Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is often associated with

•  

• Chronic pain

• Stiffness

• Tenderness in the soft tissue

• Fatigue

• Insomnia or disturbed sleep

• Brain fog

• Anxiety

Painful areas of the body neck, back, shoulders, pelvis and limbs. Diagnosis can take the average of 5 years. Tenderness in at least 11 of the 18 tender points or the four quadrants of the body for 3 months.

These are some examples

A traditional acupuncturist will first determine how to treat the pain. To find out go to pain relief, this article describes how to feels and what will make it feel better or worse. This helps with the diagnosis. These article describes some of Chinese medicine patterns associated with fibromyalgia. There are more and they can often be combined with other patterns. Due to nature of pain and the tenderness of the muscles massage can be uncomfortable. Aromatherapy with a light touch or acupuncture are affective treatments.

Dampness is a common cause of fibromyalgia. This is a concept that does not have western equivalent. Dampness comes in different forms and affect the body in various ways. It is sticky and heavy. Dampness is formed when the spleen and stomach’s function is impaired. When the digestive system is not working properly then this can affect affect the production of Qi, blood and fluids. The stomach is the origin of all fluids and the spleen transforms and transports food and drink into Qi, blood and fluids. If the spleen if deficient then fluids do not transport upwards to its full capacity and congeal into dampness.

Spleen Qi deficiency signs and symptoms

• Fatigue

• Tired and bloated after eating

• Loose stools

• Sweet cravings

 

Dietary advice

•  

• Avoid raw food, ice, dairy, bananas, greasy food, fried food and peanuts

• Eat cooked food, root vegetables, meat, ginger and bone broth.

 

Spleen Qi deficiency can lead to spleen yang deficiency creating to feeling of cold in the limbs and diarrhoea. Spleen Qi deficiency can also develop into a blood deficiency. This is similar to anaemia but not exactly the same.

 

Signs and symptoms of a blood deficiency are

 

• Palpitations

• Insomnia

• Poor memory

• Dry eyes, hair or brittle nails

• Anxiety

 

Dietary advice 

 

Follow the advice for a spleen Qi deficiency. Supplement your diet with walnuts, goji berries, black sesame seeds and beetroot.

 

 

Dampness in relation to fibromyalgia settles in space between skin and muscles causing

 

• Tenderness

• Pain worse in damp weather or environment

• Heaviness of limbs

• Fatigue

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Diarrhoea

• Swollen glands

• Headaches

• Brain fog

 

Dietary advice

 

Follow the advice for spleen Qi deficiency. Include food that transforms dampness for example pears, licorish, apples, mung beans, millet and flax seed. Avoid fried, greacy food, dairy, bananas and peanuts because they create more phlegm.

 

Wind Bi

 

If dampness is not the cause of fibromyalgia then wind or cold might be an alternative explanation. Exterior pathogenic factor invade the body and settle in space between the skin and muscles.

 

• Aversion to wind and cold

• Sore throat

• The pain might move to different areas of the body

 

Dietary advice

 

Eat spring onions, garlic, ginger and coriander

 

Cold Bi

•  

• Worse in cold weather and more intense than dampness

• Cold contracts muscles causing pain

Apply red tiger balm on affected area. Make sure it is covered in cold weather.

In chronic cases of fibromyalgia the pain might feel like a fixed stabbing sensation in muscles and joints and can get worse at night. This is a stagnation of blood.