More Fibromyalgia Articles, Essays, Emails etc....of Interest to Fibromites

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"Due to both the many similarities and differences in the effects that we experience from one fibromyalgia sufferer to the next fibromyalgia I have dedicated this Web page to the publishing of on topic articles from different guest authors. These articles do not necessarily relect the thoughts and opinions of this Web site or its owner, but do reflect some of the current thinking on fibromyalgia and its effects those who it touches."_{Webmaster...Managing My Fibromyalgia}� _.

Health Articles on Phentermine, Cialis and Other Major Drugs

Informative articles on various health related issues helping you make the right decisions with your prescriptions.

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Title: What is Fibromyalgia
Author: Leela Frase

What Is The Definition of Fibromyalgia?

What is Fibromyalgia (fi-bro-my-AL-ja) Syndrome? Fibromyalgia Syndrome patients hurt all over with pain around particular tender points, and frequently feel extremely fatigued. Fibromyalgia Syndrome patients feel as if their muscles have been pulled or overworked. Sometimes the muscles twitch, and at other times they burn. Even after numerous tests, the physician is frequently unable to specifically find something wrong with the patient. When family or friends ask you, "What is this fibromyalgia syndrome?", have them think back to the last time they had a bad flu. Every muscle in the body screamed out in pain, they felt depleted of energy, as though someone had unplugged their power supply. While the severity of symptoms fluctuate from person to person, Fibromyalgia syndrome may resemble a post-viral state.

What is the unique Definition of Fibromyalgia Characteristics? According to the definition of Fibromyalgia, the disease is characterized by chronic pain, fatigue and widespread pain in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons; with distinct tender points. Other symptoms include stiffness, soft tissue tenderness, and sleep disturbances (a constant interruption of the deep delta sleep needed to rest and restore the body). Fibromyalgia information determines that sleep disturbance is a very common ailment of FMS patients. Fibromyalgia Syndrome is not fully understood, however, it is commonly associated with physical and emotional stress, inadequate sleep, an injury, exposure to dampness or cold, certain infections, and occasionally Rheumatoid Arthritis or related disorders.

Many years ago this condition was known as Fibrositis, Chronic Muscle Pain Syndrome, Psychogenic Rheumatism, and Tension Myalgia. In 1990, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) identified a specific criteria for this disease. The ACR classifies a patient with FMS if at least 11 of 18 specific tender points of the body are painful under pressure. The most common sites of pain include the neck, back, shoulders, pelvic girdle, and hands; but any body part can be involved. The patient must also have had widespread, tender point pain lasting at least 3 months. Patients, however, may experience a range of symptoms of varying intensities that keep changing over time. Although the intensity of symptoms may vary, they may never disappear completely. It may be reassuring to know, however, FMS is not progressive, crippling, or life-threatening.

FM Syndrome - Fibromyalgia Information, Facts, And Statistics FM Syndrome patients make up as much as 4% of the entire population. According to the National Foundation for FMS, as many as 12 million Americans suffer from this disease but remain undiagnosed because of its elusive nature. It is most common in women between the ages of 20 - 50, although it also affects men, the elderly, and children. In children, the disease is often mistakenly diagnosed with growing pains or behavioral problems. FM Syndrome is frequently mistaken for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome since the symptoms of the two diseases are so similar, however FMS affects more individuals than Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - CFS.

10 to 12 million Americans suffer from FMS - 90% of them are women in the prime of their life. Patients suffering from FMS sometimes struggle for years before being correctly diagnosed. Women are affected much more than men in an approximate ratio of 20:1. This condition is seen in all age groups, from young children through old age. In most patients, the problem begins between 20 - 30 years of age. This debilitating disease occurs world-wide and has no specific ethnic predisposition. Symptoms usually appear between 20 - 55 years of age, but children arealso diagnosed with FM syndrome. Pain and severe fatigue may keep FM sufferers from their chosen profession, unable to perform common daily tasks. Chronic pain usually continues throughout a patient's life span. For more info visit: http://www.back-fibromyalgia-pain.com

About the author:
Leela Fraser is the conributing Editor to: http://www.back-fibromyalgia-pain.com

Here are Some More Great Articles Describing the Relationship Between Quality Sleep Patterns and Fibromyalgia

Sidebar.....As with other chronic illnesses similar to fibromyalgia, lack of proper sleep can contribute to the major symptom of fatigue. The article below reviews several of the recommended ways to improve the quality of our sleep, which in turn can help alleviate some of the related pain and fatigue of fibromyalgia. Tip number seven [7] may be the most difficult Tip for fibro-mites to follow, but if you are able to do minimal exercise, the point of when to/or not to exercise is important advice..... Bill, Web master, MMF.

Ten Tips For Restful Sleep

According to the National Sleep Foundation, approximately 70 million people in the United States are affected by asleep problem. Americans suffering from chronic sleepdisorders number about 40 million, and an additional 20-30million are affected by intermittent sleep-related problems.

More importantly, studies have found a relationship between the quantity and quality of one's sleep and many healthproblems. For example, insufficient sleep may be linked toweight gain, hypertension, cardiovascular problems and theonset of diabetes.

Here is a list of tips for sleeping restfully. These tips are intended for "typical" adults with occasional sleepproblems. This list is not for those with medical problemsor necessarily for children.

1. Maintain a regular sleep schedule
Our bodies have a natural clock and a regular sleepschedule conditions our physiology with a sleep-wake cycle.A regular waking time in the morning strengthens this cycleand can help the onset of sleep at night. It is importantto keep a regular bedtime and wake-time, even on theweekends when there is the temptation to sleep-in.

2. Bedtime DOs
Establishing a regular sleep routine will condition yourmind and body to switch from activity to sleep. Yourroutine might include listening to soothing music, readinga book, a warm glass of milk or a warm soak in the tub (itshould be done early enough that you are no longer sweatingor over-heated). If you�re lactose-intolerant, try anherbal tea with no caffeine. Another easy trick just beforeretiring is to dim the lights to tell your body it is timeto rest.

3. Bedtime DON�TS
Avoid eating a heavy meal before bedtime. You should finisheating at least 2-3 hours before your regular bedtime andavoid spicy foods that may cause heartburn. In addition,many people think alcohol is a sedative, but it actuallydisrupts sleep, causing nighttime awakenings. Other thingsto avoid include caffeine (e.g. coffee, tea, soft drinksand chocolate) and cigarettes (nicotine).

4. Your Bed is not a Desk
The only purpose of your bed is for sleeping and sex. DONOT use it as a workspace for sorting out papers or workingon projects. Create a healthy "body" relaxing environmentand not a "brain" activity space. Remove work materials,computers and televisions out of your sleep environment.

5. Bedroom Harmony
Your bedroom should be pleasing, clutter-free and reflectthe value you have for sleep. Your bed and pillows shouldbe comfortable. Adjust the elements in your sleepenvironment such as light (dark is best), temperature andnoise. If necessary, use blackout curtains, eye shades, earplugs, air purifiers, humidifiers, fans and other devices.

6. Nurture Your Body
Visiting a holistic therapist each month will help releasebody tension, quiet the mind and correct any imbalances. The choices are unlimited, like acupuncture, massage,reflexology, chiropractic and more.

7. Exercise regularly
Avoid exercising late at night because it raises your bodytemperature and makes you more alert. If you exercise atnight, complete your workout at least a three hours beforebedtime. A great time to exercise is late afternoon.

8. Diet and Supplements
Feed your body healthy nutritional food with plenty offresh green vegetables and fresh fruit. In addition, youcan take a high quality supplement (liquid or tabletmulti-vitamin) each day.

9. Resolve Mental and Emotional Issues
Unplug from your day and leave the office at the office. Ifyou still have a list of things leftover it is best towrite them down with a simple to-do list for the morning.Avoid having arguments unresolved. If you have an issuewith something that was said, or are angry, then write yourfeelings in a journal and do a brain download. Do NOTre-read this journal. If you still have issues in themorning, then speak to that person or speak to aprofessional.

10. Don�t Watch the Clock
If you can NOT fall asleep, it is best NOT to lie in bedand try to "force" yourself to sleep. Avoid checking theclock repeatedly. According to experts, if you do not fallback asleep within 15-20 minutes, you should get out of bedand go to another room. Try something relaxing such aslistening to music or reading.

In conclusion, getting a good night sleep every night is important to recharge your body and mind. The quality ofsleep and quantity of sleep is crucial for health, safetyand longevity. Pleasant dreams and good night.

About the Author:
Wayne McDonald is a licensed Life Practitioner, a Public Speaker and a holistic health practitioner. For more articles and health tips visit: http://www.123relax.com/healthtips

As I mentioned previously and as is discussed in the above article, getting a proper nights sleep is advantageous for the fibromyalgia sufferer. It does this by helping to control and decrease the intensity of some of the symptoms of this disorder. Sometimes reaching this goal is easier said then done, especially if, when you sleep, you are a person who snores or worse yet, suffers the consequences of sleep apnea as I do. The following article from the LTiba Web site addresses these obstacles to obtaining a good night's restful sleep. Please read on........

Date: Fri, 10 Jun 2005 17:26:58 -0000
From: "halosense"
Subject: Snoring: A common sleep disorder

Snoring: A Common Sleep Disorder

Sleep consumes as much as one-third or more of the average human's life. Even if people hope for restful sleep, many types of sleep disorders reduce the quality and quantity of sleep. Snoring is the most common cause of sleep disorder that affects people.

Snoring is divided into two categories: Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Primary Snoring.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Loud, excessive snoring, interrupted by breathing stoppages and gasping for breath. Other symptoms include excessive sleepiness in the daytime and obesity. Also, it was found that is more common in males.

Primary Snoring: is very common and is unrelated to apneic episodes. Primary snoring may be an early predictor for people who will eventually develop obstructive sleep apnea. This progression is more likely in people at ages 35-40 and who undergo a weight gain.

Primary snoring is characterized by loud noises that disturb the sleeper or sleep partners and can be caused by different types of problems: anatomic - if the oropharynx is smaller or more narrow than normal, a deviated nasal septum, hypertrophy of the tonsils and/or adenoids, temporary or permanent enlargement of the nasal turbinate (nasal obstruction), mandibular abnormalities, or tongue enlargement and smoking.

Medical Consequences: The obstructive sleep apnea should always be checked by a physician. The fact that you won't receive the proper amount of air will lead in time to serious diseases. Not enough air means poor blood and brain oxygenation. Even primary snoring can signal other morbid conditions. Nocturnal asthma may be a cause of snoring and snoring may be a trigger for nocturnal asthma. The day time tiredness and sleepiness is only a residual effect of snoring. Snoring often coexists with hypertension, heart disease, asthma and brain ischemia.

Smoking: Cigarette smoking has been demonstrated to be the cause of numerous medical problems, including snoring. The cause is the negative effect of smoking on mucociliary clearance reducing the ciliary mobility, increasing the upper airway blockages and allowing mucus to collect. This effect can even occur through exposure to second-hand smoke.

Nasal Obstruction: A normal breathe through the nose while sleeping will not cause snoring. When a nasal obstruction appears that we must breathe through the mouth, increasing the risk of snoring. Opening the airway passages through the upper respiratory tract is one solution to snoring.

Depending on your snoring pattern, a saline air salinizer could be a real help to prevent and reduce snoring. The fact that the inhaled saline has bactericide, mucokinetic, hydrophilic and anti inflammatory properties leads to reducing inflammation in the mucosa lining the airway passages, creating an opening and widening the airway. This will restore the normal transport of mucus and unclog the blockages absorbing the edema of the nasal mucosa and the oropharynx and the soft palate, causing the nasal obstruction and snoring. Widening the airway passage in the nose and the tubes of the sinuses will also improve the sinuses drainage and will reduce snoring.

However, if a person seems to gasp for breath during sleep, the snoring may be caused by obstructive sleep apnea and this is a serious medical condition and he/she should see a doctor.

Thinking now about pets? They are part of our life, day and night, including their problems. A dog snoring pattern is very much the same as ours and is a problem looking for snoring help. A snoring device or a home remedy for a snoring dog is not a problem anymore. As your pet could also have asthma or snoring, the salinized air will work great for the beloved pet.

For more information, kindly refer to the Web site.

LTiba
WebSite: www.salinetherapy.com
Phone: +1 / 519-641-SALT (7258)

NB: The author grants reprint permission to opt-in publications and websites so long as the copyright and by-line are included intact and the article is not used in spam.

Title: Fibromyalgia - How You Can Live With It.
Author: Elmer Fizz

Fibromyalgia is a chronic and painful condition that is extremely hard to diagnose. The main symptoms are constant pain and stiffness in the musculoskeletal parts of the body, soft tissue tenderness and sleep disturbances leading to extreme tiredness. The pain is mostly felt in the neck, back, pelvic girdle and hands, though any other parts of the body may be affected.

This disease is very hard to diagnose because so many of the symptoms are similar to other problems like chronic fatigue, rheumatism and arthritis. Doctors must rely a great deal on their patients' description of symptoms. There is a manual standardized test that can be given to discover if there is pain at specified points of the body. If 11 out of 18 of these specified points are tender, and the patient has had pain in all four quadrants of the body for at least three months then
Fibromyalgia is certainly suspected.

A compounding problem is that these symptoms can come and go from week to week. Numbness, tingling and burning may also be present and the pain can be affected by emotional stress, trauma and also by weather conditions such as humidity and cold. Too little or too much activity can also play a part in the amount of pain experienced.

Sometimes FM can be triggered by an illness or injury, but it is also thought to be genetic. New research has shown that it may be caused by an interpretive defect of the central nervous system that causes abnormal pain perception.

Once the condition has been diagnosed, there is much the patient can do to relieve the symptoms. Certainly the advice of a medical health-care provider should be sought and followed, but there are many alternative treatments that offer relief from the symptoms and most doctors agree that sufferers of FM should put into place a multi-faceted treatment regimen that includes nutrition, exercise, dietary supplements, acupuncture, aroma-therapy, relaxation techniques and even the use of hot-cold therapies and humor to aid in pain relief.

Over the counter pain relief medication such as ibuprofen can be used, while low doses of anti depressants from the doctor can certainly help the sufferer to get better sleep. Lidocaine injections into tender pain points may also be needed for relief. Gentle exercise and stretching will prevent the muscles from wasting away and is also beneficial in reducing pain and stiffness.

Because living with a chronic illness such as FM can be so debilitating, sufferers need emotional support as well as physical. Joining an FM support group can provide helpful insights into the disease, while counseling sessions with a trained professional can open communication with friends and family who often cannot understand the extensive disabilities caused by FM. If you are an FM sufferer, it is important to keep a hopeful attitude even in the face of debilitating pain, because this disease does tend to improve over time and there are always new and different treatments being discovered.

About the author:
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