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What Is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by chronic widespread pain and increased sensitivity to pressure. Fibromyalgia symptoms are not always limited to pain; other symptoms include debilitating fatigue, sleep disturbance, and joint stiffness. Some patients may also report difficulty with swallowing, bowel and bladder problems, numbness and tingling, and cognitive dysfunction (“brain fog”).  It is frequently experienced simultaneously with other conditions, such as depression, anxiety and stress-related disorders such as post-traumatic stress syndrome.

Fibromyalgia is estimated to affect 2–4% of the population, with a female-to-male incidence ratio of approximately 9:1. It is most commonly diagnosed in individuals between the ages of 20 and 50, although onset can occur in childhood.

What Causes Fibromyalgia?

There is currently no known cause of fibromyalgia, but several hypotheses have been developed.  One of these points to an over sensitization of the pain related pathways in the brain. In this model the nervous system becomes so efficient at firing pain related pathways, that even minimal stimulus of a pain receptor anywhere on the body causes the brain to light up like a Christmas tree.  When this occurs, the brain can’t tell the difference between a pinprick, and the slight pressure of a coat rubbing the neck.  Other theories include possible genetic links, trauma, and mental issues such as depression and anxiety.

OK... So what do YOU do to fix it? What makes YOU different from all of the other doctors that I have seen???

As I mentioned above, there are a lot of theories as to what causes fibromyalgia, and even what it is for that matter... In my opinion, fibromyalgia is just a diagnosis given by the medical community when they don’t know what else to diagnose you with.  

The conventional treatments for fibromyalgia do not address the root causes of the problem. Instead, they mostly center on the use of painkillers and antidepressants that only mask the symptoms and allow the patient to get worse over time. Because it is so elusive, I feel the only way to discover its root cause is to find out exactly why your body isn’t functioning correctly, and then develop a comprehensive treatment plan to restore normal function.

I accomplish this through a well thought out plan of action that includes myriad of tests to help uncover underlying metabolic problems.

One of those tests is comprehensive blood chemistry. This may possibly be the most thorough blood chemistry you have ever had. It includes a chem. 24 (not a chem. 7 or 14 like those routinely done by your PCP). It also includes a fasting glucose with an A1C level to find out how well you are regulating blood sugar, a lipid panel to determine your triglyceride and cholesterol levels, a CBC with differential to find out how well your immune system is working, 4 iron markers to determine if you have anemia or other issues, a T7 thyroid panel to determine how well your thyroid is working, a vitamin D analysis, and many others.
In addition to blood chemistry, we may need to run a DNA based stool analysis to discover if you have underlying digestive issues or parasites that could be contributing you your problem. Other tests may include adrenal stress index, food antibody testing, and hormone analysis.

In conventional medicine, these tests are usually run individually by doctors in varying fields, and are rarely analyzed together by a single practitioner with your global health in mind.

With my training in functional medicine, I understand the complex interrelationships between the nervous system, the endocrine system and the immune system. I also know that these systems are intricately connected and cannot be treated individually without affecting the others.

It is because of this interconnection, that the solution to your health problem may not be where you think it is, or where other professionals have told you it is. This is why comprehensive lab testing is so important. Without it, you are just throwing darts hoping to hit a bull’s-eye.

Treatment is different for each patient, as everybody has his/her own unique metabolic issues. However, as a general guideline, the first thing I do is to try and find out what triggers that might be causing abnormal immune activation. These can be environmental toxins, food allergies, parasites, viral or bacterial infections etc.

Because food is the easiest one to test, and arguably the one we have the most control over, this is where I typically begin. I start by putting my patients on a 3-week elimination/provocation diet whereby we eliminate many of the known allergens from the diet. This may sometimes be accompanied with certain herbs and products to help support detoxification.

At the end of the 3 week diet, we are able to find out that if by eliminating certain foods your condition has improved or not. If so, we can surmise that at least some of your problems are related to the types of food you eat. After completing the diet, we then systematically return foods to your diet to find out how your body responds to those foods that have previously been eliminated. By doing so we are able to identify what foods are causing adverse reactions. Reactions to food allergens can occur in many forms...digestive issues (constipation, acid reflux, indigestion, bloating, etc.), neurological and brain issues (brain fog, depression, anxiety, etc.), musculoskeletal problems (Chronic pain or fatigue). In fact, many responses to food do not cause obvious digestive problems as would be expected, and for this reason many people don’t even know they have them. However, they will contribute to your fibromyalgia symptoms.

After all the initial lab results come back, I am able to analyze those results from a functional medicine and nutritional perspective. First I separate all the abnormal findings from the normal ones, to determine what metabolic problems exist and what systems may be involved. I then prioritize those problems as to which ones need to be treated first. Treatment usually includes dietary modifications and nutritional supplements containing specific herbs, vitamins and minerals to help correct and support the underlying metabolic dysfunctions that are at the foundation of your particular health problem.
The efficacy of treatment is objectively measured by repeat lab analysis to find out if the treatment is working, does the treatment need to be modified and has the targeted metabolic problems returned to normal function indicating that no further treatment is necessary. The ultimate goal of treatment is to return health and normal function to all systems of the body and return you to an active lifestyle without the ball chain of fibromyalgia holding you back. 

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