc problems and admits she’s not sure if the pain was caused by the fibromyalgia or the disc problems.

Beverly, another fibromyalgia sufferer, says that she has been using TENS therapy for ten years. “It helps my fibro pain in the spine and joints where I experience the most pain,” she says. “For me it’s short-term relief. I use it mostly when everything is flaring up at once.”

Another fibro sufferer, a woman in her early 30s, says TENS therapy “drove her nuts.” She acknowledges that not everyone is the same, but this type of alternative therapy didn’t work for her. “I didn’t get any relief from the pain with it,” she says.

There have been limited clinical studies as to the effectiveness of TENS treatment. In the studies that have been done, those with fibromyalgia experienced a modest amount of pain relief, according to Dr. Brian Walitt, one of the medical experts from RheumMD.org, a site sponsored by the non-profit rheumatology research group the National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases.