The End of Fibromyalgia
A very wise professor once taught that society reacts to a new idea in three phases: Phase I – first it rejects it, Phase II – it then accepts it, and Phase III wherein it changes the idea to fit into the dominant paradigm of the society. Such has been the case with fibromyalgia.
When fibromyalgia first started being discussed as a medical condition, nearly a decade ago, most conventional medical doctors dismissed it as hypochondria and paranoia. As more and more patients flooded doctors offices complaining of the syndrome,, the conventional medical establishment started to realize that indeed there may be something “real” going on here. Today, fibromyalgia has become a recognized syndrome with standard medical interventions; namely anti-depressants and pain pills. Thus, we are in Phase III.
Unfortunately, this evolution of thought by the conventional medical establishment has done little to relieve the suffering of the fibromyalgia patient. That’s because fibromyalgia is not an illness that can be cured using conventional medical thinking. There is no singe pathogen to eradicate, no one blood marker to be targeted. Fibromyalgia is a new generation of illness and demands a totally new medical mindset.
As a Naturopathic Physician, I recognize fibromyalgia is a complex syndrome combining elements of both ‘depletion’ and ‘excess’. Let’s look deeper at these two qualities.
Depletion: Careful examination of the biochemical terrain of the fibromyalgia patient reveals subtle hormonal deficiencies, most of which fall inside the standard medical model of ‘normal’. For instance, it is very common to find thyroid levels meeting the criteria for ‘normal’ but tending toward the lower end of ‘normal’. Flipping the question around, I ask ‘What would be ‘optimal’ rather than merely ‘normal’? At what levels would this patient feel most healthy? Most alive? What is this patient’s body really asking for by manifesting these symptoms?” The thyroid is only one factor; the same is true regarding other key wellness hormones such as cortisol, progesterone and testosterone. Cortisol is a major regulator of energy and inflammation while progesterone is a key factor in terms of mood and stamina. Testosterone is the hormonal regulator of vitality, metabolism and sexual energy. Using safe and effective Naturopathic interventions, the complex hormonal orchestra can be retuned and biochemical harmony restored.
Excess: Many Fibromyaligia patients have an inability to sufficiently detoxify their bodies. This results in compromised digestion, increased levels of lactic acid, insulin and other chemicals which can be caustic or irritating to the nervous system. From a Chinese medicine perspective, fibromyalgia patients are always found to have ‘Bi Syndrome’; a condition of stagnation in the acupuncture meridians which leads to pain and dysfunction. Again, correcting these all too often missed imbalances awakens the body’s own self-healing mechanism; renewing energy and draining the pain right out of the body.
Conventional medicine is wonderful for so many ills, but it simply lacks the vocabulary to approach fibromyalgia in an effective way. All too often, so called ‘natural’ healthcare practitioners make the same mistake, but instead of loading patients down with pharmaceuticals, they pummel them with herbs and vitamins without any real appreciation of the subtleties of these core issues of “Depletions & Excess”.
Fibromyalgia demands that we think outside the box; that we listen to the wisdom of our body rather than accepting pharmaceutical band-aids or the glib prognosis of ‘You just have to learn to live with it.’ When approached logically, holistically and systematically, Fibromyaligia is very, very treatable.
The choice, is up to you.
This article was written by Dr. Steven D. Ehrlich NMD, as a patient education resource for The Center For True Harmony Wellness and Medicine. Edited and revised by Sherry VanGoethem, Dr.Christine Brass-Jones OBGYN, and Dr. Denise Quance Grobe N.D. If you have any questions or comments contact the office at (480) 539-6646 or through email at info@trueharmonywellness.com
