Fibromyalgia is a covering term used for idiopathic (the cause is not known) chronic, widespread pain, fatigue and other associated symptoms.
When all the tests come back negative, and no reason for all the pain is found, it is labelled "fibromyalgia". Often described as "poorly understood", a diagnosis of fibromyalgia really means:
"We don't know why you have all these pains but a lot of other people have them too".
textbook symptoms of fibromyalgia
The following is based on my recovery, the anatomy of the human body and how it reacts to damage.
I offer an explanation for all the pain and weird sensations, the fatigue and myriad of other symptoms (both physical and mental) that are associated with fibromyalgia - and how to fix it!
Fibromyalgia is aptly named:
Fibromyalgia:
Muscle and connective tissue pain.
If you are not using the right muscles you are using the wrong muscles.
Using the wrong muscles makes them prone to spasm and fatigue.
When muscle fibres become exhausted and/or painful, the body adjusts to use other areas of muscle. The body attempts to avoid pain and distribute the efforts of daily life by shifting the burden around and around. These adjustments put the body off-balance, and out of physical alignment. Over time, more and more muscle becomes strained and sore, resulting in widespread myalgia (muscle pain) and an imbalanced body.
The right muscles for a healthy body are the 5 main muscles of movement.
In a response to inflammation (triggered by injury, infection, trauma, stress etc.), and as an attempt to compensate for the lack of central support that should be provided by the 5 main muscles of movement, physical restrictions form in our body-wide web connective tissues. These physical restrictions literally stiffen us over time.
physical restrictions connective tissue
Restrictions in connective tissues generate tensions that radiate throughout the whole body, from head to fingers to toes. The sensory information produced by these tensions and restrictions are, I believe, the source of many pains and weird sensations associated with fibromyalgia.
pains and weird sensations sensory information
Stored Trauma.
Restrictions in connective tissue are a physical record of what our body has been through and can be thought of as 'stored trauma' when they remain (and are not released through movement). This stored trauma creates our unique 'individual trauma imprint' and explains why everyone's experience of fibromyalgia is a bit different.
Cumulative damage and the body's reponse to a long-term lack of central support from the main muscles of movement, can result in layers upon layers of restrictions. Chains of tension - zig-zagging from left to right, inside to out, and front to back, throughout the whole of the body, from head to fingers to toes. These restrictions vastly reduce our range of movement, even if we don't appreciate how much we have lost over the years.
Fibromyalgia: A progression of pain when the body is unbalanced and misaligned.
Traumas are stored rather than released. The body becomes increasingly restricted and tense.
More and more pain and weird sensations over the years.
Long-term pain affects our sleep and cognitive functioning, leading to "fibro fog", anxiety, and (especially when compounded with unexplained long-term, painful symptoms) depression.
A constant feedback to your brain.
Your body's restricted and in pain.
Fibromyalgia is NOT something that will be fixed by a magic pill or new medication. It is a physical problem that needs to be corrected by learning to use your body better.
If your physical condition is not good, then no wonder you suffer pain.
I believe the pain sets in early when the body becomes imbalanced. Stressed areas of muscle and restrictions in the connective tissue causing various painful symptoms.
If you were pain free, then it's likely the pains are considered significant (and frightening) enough to seek medical advice, leading to an early diagnosis of fibromyalgia.
Or has it been a long, slow progression of pain? You consider your list of painful symptoms and old injuries as separate problems and you've ignored (or got used to) the twinges, aches, spasms and weird sensations as they increase over the years - after all a bit of pain is to be expected as you get older, right?
The damage is cumulative, the body becoming more and more imbalanced as it tries to cope by adjusting and stiffening.
If your answers are "no" then your body is not balanced, your tissues are restricted and your posture is not good.
Fibromyalgia: Pain and weird sensations from a body that is stiff and restricted, unbalanced and misaligned.
The '5 main muscles of movement' provide the central support needed for healthy, balanced and pain-free body. When the main muscles of movement are adequately functioning, the rest of body 'falls into line' so that it is correctly positioned (has a good posture), for whatever it is doing.
People who use the 5 main muscles of movement correctly are able to shake off old injuries and trauma they experience, releasing the restrictions and maintaining a good posture with a body that is balanced and aligned. But for those of us that don't, the body becoming increasingly tense, unbalanced and misaligned.
Fibromyalgia can be reversed but it takes time and focus to learn to use your body correctly, little by little regaining movement and releasing the pain. How many years - or decades, of accumulated pain do you have to work through?
Everyone has their own individual trauma imprint and their unique set of symptoms but the key to healing is the same:
Focus on your Base-Line muscles becoming stronger and longer and develop your conscious proprioception skills. Learn to feel how to move through the tension and release the pain, working towards aligning and balancing your body.
Try the exercise of breathing with your Base-Line.
Close your eyes and focus on your Base-Line muscles activating.
Be aware how the pains and weird sensations move around your body as you move. We are interconnected from head to fingers to toes and restrictions in one area can have distant sensations.
Focus on your 5 main muscles of movement. Try activating them in different positions during your normal daily activities.
For how long have you not fully used my main muscles?
Is this life-long problem or an acquired dysfunction that may have developed over time or been triggered by a specific incident?
The longer the dysfunction, the wider the range of symptoms experienced.
What has your body been through over the years?"
TRAUMA → Injury, accident, abuse, surgery. Stress, fear, the things that make us tense, flinch, freeze-up. Awkward positions, shocks, strains, exertions.
Think back. As you connect with your Base-Line you may become aware of earlier and earlier mis-usage of your muscles.
This is not a magic quick fix.
It takes time and effort to release the pain.
