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Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain

Alternatives to Drugs for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Pain and Other Chronic Health Problems

CONTRARY TO WHAT THE PUBLIC IS BEING LED TO BELIEVE, THERE ARE NATURAL, EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS FOR FIBROMYALGIA (FM) AND CHRONIC PAIN.

Functional and holistic medicine views and treats chronic health problems, including chronic pain, FM, anxiety and depression, completely different than the conventional medical community. Functional medicine looks for, and naturally addresses the underlying root causes behind chronic illnesses.

Fibromyalgia and other chronic illnesses can have many underlying root causes/triggers, including infections, chronic systemic inflammation, toxicities, breast implants, imbalances, poor gut health/leaky gut, sensitivities, deficiencies, genetic mutations, physical or emotional trauma, poor coping skills, metabolic dysfunction or combinations of these factors and others that overload the body to the point it can no longer detoxify and recover on its own.

“Serotonin was originally given its name due to its ability to constrict blood vessels. In the 50’s injections of serotonin were given to women to induce labor. Serotonin constricts muscles leading to muscle damage. Muscle damage was one of the first problems discovered as a result of using SSRIs. When you attempt to use a constricted muscle it rips and tears. From the first SSRI we have gathered more and more reports of muscle damage and fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia is very common with serotonergic meds because the cause of fibromyalgia is known as a condition of elevated serotonin levels brought on by an inability to metabolize serotonin. Because the SSRIs work in this way they do produce fibromyalgia as a side effect and after effect. This constriction of muscle tissue is also why there are many bowel problems associated with the serotonergic drugs. Because 90% of serotonin is in the abdomen when serotonin levels rise the gut clamps up causing the elimination process to stop resulting in constipation.”

THE CORNERSTONES OF NATURAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT ARE CLEAN DIET, NUTRITION, SUPPLEMENTS, GOOD GUT HEALTH, AND OTHER HEALTHY, POSITIVE LIFESTYLE CHANGES.

Natural management takes time, commitment, consistence and persistence, but it is well worth the effort. Drugs mask the underlying root triggers of FM while the root health problems, and the drugs continue to damage the body and take down more body systems (aka accompanying conditions).

DON’T ABDICATE CONTROL OF YOUR HEALTH TO SOMEONE WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE KNOWLEDGEABLE.

Please vet and screen the physician or medical professional in whom you place your trust. There are good and bad functional doctors, just as there are good and bad conventional doctors. Do your due diligence. Listen to your gut. Does the doctor listen to you and consider you as part of the team? Does he/she look in your eyes and really listen to you?

NOTE: This file is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice and guidance of a qualified medical professional. Neither CHW, nor its admins and moderators are recommending these doctors, treatment facilities, or treatments. However, we are providing this information so our members can see alternative views on the causes and treatments of pain-causing conditions and participate in their own healing.

      

HOMEWORK: WATCH THESE MOVIES!

FUNCTIONAL & HOLISTIC VS. CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE’S VIEWS ON FIBROMYALGIA: ROOT CAUSES/TRIGGERS

FINDING A NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN

CONVENTIONAL DRUGS FOR FIBROMYALGIA

  • Cymbalta claims for fibromyalgia attract FDA warning: Ineffective for men; benefits over-exaggerated for women
    Eli Lilly & Co. were warned that despite FDA approval for use of Cymbalta (duloxetine) for fibromyalgia, their promotion of the drug for such patients was misleading and often overstated its effectiveness and omitted or minimized information regarding potential side effects. Cymbalta did not improve any symptoms in male patients, and there was no significant improvement in FIQ pain scores in the patients as a whole.
  • The Environmental Illness Resource: Fibromyalgia News
  • Why your fibro meds aren’t working

SUPPORT ON FACEBOOK

UNDERLYING ROOT TRIGGERS/CAUSES TO TEST OR LOOK FOR

(All can be addressed and managed naturally)

  • Chronic Systemic Inflammation
  • Deficiencies (nutritional)
  • Emotional trauma
  • Genetic Mutations (MTHFR gene mutation)
  • Imbalances (thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, hormonal, etc)
  • Infections (Lyme, West Nile, etc)
  • Physical trauma (spinal alignment problems, injuries, etc)
  • System overloads (candida, mycotoxins, parasites, toxic foods, etc)
  • Sensitivities and Allergies (foods, environment, etc)
  • Toxicities (heavy metal, breast implants)

DIET

  • Hippocrates ~ “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
  • ANTI-INFLAMMATORY, PAIN-FIGHTING DIET (a lifestyle choice):
  • The meaning of optimum in OPTIMUM DIET is the diet which best supports recovery from illness and maintenance of health.
    This support also includes optimum energy, athletic performance, mental power and endurance, preventing degenerative disease and staying young. The majority will have to adopt a new way of thinking about food in order to benefit from good nutrition. Food choices and dietary practices can strongly promote health; but also strongly prevent resolution of disease. For some people, their health condition is urgent and there has to be immediate radical dietary changes; others will have some time to transition into better health. A multitude of seemingly authoritative voices struggle for first place in the current marketplace of ideas; and one can find a voice saying what one wants to hear.
  • Anti-Inflammatory, Alkaline Forming Diet
  • Anti-Inflammatory Foods
  • Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Fibro
  • Stop Eating These Four Foods!
  • Fibromyalgia: The Diet Connection:
  • “When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.” – Ayurvedic Proverb

AVOID THESE !

  • Alcohol
  • Artificial Sweeteners
  • Caffeine
  • Corn
  • Corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup
  • Dairy
  • Fast food
  • Foods labeled “natural” or “fat free and sugar free”
  • Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
  • Gluten
  • Nicotine
  • Night shades (white potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant)
  • Red Meat (unless it is grass-fed)
  • Refined foods
  • Simple carbohydrates
  • Soy
  • Sugars
  • Trans fats

HEALTH FROM A-Z

ACUPUNCTURE

ADRENAL FATIGUE

APPLE CIDER VINGEGAR

AROMATHERAPY/ESSENTIAL OILS

BLACK MOLD

BREAST IMPLANT ILLNESS

CHIROPRACTICS

COUNSELING

COGNATIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY

DEPRESSION/ANXIETY

  • Sunshine – 20 minutes daily
  • Light exercise as tolerated, yoga, T’ai Chi, Qigong, gentle stretching, aqua workouts, walking
  • Light box
  • Aroma Therapy (Lavender)
  • Breathing Exercises: counted breathing, diaphragmatic breathing
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and (DBT)
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Alternative Daily: 5 Natural Ways to Kick Anxiety Naturally

DETOXING

  • Detoxing while in withdrawal is not recommended because it can be harsh on an already compromised system, and produce even more uncomfortable physical symptoms.
  • Many detoxes produce a “flush” which stirs up toxins and causes abdominal distress.
  • The best way to begin detoxing while in withdrawal is to eat clean, remove refined foods from the diet, and eat liver cleansing foods.
  • 23 Great Ways To Painlessly Cleanse Your Whole Body from RealFarmacy.com

ELIMINATION DIET & FOOD JOURNAL (TO DISCOVER FOOD SENSITIVITIES)

EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE

(EFT)/TAPPING:

EXERCISE

  • Gentle stretching
  • Yoga
  • T’ai Chi
  • Qigong
  • Water Aerobics
  • The Bowman Technique

EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING (EMDR)

HEADACHES/MIGRAINES

HEAVY METAL TOXICITY

HOBBIES

INSOMNIA

IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME

JUICING & GREEN SMOOTHIES

  • Juicing and smoothies should be introduced slowly when in withdrawal and detoxing from medications. If introduced too rapidly, they can produce a flush which can be quite hard on an already compromised system.
  • Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead
  • Juice Recipes – https://www.juicerecipes.com/recipes/

LAB TESTS

  • Amino acid analysis
  • Heavy metal analysis
  • Intestinal permeability
  • Vitamin/mineral tests
  • Comprehensive parasitology
  • IgG tests for food hypersensitivity
  • ELISA/ACT for delayed reaction to foods and chemicals
  • Hormone analysis
  • Thyroid analysis
  • Lyme Test
  • MTHFR gene mutation test

LEAKY GUT/POOR GUT HEALTH

LYME DISEASE

MASSAGE

MEDITATION & BREATHING EXERCISES

MTHFR GENE MUTATION

MYOFASCIAL RELEASE

NERVE PAIN/NEUROPATHY

ONLINE HEALTH STORES FOR DISCOUNT SUPPLEMENTS AND ORGANIC FOODS

PARASITES

PHYSICAL THERAPY

PROBIOTICS/CULTURED & FERMENTED FOODS

SAUNA/FAR INFRARED SAUNA

SLEEP

Note: If you are in withdrawal, taking supplements that affect serotonin is not recommended.

Visit https://yourfibrodoctor.com/ for suggestions.

  • Breathing exercises for sleep

SOAKING

SPIRITUALITY (MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT HEALING!)

STRESS, EMOTIONAL TRAUMA, PTSD, CPTD

SUPPLEMENTS

We are supposed to get our nutrients from foods, but because our foods are lacking nutrients due to processing and soil depletion, and people with FM have compromised immune and digestive systems that are not functioning properly, supplemental support can be an important part of addressing the underlying root triggers.

  • Magnesium:
    Magnesium Benefits
    Magnesium Pain Relief
  • Vitamin D
  • Fish oil or Flax Seed Oil/Omega 3
  • Liposomal Glutathione
  • L-glutamine
  • B Vitamins
  • HERBS & SPICES for pain and inflammation:
    – Curcumin/Turmeric
    – Ginger
    – Tart cherry juice
  • Licorice: 

T.E.N.S. (TENS) UNIT

A TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) unit is a device used for pain relief. It works by delivering small electrical pulses through electrodes placed on or near the area of pain. These electrical pulses stimulate nerves in the affected area, which can help in two main ways:

  1. Pain Gate Theory: The electrical stimulation can interfere with the transmission of pain signals to the brain. This occurs because the TENS unit stimulates sensory nerves, which can override or block the pain signals traveling along the same nerves.
  2. Endorphin Release: The electrical stimulation from the TENS unit can also prompt the body to release endorphins, which are natural pain-relieving chemicals produced by the body.

Overall, a TENS unit is used to alleviate various types of acute and chronic pain, including musculoskeletal pain, nerve pain, and pain associated with conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia and more. It is non-invasive and can provide relief without the need for medication in many cases.

THYROID

Visit https://yourfibrodoctor.com/. You will find help there.

TOPICAL OINTMENTS, CREAMS AND OILS

  • Magnesium Oil
  • Arnica
  • Essential Oils: Peppermint, Wintergreen, Clove, Nutmeg, Coriander
  • Capsaicin

VOLUNTEERING

  • Volunteering and its Surprising Benefits

WATER

OTHER RESOURCES

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