Fibromyalgia

A Functional Medicine Approach to Fibromyalgia

Written by Amy Myers, MD It is estimated that fibromyalgia affects nearly 6 million or 1 in 50 people, causing chronic pain, particularly muscle pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, brain fog, or cognitive impairment, depression, and painful tender points throughout the body. Not surprisingly, conventional medicine focuses only on managing symptoms through pain medications and antidepressants. […]

Pain Changes Induced by Acupuncture in Single Body Areas in Fibromyalgia Syndrome: Results from an Open-Label Pragmatic Study

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021 Sep 28;2021:9991144. doi: 10.1155/2021/9991144. eCollection 2021. Marco Di Carlo PMID: 34621328 PMCID: PMC8492291 DOI: 10.1155/2021/9991144 Abstract To date, there is considerable evidence of the effectiveness of acupuncture in fibromyalgia syndrome (FM). However, it is not known in which body areas acupuncture is more effective. The objective of this study […]

Low Oxalates Foods May Help Reduce Auto-Immune Disease Risk, Autism and Fibromyalgia

Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., DACBN, MS, CFMP Oxalate (or oxalic acid) is a compound found in a variety of plant-based foods. Under a microscope, oxalates are jagged in structure and look somewhat crystalline. During metabolism, oxalic acid combines with other minerals like calcium, sodium, magnesium, and potassium to form compounds like calcium oxalate and sodium oxalate […]

The role of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic pain

Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol. 2020 Sep;34(3):603-616. doi: 10.1016/j.bpa.2020.08.005. Epub 2020 Aug 8. Megha Patel PMID: 33004170 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpa.2020.08.005 Abstract Acupuncture is a practice based on traditional Chinese medicine, in which needles are used to restore the body’s internal balance. Recently, there has been growing interest in the use of acupuncture for various pain conditions. […]

Noninvasive Nonpharmacological Treatment for Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review Update [Internet].

Editors Skelly AC, Chou R, Dettori JR, Turner JA, Friedly JL, Rundell SD, Fu R, Brodt ED, Wasson N, Kantner S, Ferguson AJR. Source Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2020 Apr. Report No.: 20-EHC009. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Reviews. Structured Abstract Objectives: We updated the evidence from our 2018 report assessing persistent […]

Kathleen Sluka, PT, PhD, on Perfect TENS For Fibromyalgia?

— Electrical stimulation device “another tool in our arsenal” to control FM pain, reduce fatigue by Scott Harris, Contributing Writer, MedPage Today March 31, 2020 Kathleen Sluka, PT, PhD, is professor of physical therapy and rehabilitation science at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. She served as co-author of a report, published in Arthritis […]

Obesity and Fibromyalgia

~ Research reveals overweight FMS patients experience more severe symptoms September 5, 2019 by Julie Maurer Contributing Writer, MedPage Today While patients with fibromyalgia frequently battle pain, fatigue, and depression, some believe that those who are also obese may experience more severe symptoms. This is a topic explored in a study published in the journal Nutrients, by […]

‘First Evidence’ Links Gut Bacteria, Fibromyalgia

Deborah Brauser July 09, 2019 Patients with fibromyalgia appear to have specific gut microbiome alterations that differ from their healthy peers, new research suggests. In the “first evidence” to show this connection, investigators found that women with fibromyalgia had significant differences in 19 species of gut bacteria compared with healthy controls. They also had higher […]

Fibromyalgia Linked to Gut Bacteria for First Time

Jun 25, 2019 | Original story from McGill University Health Center Scientists have found a correlation between a disease involving chronic pain and alterations in the gut microbiome. Fibromyalgia affects 2-4 percent of the population and has no known cure. Symptoms include fatigue, impaired sleep and cognitive difficulties, but the disease is most clearly characterized […]

Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain: The Role of Zonulin

by Melissa Lee – Fx Medicine 05/13/2016 DOWNLOAD INFOGRAPHIC In recent years an amazing discovery has advanced our understanding of intestinal permeability. In 2000, Dr Alessio Fasano and his team discovered a molecule responsible for modulating intestinal tight junctions (TJs) known as zonulin. To date, zonulin is the only human protein known to reversibly regulate intestinal permeability. Based on Dr Fasano’s […]

The Role of Magnesium in Neurological Disorders – Full Text Article

Nutrients 2018, 10(6), 730; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10060730 Anna E. Kirkland Abstract: Magnesium is well known for its diverse actions within the human body. From a neurological standpoint, magnesium plays an essential role in nerve transmission and neuromuscular conduction. It also functions in a protective role against excessive excitation that can lead to neuronal cell death (excitotoxicity), and […]

Effect of Tai chi vs aerobic exercise for fibromyalgia: Comparative effectiveness randomized controlled trial

BMJ — | March 23, 2018 Wang C, et al. – Experts undertook a comparative scrutiny of the effectiveness of Tai chi interventions vs aerobic exercise, a current core standard treatment in patients with fibromyalgia. Furthermore, they intended to contemplate if the effectiveness of Tai chi depended on its dosage or duration. Results illustrated similar […]

Severity of symptoms persists for decades in fibromyalgia – A 26-year follow-up study

Clinical Rheumatology — | January 24, 2018 Isomeri R, et al. – The target of this research was to investigate the outcome of patients in whom primary fibromyalgia (pFM) was diagnosed 26 years ago. Maximum patients illustrated the persistence of FM symptoms for decades without marked deterioration of self-reported functional ability. Long symptomless periods were […]

A Functional Medicine Approach to Fibromyalgia

It is estimated that fibromyalgia affects nearly 6 million or 1 in 50 people, causing chronic pain, particularly muscle pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, brain fog, or cognitive impairment, depression and painful tender points throughout the body. Not surprisingly, conventional medicine focuses only on managing symptoms through pain medications and antidepressants. Functional medicine, on the other hand, […]

Zumba dancing can improve the pain and functional capacity in women with fibromyalgia

Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies | October 03, 2017 Assuncao JC, et al. – An enquiry was set up regarding the effectiveness of Zumba dancing in improving pain, functional capacity, quality of sleep and quality of life of women with fibromyalgia. 3 months of this therapy led to an improvement in pain and physical […]

Effect of vitamin D supplementation in chronic widespread pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The authors of this study suggest that supplementation with Vitamin D in patients with low serum levels seemed to help decrease pain scores in patients with chronic non-specific widespread pain, including fibromyalgia.  This was a meta-analysis which looked at the results of several studies.  From what I saw, a dosage from 1200 – 2400 (Wepner study) […]

Fibromyalgia Who Told You There Wasn’t A Cure?

Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., D.A.C.B.N., M.S. If you listen to conventional medical “talk”.. you would tend to believe that Fibromyalgia has no cure. You would be one of the 10 million people who suffer with FMS who would accept their affliction as something that they must simply live with.. Well my comment to that is […]

Fibromyalgia Is Not All In Your Head, New Research Confirms

Researchers discover a rational biological source of pain in the skin of patients with fibromyalgia[June 14, 2013, Rensselaer, NY] – Fibromyalgia, a painful condition affecting approximately 10 million people in the U.S., is not imaginary after all, as some doctors have believed. A discovery, published this month in PAIN MEDICINE (the journal of the American […]

Cold Application Decreases Fibromyalgia Pain

This article shows that a 10-minute cold application on the trapezius muscle tied to significant decrease in pain score. MONDAY, May 1, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Local cold applications on the trapezius muscles significantly decreases the pain of patients with fibromyalgia, according to a study published online April 17 in the International Journal of Rheumatic […]

Can staying active help to prevent chronic pain? Physical activity affects pain modulation in older adults

Date: February 24, 2017 Source: Wolters Kluwer Health Summary: Older adults with higher levels of physical activity have pain modulation patterns that might help lower their risk of developing chronic pain, reports a study. Older adults with higher levels of physical activity have pain modulation patterns that might help lower their risk of developing chronic […]