Fibromyalgia and Mercury Poisoning
Do you have silver fillings? Most of us do and have been chewing on them and grinding away at them for decades. Silver fillings or amalgams contain 50% mercury. This mercury escapes as a vapor every time we chew, grind and have our teeth cleaned. The vapor is quickly released into the bloodstream where it is carried to the brain, tissues and the hypothalamus and pituitary glands.
But silver amalgams are not the only source of mercury poisoning in our toxic world. Mercury is found in fertilizers, pesticides, car exhaust, drinking water, fabric softeners, fish, paint pigments, floor waxes, polishes, batteries, mascara, body powder and air conditioning filters.
Since mercury can cross the placenta of a pregnant woman, an unborn fetus can be affected. Mercury can also be transferred to a baby through breast milk.
Link between Mercury Poisoning and FMS
Some researchers now claim that the brain dysfunctions that cause FMS are a direct result of mercury toxicity. But since everyone is effected differently and experiences different symptoms, it is hard to present solid facts. As a result, many doctors refuse to take the studies seriously.
Despite the controversy, researchers continue to investigate the effects of mercury poisoning and have now linked it to many other diseases including MS, CFS and lupus. Chronic mercury poisoning is also connected to Alzheimer’s, asthma, arthritis, ALS, Crohn’s Disease, diabetes, acrodynia, emphysema, eczema and autism.
Symptoms of Mercury Poisoning
The symptoms vary from person to person. Some are subtle and take many years to develop. Some people are more sensitive to mercury than others. However, one person may have toxicity but have no symptoms, while another person may have lower levels, yet exhibit symptoms.
If you have two of the following symptoms, it may be worthwhile to get tested:
Memory loss, brain fog, anxiety, hair, teeth and skin loss, exaggerated reactions, double vision, swelling, high blood pressure, tremors, shyness, chronic fatigue, reduced pain threshold, poor concentration, compulsive behavior, phobic behavior, depression, vision problems and insomnia.
Testing for Mercury Poisoning
Mercury is not so easy to detect as it is locked inside body tissues. Often a physician will first look at a patient’s health history and consider complaints of pain, ask about previous dental work, possible exposure to mercury in the workplace and family history. If there is concern, the doctor can order a test. There are tests using hair, urine and blood analyisis, although these tests are not always reliable. A test must be done five days after eating fish as the methylmercury in fish can skew the results. The doctor may also order a CBC test (complete blood count), fecal blood detection test or an MRI.
Other options to determine sensitivty to mercury include a mercury patch test. However, if you are sensitive to mercury, you can experience bad reactions to this test. There is also
a white blood cell viability test. This poses no risk and is not expensive. Another less conventional test uses vibrational medicine. Here the known frequency of mercury is compared to the frequency in a patient’s nervous system, organs and acupuncture meridians.
Getting Rid of Mercury Poisoning
There is much debate over this as sometimes removing mercury can only exacerbate the problem. Many people choose to replace their silver fillings with white amalgam. However this must be done carefully as removing the filling can release high levels of vapor and particles into the body.
Others recommend chelation therapy, although this too is very controversial. Many people who have tried this claim that their symptoms only worsen after the treatment. This is most likely because the mercury gets redistributed in the body. Chelation therapy involves many injections over the course of days. Other medical practitioners claim that cilantro and chlorella treatments can help, although chlorella cannot be tolerated by many people.
Yet other professionals recommend improving our gut flora. Their theory is that healthy gut flora will chelate mercury naturally and take it out of our bodies. Our job is to help repopulate beneficial gut flora, which means improving our diets and cutting back on sugar, fast food, white flour, pasta and white rice.
A healthy diet seems to be the best way to go. Not only will it help reduce mercury levels, it will boost our immune system, give us more energy and a better sense of well-being.