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May-June 1999
FIBROMYALGIA
We all experience minor body aches and pains occasionally, but when pain and fatigue become chronic, it is time to seek medical help. A person who suffers from chronic pain, stiffness and aching may be suffering from fibromyalgia (or fibrositis).
Fibromyalgia is a common type of rheumatic disease. This chronic pain syndrome comes and goes, but can be detrimental to a person's daily routine if it goes unchecked. Unlike arthritis (which is characterized by pain and swelling in the joints), fibromyalgia causes pain in the ligaments, tendons and muscles.
Millions of Americans have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, and the typical patient is a female between the ages of 20 and 50.
Most patients with fibromylagia share the following common conditions:
* poorly developed muscles
* sleep disturbances - the inability to get a good night's rest
* stress and muscle tension
Signs And Symptoms of Fibromyalgia
The two outstanding symptoms of fibromyalgia are pain and fatigue. The root of the pain is in the muscles themselves and the points where the muscles attach to the bones. Patients suffering from fibromyalgia will usually suffer extreme tenderness at these locations, call "tender points." The fatigue is thought to result from a lack of deep, restful sleep. More unusual symptoms of the disease include poor circulation in the hands and toes, headaches, dizziness, tingling and numbness, irritable bowels, muscle tremors, bladder spasms and blurred vision.
Diagnosis And Treatment
Diagnosis for fibromylagia is based on identification of tender points on your body, your medical history and the absence of other illnesses.
Like a diagnosis, treatment for fibromyalgia is not an exact science. But physicians and physical therapists have found practical steps to help patients feel better. The first step is to improve sleep, and this s a big part of the treatment. Sometimes the doctor will prescribe medications that are designed to help with stage IV sleep (the most restful stage of sleep). Unlike sleeping pills, the medications physicians prescribe for fibromyalgia patients are anti-depressants, which are known to promote better sleep and reduce pain. Eliminating any element that may disturb sleep is very important. The physician will encourage patients to discontinue use of sleeping pills, caffeine, alcohol and nicotine.
Fibromyalgia patients also benefit from regular aerobic exercise. Physical therapists often work with patients to establish a regular exercise program that the patient can continue independently. The therapist makes sure the patient starts out slowly and moves gradually toward more challenging exercises. By moving slowly, risk of muscle micro-trauma is significantly reduced.
Patients may have to change habits and surroundings as part of treatment for fibromyalgia. For example, a work table that is too low for the patient's body may be causing pain. In this case, the work surface should be raised to accommodate the patient. It's important to examine all aspects of daily routine and eliminate elements that are causing discomfort.
Physical therapists provide pain relief for fibromyalgia patients with modalities such as moist heat and massage. They are also trained to teach relaxation techniques. Everyone should learn and practice .one or two relaxation techniques. Progressive muscle relaxation allows you to focus on individual muscle groups, relaxing them one section at a time. This is an effective stress reliever that is relatively simple to practice.
Some fibromyalgia patients will need counseling to help them cope more effectively with their stress factors. If mild depression is contributing to the problem, special medications may be needed to relieve it.
The Therapy
Dimitrios Kostopoulos, MA, PT, FAAPM and Konstantine Rizopoulos, PT, FABS, have been involved in the study, research and clinical application of several MyoFascial Techniques and they have created their own comprehensive therapeutic model.
Myofascial Therapy is a comprehensive therapy approach that promotes pain relief, restoration of function, relaxation, and helps in obtaining optimum health. Myofascial Therapy approaches the person under treatment in it's total. It reaches all layers of the body. Their treatment approach utilizes several techniques including:
1 Trigger Point Therapy
2 Dry Needling Technique
3 Superficial MyoFascial Stretch
4 Deep MyoFascial Stretch
5 Self Release Techniques
6 Muscle Strengthening Programs
7 Proprioceptive Training
8 Neuromobilization and Cranial Manipulation Techniques
Their treatment approach utilizes and always considers the emotional field of the patient, and the effects of treatment to the emotional and psychosocial domain of the individual.
Patient's Involvement is Key to Success
Overcoming the obstacles of fibromyalgia takes special dedication on the part of the patient. Often, it is a process of trial and error that leads to success. Medical teams across the country continue to research fibromyalgia, hoping to discover effective medical treatments for this common ailment. But for today, patients of fibromyalgia can take hope in a prescription of improved sleep, regular exercise and controlled stress.
Home Exercise Program
Patients must be instructed in self-stretching exercises to be performed between treatments. The above treatments are part of the protocols followed at Hands-On
Physical Therapy and all clinicians are trained extensively to apply these techniques.
For additional information, please call our offices.
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