What is Fibromyalgia, Anyway?

Article from guest writer Sue Ingebretson

Author of FibroWHYalgia

www.RebuildingWellness.com

Not so long ago, most people hadn’t heard of fibromyalgia. Through media advertising, the word has slowly crept into mainstream consciousness. Fibromyalgia is a strange-sounding word that few can spell much less define. So what is it, anyway?

Here’s a basic overview of fibromyalgia and how it happens.

The body is mainly an organism of checks and balances. Bodily systems such as the circulatory, digestive, immune, endocrine (think hormones), muscular, lymphatic, reproductive, nervous, skeletal, respiratory, and urinary  all work together to create harmony and balance. These systems work well in optimal conditions – the very definition of good health. But what happens when things go wrong, like infections, injuries, extreme stress, poor self-care, toxin exposure, etc.?

When things go wonky, the body compensates and struggles for balance.

When you look at the above list of systems and compare them to fibromyalgia symptoms, it’s no surprise to learn that fibromyalgia is a systemic condition. Fibromyalgia symptoms include whole body pain, digestive problems, cognitive dysfunction, sleep disturbances, and hormone/thyroid imbalances to name a few. Most people with fibromyalgia exhibit symptoms that represent multiple systems of the body. Many systems have been compromised in some way.

Fibromyalgia, therefore, is a manifestation of an “out of balance” body.

In my book, FibroWHYalgia, I suggest that fibromyalgia might better be referred to as Systems Gone Berserk Syndrome. That pretty much sums it up. And, this begs the question, what makes the body’s systems go berserk? As I mentioned before, the body has an amazing capacity to seek balance and to heal from life’s temporary bumps and bruises. The body uses available resources for these occasions ultimately bouncing back to vibrant health. Imbalance occurs when the problems go from temporary to prolonged. That’s when there simply aren’t enough resources to go around.

Consider some of the resources your body needs to stay healthy – proper nutrition and hydration (creating a strong immune system), fit and flexible muscles, adequate sleep, daily relaxation or “down time,” etc. It’s not hard to see why chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia are on the rise. We’re a nation of over stressed and under cared for people.

When we injure the body in some way – malnourishment, physical and/or emotional traumas, infections, stress, toxin exposures, etc. -- we end up with a confused and exhausted adrenal system. Once the adrenals have been compromised, hormonal imbalances and thyroid dysfunction follows. The body becomes inflamed as it tries to create order from the chaos.

Does this sound like you? If you believe your body represents more chaos than calm, perhaps it’s time to do something about it.

Implementing a few fundamental healing principles can start you on the path toward wellness. Proper nutrition has far-reaching benefits. Begin by adding more leafy greens and more veggies into your diet. Don’t forget to hydrate! Drink adequate amounts of pure, clean, filtered water.

Don’t forget to move your body – every single day. Stretching, walking, or low-impact fitness programs (especially yoga and tai chi) can help to strengthen and create flexibility in tender and sore muscles. Exercise also provides great emotional benefits as well as serving as an effective body detoxification.

Stress relieving modalities can provide relief from anxiety, pain, and sleep disturbances. Try prayer, meditation, cognitive behavior therapy, guided imagery, humor, and journaling to name a few.

Applying a variety of treatments – an integrative approach – has been proven to be a powerfully effective method of dealing with the complex symptoms of fibromyalgia. Addressing the symptoms at their source can provide both whole body healing and lifelong lasting results.

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BIO:

Sue Ingebretson is an author, speaker, certified holistic health counselor, and the director of program development for the Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Research and Education Center at California State University, Fullerton. Her book, FibroWHYalgia: Why Rebuilding the Ten Root Causes of Chronic Illness Restores Chronic Wellness, details her own healing journey from chronic illness to chronic wellness.