Fibromyalgia: The Painful Truth

“Deep sleep is inhibited because the brain is trying to stay alert to fend off danger. A lack of deep sleep causes fatigue and prevents adequate growth hormone release. A lack of growth hormone interferes with the normal muscle tissue repair process and leads to muscle pain. Muscles and their surrounding tissue are chronically tightened to respond to danger and become painful.” Ginevra, the author, believes this is the vicious cycle that brings so much pain to those affected and clouds the skies for the diagnosing weather(wo)men (AKA doctors) who remain with great doubt as to whether this disease is real or not.

Those affected by fibromyalgia often have these symptoms:

• They feel like they have the flu all the time.
• There is profound muscle pain, achiness, and fatigue.
• Repetitive motion makes the pain worse.
• Their sleep is unrefreshing
1. “waking up in the morning feeling as if they had run a marathon overnight” → morning stiffness
2. One study found that 95% reported poor sleep quality and persistent fatigue.
• Poor memory, reduced attention span, and difficulty multitasking, AKA ‘fibrofog.’
• Irritable bowel and bladder: “70% have enough bowel symptoms to be diagnosed with IBS.”
• Hypotension (low blood pressure).
• Dizziness upon standing.
• Poor balance.

Fibromyalgia has undergone a few name changes over the years and the views on this disease have acted likewise. Ginevra herself has had to take the back seat with this disease, allowing her fellow teachers and classmates to poke fun at it in order to make it through medical school without the extra burden. Although there are missing links to the actual cause, some key ones are known, and most importantly, the patients do exist. It is not a catch-all diagnosis, it is a tangible reality.

LINK TO TRAUMA

Unlike Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which is believed to be caused by a virus, fibromyalgia can often be linked back to trauma. One study’s results showed that 50% of the studied individuals had their symptoms appear six months after a traumatic accident (motor vehicle accident). Other studies show that 50% of women—this disease is most commonly diagnosed in women—with fibromyalgia experienced childhood sexual abuse and 90% experienced sexual assault within their lifetime—Ginevra did not confront these statistics herself and provided no information if these were true in her case.

REPLICATING FIBROMYALGIA SYMPTOMS

If the symptoms can be replicated both in a study and willingly by some individuals, can certain lifestyle choices help reclaim the calm in these afflicted individuals. A 1975 study consisting of college students accompanied by loud noises interrupting their sleep at night, resulted in widespread muscle pain that disappeared after a few nights of regular sleep. By interrupting their ‘fight or flight’ mechanism, they were able to induce the symptoms of fibromylagia.

As for those willing individuals: marathon runners (more about them soon).

NUTRITION

“A stress response stuck in ‘fight or flight’ mode can lead to poor sleep, but it also leads to poor digestion.” Research suggests that those stuck in this mode tend to get leaky guts. A leaky gut permits forbidden substances entrance into our circulation and induces an immune response, thus further inflammation. Normally, only smaller particles gain entry to our circulation, but a leaky one grants the larger particles this same hall pass. Here are some ways to obtain a leaky gut for yourself:

• Stress – inflammation from release of the corticosteriod hormone
• Use of certain meds – especially NSAIDs and steroids
• Even some dietary choices (many actually) can easily provide this “opportunity.”

MILK

In a blinded milk challenge study, one group was given milk and another was given the placebo (alternate food item). Those who drank the milk were filled with the white substance and its reproducible symptoms while the placebo group remained unscathed. These symptoms peaked at 24-48 hours after the challenge and resolved within one to three days. As for their labs, their blood tested positively for milk antibodies, thus milk was literally getting into their circulatory system.