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If you are one of the millions of people that suffer from fibromyalgia you would probably like to know if there is a cure for this debilitating condition. Or maybe you have talked to your physician or your rheumatologist and already have been told that there is no cure for FMS (fibromyalgia syndrome). You would like to know what the truth of the matter is concerning cure for “fibro.”
The Bad News - There is no known cure for fibromyalgia.
The Good News - There are many!
Although there is actually no pill you can take, no injections you can receive, no radiation therapy or chemo, there are things out there that can greatly relieve your symptoms, and in some people, cure the disease. FMS is a chronic disease but it is not progressive and it will not kill you. Your best shot against beating FMS is
to get educated and to never stop searching! Don’t stop if your physician makes a statement like this: “It’s all in your head.” or “Learn to live with it because that is the best you are going to do.” If you hear these statements, run to another doctor -- preferably to a rheumatologist. If your rheumatologist does not help -- go to a specialist in alternative medicine. Or an acupuncturist, or yes, a hypnotist! I haven’t suggested a veterinarian here, but our vet has given my husband (and FMS sufferer)some great leads! Get on the Internet and search. Join support groups online, and in your community. Make “feeling good” again your current life’s goal (okay, that and the all the other stuff you HAVE to do)!
After you have gone through the “tender point” test and reiterated your complete medical history to about 10 medical professionals, finally convincing the world-at-large that you aren’t imagining these symptoms, your doctor will undoubtedly diagnose that you are depressed and suffering from sleep deprivation. You will be put on antidepressants and given something to help you restore your sleep patterns. And guess what? It just might work for you, after a fair amount of time. If this is the case you can stop reading this article here!
If you are still reading then sadly those little pills didn’t help you all that much, but probably helped a little. Begin step 2 then. Research. Following are some helpful bits of information I have compiled from a bunch of different sources. They are suggestions only, but as I said, you need to keep trying. You may just hit upon something. Don’t give up, and above all -- don’t lose hope. When a person loses hope, all hope is gone. Sounds redundant, but you need to maintain hope to keep a positive mental attitude and defeat this enemy!
Spinal Disk Surgery as Treatment for FM --
Physicians at the Tupelo Pain Clinic in Mississippi are trying out an aggressive surgical procedure for spinal pain and fibromyalgia. Believing that FM is caused by one or more painful intervertebral disks in the cervical or lumbar region of the spine the physicians are using surgical treatments to reduce the number of tender points. One of these procedures is disk fusion, a procedure that joins bones in the spine. The procedure has been successful in many patients, however it tends to limit mobility and can backfire -- causing more back pain if not successful. They are currently tracking 300 patients who have fibromyalgia related to a disk problem in the neck or the lower back.
Acupuncture and Fibromyalgia
Acupuncture is another venue for the FM victim to
consider. In a study where acupuncture needles were placed in “real” acupuncture sites as opposed to “phony” acupuncture sites, there indeed seemed to be a relief of pain. There was also improvement in well-being and also less morning stiffness. The study did not look into the length of time the improvements lasted following the procedures. The final analysis, to date, is that the limited amount of high-quality evidence does imply that real acupuncture IS more effective than sham acupuncture for improving the symptoms in FMS patients. There definitely needs to be more high-quality testing done in this area, but it could work for you!
Exercise
Exercise has been shown to be very beneficial for some people with FMS. For others it was just another painful experience that did not have a big enough payoff to continue with it. This is another area to approach on a personal level, with the recommendation of your doctor.
Hypnosis
We all know that FMS is not “all in your head” like some uneducated medical practitioners have said, but the brain is where pain takes form. Why couldn’t hypnosis teach our brains to ignore the pain signals? Hypnosis has been used with some success in FM patients that are susceptible to hypnotic suggestion.(Not everyone can be hypnotized!) It has been used in the medical field for pre and post operative pain relief, and even in the delivery room for childbirth.
In addition to the methods I have mentioned above I would have to add prayer. Prayer is proven to have a positive outcome, and to provide hope when all other hope is gone.
Remember, When a person loses hope, all hope is gone. Above all, don’t give it up!
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