Fibromyalgia
What is Fibromyalgia?
The simple answer in western medicine is – we don’t know! And with the not knowing FM becomes, from a western perspective, incurable. From an eastern perspective, the signs and symp¬toms demonstrated by the individual pa¬tients make up a fabric and a pattern which can be readily assessed and treated. While nobody can claim that there is a cure for Fibromyalgia, Acupuncture can help and eliminate many of the symptoms and force it into submission.
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) describes 18 points, 11 of which if found painful, are an indicator that FM is present. However, these 18 points are not the only indication that the patient suffers from FM.
There are many other signs and symptoms which may indicate “possible FM” and a much more extensive workup may be necessary to determine if the symptom, for example, is a true bursitis with the accompanying inflammation, or a FM symptom which only looks like bursitis but has no inflammation associated with the problem.
In Acupuncture, these signs and symptoms as described by the patient are woven into a total picture which will result in a oriental diagnosis, resulting in a treatment protocol which treats the underlying problem (Fibromyalgia) and the resulting symptoms (Bursitis, for example).
Equipped with such a diagnosis, the acupuncturist can now proceed in developing a treatment plan which removes the energy blockage and restores the free flow of Qi thereby allowing the body to heal itself.
One of the reasons Western medicine has difficulties dealing with Fibromyalgia, is that its numerous symptoms can look like the following diseases:
migraines and tension head aches, TMJ, Irritable Bowel Syndromes, acid stomach (heart burn), cloudy brain, PMS, numbness, tingling sensations, muscle twitching, water retention and swelling (esp. hands, feet and face),dry eyes and mouth, skin sensitivity, itching and burning, impaired coordination, urinary urgency and burning, chest pain and pressure beneath the breast bone, intermittent hearing problems, loss of low- frequency hearing, heel spurs, knee and lower back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and others.
All these symptoms can be successfully treated with acupuncture.