Relieving Fibromyalgia Pain

June 14, 2004

Relieving Fibromyalgia Pain

An article published in the Medical Tribune,

“Fibromyalgia: Hard to Define, Hard to Treat.” Fibromyalgia

affects as many as five million Americans, most of them women, and

adds $47 billion annually to the nation’s health bill.

Since fibromyalgia is a painful condition that affects the muscles,

tendons, and joints, most conventional physicians tend to prescribe

anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs, sometimes paired with physical

therapy and exercise. Unfortunately, this is only moderately effective,

leaving many women looking for that “extra edge” they

need through the use of alternative treatments.

I have found that eliminating foods such as wheat and dairy products,

which are poorly tolerated by many people, makes a big difference.

My own findings were recently reinforced by a study presented at

the annual meeting of the American College of Nutrition in October

2001. In this study, fibromyalgia patients agreed to avoid wheat,

dairy products, sugar, corn, or citrus fruits. After two weeks,

an incredible 76 percent of the patients reported a reduction of

headaches, fatigue, and abdominal bloating, with nearly half also

reporting a significant reduction in their pain. Most telling was

the fact that their symptoms returned when these foods were reintroduced

into their diet.

Research studies have also found that 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)

relieves fibromyalgia symptoms. A 1990 study published in the Journal

of International Medical Research found that fibromyalgia patients

who were given 100 mg of 5-HTP three times a day experienced relief

from a whole host of symptoms, including pain, morning stiffness,

fatigue, poor sleep, and anxiety. Symptom relief occurred within

30 days of use, and even better results were seen at 90 days.

Based on the research and my clinical experience, I recommend that

you reduce and ideally eliminate the foods mentioned above, and

begin taking:

	50–100 mg of 5-HTP 1 to 3 times a day with a carbohydrate snack (cracker or slice of apple or banana).
	50–100 mg of vitamin B-6 once a day.
	300 mg of a St. John’s wort capsule (standardized extract, 0.3 percent hypericin) taken three times a day.
	150–250 mg of magnesium citrate taken three times a day.

Exercise is also extremely useful in relieving

the symptoms of fibromyalgia. In fact, a study published in the

February 2002 issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism found that

women with fibromyalgia who participated in a strength training

and walking program for 20 weeks improved their muscle strength,

endurance, and overall ability to function without aggravating their

symptoms.

Finally, you may want to look into an interesting new treatment

which uses relaxin hormone to help ease fibromyalgia symptoms. Discovered

by Dr. Samuel Yue, relaxin hormone treatment is based on his clinical

findings that women’s muscle pain and spasm symptoms are affected

by menstruation, menopause, surgically-induced menopause, or removal

of the ovaries. Dr. Yue suggests that fibromyalgia results from

a systemic deficit of relaxin hormone, a polypeptide similar to

insulin, that is involved in the production and remodeling of collagen.

The treatment is quite expensive and some women have experienced

side effects such as breast tenderness, morning sickness, and occasional

increase of menstrual flow. If you want to try this therapy, it

is available as Vitalaxin from Sky Inc. BioHealth Solutions at 1-612-946-1550

or www.skybiohealth.com.

Read More on Joint Health:

Getting Started

Heal Arthritis Naturally

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Nutritional Therapies

Get Moving with the Right Diet

Supplements to Heal Aching Joints

Digestive Enzymes: The Side Effect-Free Approach

to Pain Relief

Complementary Therapies

Stretch Out

Spice Up Your Life