a healthier life

Conquering Fibromyalgia Now

Fibromyalgia is a condition characterized by widespread muscle and joint pain, which is often misdiagnosed and misunderstood. It is known as a syndrome (a set of symptoms) rather than a disease because it has no specific symptom or cause. It can be symptoms that commonly occur together such as anxiety, depression, debilitating fatigue, widespread pain and low pain threshold. Fibromyalgia was once thought to be purely psychological in nature, but now physicians know that it is a physical reality exacerbated by psychological stress. They do not know what causes the condition and have no tests to identify it. There are multiple tender points on the body where even a slight amount of pressure will cause pain. These sites are used for diagnosis and they are located around the neck, shoulder, chest, hip, knee and elbow regions. There are millions of people suffering from this painful condition which can lead to depression and social isolation. Conquering fibromyalgia forever is necessary, because of the tremendous impact it has on lives.

Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia causes achiness and pain all over. The tender points on the body may be painful to the slightest touch. Severe fatigue, sleep disturbances, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic headaches, and jaw pain are some of the symptoms of this disorder. Others include joint stiffness, anxiety, numbness or tingling in the fingers and feet, and depression. Many other chronic pain illnesses have symptoms that mimic fibromyalgia. In’90, The American College of Rheumatology conducted a study that evaluated individuals suffering from neck pain, low back pain, tendinitis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and other painful disorders. They were able to pinpoint those who had fibromyalgia with 88% accuracy. The study concluded that this condition is a known physical disorder that could be distinguished from other pain disorders. Conquering fibromyalgia forever is a goal that all individuals suffering from this condition wish to attain.

Diagnosing fibromyalgia is difficult because it is a syndrome and not a disease. Physicians use several criteria in their diagnosis, one of which is using pressure on the multiple tender points. There are’ different sites that are used in this method, but the cause of pressure points is not known. Many symptoms occur together such as the tender points, anxiety, extreme fatigue widespread pain in muscles and joints. This is the reason fibromyalgia is called a syndrome, because it has no one specific symptom or cause. Because there are no conclusive tests to diagnose fibromyalgia, physicians rely on physical examination and medical history to accurately pinpoint it.

Causes

Individuals who suffer from fibromyalgia have found that specific factors heighten their pain. They include stress and anxiety, depression, or physical exhaustion. Lack of sleep and even changes in the weather will trigger the pain. But because there are no conclusive tests to identify fibromyalgia, physicians are unaware of what causes the disorder. They believe that it could be a variety of factors working together. These can include genetics, infections and physical or emotional trauma. Researchers have found that individuals who have sleep disorders, sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome are at high risk to develop fibromyalgia. Gender, age, family history and rheumatic disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus can also be factors. Women are more likely than men to develop this condition, so knowing that conquering fibromyalgia is possible is essential for their well being.

Recommendations

When an individual is suffering from fatigue and the lack of sleep because of the pain, they are looking for some relief. Conquering fibromyalgia forever is possible and pain management is the first goal in treating this disorder. A program using both traditional and alternative therapies can be involved in the treatment. Some individuals find that low doses of antidepressants control their pain very well. Therapeutic massage helps ease the pain and daily moist heat applications benefits joint stiffness. Others get better control from stress management, exercise and hydrotherapy. Managing stress is very important, because stress increases pain over tender points and decreases the ability to cope with pain. Taking time each day for rest and relaxation will reduce the stress. Another recommendation includes maintaining a healthy lifestyle by getting enough sleep and exercising regularly.

Who can help?

Those who suffer from this condition do best when they have the support from family, friends, and others who suffer from fibromyalgia. There are many organizations providing classes and access to support groups where help in conquering fibromyalgia is possible and available. Finding this help and getting advice from these groups is something that could not be found anywhere else. It is most gratifying when these individuals know they are not alone in their pain.

Fibromyalgia is a condition characterized by widespread pain and causing fatigue, sleep disturbances, and psychological distress. For those suffering severe symptoms this disorder can be debilitating and can interfere with daily activity. Finding a solution and conquering fibromyalgia is possible and it is a priority to those suffering from the chronic pain.

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Chiropractic Treatment: Raising Recuperation with a Massage Chair

Chiropractic care is considered an alternative form of treatment in dealing with muscle, nervous and skeletal system discomfort. The use of chiropractic medicine focuses on the health of the spine. A variety of techniques are used by Chiropractors to improve the health of the spine. Massage therapy is used to help increase flexibility, range of motion and reduce stiffness. Massage chairs have helped to automate some of the treatments.

Chiropractic medicine has become very popular in the general public. Traditionally, a chiropractor was focused on relieving back pain and headaches. However, back pain and headaches are symptoms. Chiropractors are focused on finding the causes of these symptoms.

Chiropractors work under the theory that given the right circumstances, situation and nutritional support the body will heal itself. The chiropractor seeks to relieve any undue pressure on the nerve endings that exist in the spinal column. By allowing sufficient nervous control of the body, cells and tissues the chiropractor allows the body to work towards self-healing.

With this in mind, doctors apply certain therapies to help the body to take back over the healing process. Therapies may include spinal adjustments, electrical muscle stimulation, and massage treatments. Massage chairs are used to provide complementary therapies in addition to just massage therapy.

Massage therapy, along with other treatments by a chiropractor requires them to be administered on a periodic basis. One cannot expect the immediately heal the body. It takes time and it takes the repetition of certain treatments until the body can take back over effectively.

Massage chairs provide an excellent means to automating the routine administration of specific massage therapies. Massage chairs can deliver consistent and reliable treatments. Patients obtain reliable, consistent and effective therapy and treatments.

Massage chairs provide great flexibility in the administration of massage therapy. They have full body capability and can give a full body massage. Or they can be used to target specific regions for concentrated treatments. The intensity of the massage and the duration can also be controlled.

There are many advanced technologies built into massage chairs. They have both manual and automatic massage programs. The automatic programs include one-touch buttons which run specific pre-programmed massages. Manual massage techniques can also be selected that use a particular massage style.

Massage chairs eliminate many of the inconsistent variables of human massage. Massage chairs can be controlled precisely. The doctor can select the area to be massaged, the duration of the massage and even the intensity. The massage chair helps to eliminate many of the variables in providing consistent massage therapy.

Many technologies have been added to massage chairs to complement the massage therapy. The addition of heating elements, tractions systems and even music players continue to increase the capabilities of massage chairs. Patients can be warmed up with the heaters built into the chair. Stretching of the lower body or upper body can be performed in these massage chairs. All the while, the patient can relax to music played on the massage chairs music player.

The advances of massage chairs allow multiple therapies to be applied at the same time if needed. Heat can be applied to the whole back, while the traction function stretches out the lower body. The lower lumbar can be massaged while heat is applied to the legs. The combination of options is truly phenomenal.

Doctors of chiropractic medicine are trained to restore the body so that it can fully function on its own. Treatments are applied on a periodic, recurring basis to get the body to take back over the healing process. Massage chairs have proven to be invaluable to provide consistent and repetitive massage treatments and other complementary therapies.

Energy Therapy Healing:Does It Have Physical Benefits?

Everything contains energy. Energy is in us and all around us. Most of us don’t think about how flowing energy is a part of our everyday lives.

Energy therapy healing is an alternative form of medicine that uses the energy in and around us to improve our physical health. That same energy that we rarely think about can make our lives healthier.

The belief at the core of energy therapy healing is that the energy which flows through our body is directly connected to our emotional, physical and spiritual health. It is thought that this energy can get unbalanced or blocked and when that occurs it causes problems in our emotional, physical or spiritual health. The goal of energy therapy healing is to stop the energy flow problems, keep energy flowing freely and therefore help to stop or prevent emotional, physical or spiritual problems.

During the energy therapy healing treatment, the energy from the earth is redirected into the body in order to remove energy blocks and restore energy flow. The direction of the energy at the spot where it is most needed helps to eliminate blocks and bring back the free flow of energy and health.

Energy therapy healing can be used to treat illnesses even as serious as cancer. Already this treatment has assisted patients who are dealing with physical pain and emotional problems connected with cancer. Studies of the uses of energy therapy healing are still ongoing.

The exact abilities of energy therapy healing are still being discovered, but it is believed that when a practitioner and patient are connected and both are focused on the healing session that the best results are possible.

Practitioners of energy therapy use different methods to guide energy. The most common method is through the use of hands, but energy can also be channeled through voice, eyes, and breathing. Usually the practitioner places their hands over the patients at the correct area of the body and then mentally will the energy transfer. This is one of the steps in the Bodyalk System a new and highly effective energy therapy healing modality.

Other types of therapy can be used simultaneously with energy therapy healing. Most energy therapy healers believe that a whole body approach results in the fastest healing. When the mind, spirit, and body achieve the correct energy flow, healing comes faster. This is why whole life coaching is often used along with energy therapy healing.

Traditional medicine uses this philosophical approach less often. In traditional medicine patients are usually given medication and nothing else to treat problems. Traditional doctors don’t often discuss all of a patient’s problems related to the illness. While emotional problems and physical problems are usually connected, modern medicine rarely treats the two problems together.

Energy therapy healing gives you a well rounded approach to treating whatever health issues you may have. You get to treat all sides of your self and to work with natural remedies that will not harm your body. You can use energy therapy healing to help you is your suffer from allergies, depression, high blood pressure or a number of other ailments.

It is always worth considering because you have nothing to lose. It is safe, there are no side effects to worry about and it is easy. Energy therapy healing may just be the answer you have been looking for to help you cure what ails you.

Natural Pain Relief Tips

Although we don’t like pain, there is a good reason for it as it is the body’s way of telling us that something is wrong and to stop us from making a situation worse. It can be caused by anything from a dental cavity to a broken bone to a disease but once we determine where the pain is coming from, we can diagnose and address the health problem, thus relieving the pain. The real problem occurs when the pain will not go away despite out best efforts to treat the cause of it.

When this happens the condition is referred to as ‘chronic pain’ and examples of this range from back pain to migraines. There is no preventative action you can take to stop chronic pain and it can affect someone at anytime during their life from almost any situation from accident, injury or disease. Chronic pain often long outlives its original cause, worsening over time and taking on a life of its own and the longer chronic pain goes untreated, the worse it becomes.

Many people are now tired of taking drugs which they tend to need in larger quantities to work or are afraid of the side effects so are looking for natural pain relief alternatives. Acupuncture has been used as a form of natural pain relief and cure for many chronic conditions for over two thousand years. One natural pain relief treatment that has been used for many thousands of years is acupuncture. Originating in China, acupuncture involves piercing the skin with thin needles on specific points of the body.

Patients with conditions like severe back pain, migraines and arthritis claim it makes their condition much more bearable and relieves pain more than any conventional treatment they have used. Herbal remedies are another time-tested alternative to conventional therapies, providing natural pain relief to sufferers without many of the unwanted side effects of conventional medicines. There are usually several herbal treatments used in natural pain relief for a particular conditions; popular herbal remedies include Emu oil, which can alleviate the pain of arthritis, and good old Vitamin E, which helps minimize scarring.

However, herbal treatments do take longer to become effective against the almost immediate effect of conventional pain killers but on the plus side to this there are only natural products used so they cannot harm the body.

The best way to avoid the need for any type of natural pain relief is to look after your health and avoid substances that create problems like processed foods, foods with high salt and fat content, and eat more fruit and vegetables. Take care to get enough sleep each night, and take time out of each day for exercise as even simple activities like taking the stairs at work or a walk around the block go a long way towards improving your health.

Chronic Headaches - Tips to Stop the Pain

Are you suffering from constant headaches? Headaches are a common ailment, but research has uncovered treatments that may help your problem almost disappear.

According to the National Headache Foundation (NHF) tension headaches affect nearly 78% of the adult population. 13% of the population suffers from migraines. Because the cause of migraines varies greatly, what relieves a migraine in one person may trigger an attack in another. The suggestions here are guidelines for those who suffer regularly from tension headaches which may have an identifiable physical cause.

WATCH WHAT YOU EAT

Some headache sufferers notice a connection with eating or drinking foods with aspartame. For those who are sensitive to the chemical it may cause blood vessels to expand in the brain and trigger a headache.

Caffeine is used to treat headaches. Its proprieties can assist pain medication in providing relief and can be found in medications to treat migraines. However, too much caffeine can have a ‘rebound’ effect and actually cause headaches. If you suffer from regular headaches you should avoid daily use of caffeinated beverages such as coffee and certain sodas.

According to the McKinley Health Center, avoiding tobacco can also reduce headaches.

Skipping meals may cause headaches in some people, so eating regular meals may prevent headaches in these individuals.

REDUCE THE STRESS

Getting enough sleep is important for everyone. If you suffer from tension headaches you may find getting your eight hours every night reduces the amount or intensity of your headaches. On the other hand, oversleeping can bring on a headache if you don’t get up at your regular time (such as on the weekend or during holidays).

Some headaches also seem to be aggravated by too much sun. Excessive exercise outdoors and lack of hydration can lead to headaches. Keep eyes shaded and be sure to drink plenty of water when outdoors.

Not surprisingly it was recently found that women wearing tight ponytails had an increased risk of tension headaches. Releasing or loosening the hair and performing a brief massage to the head can bring almost immediate relief.

MEDICATE

What you may think is a sinus headache may actually be a migraine. A consultation with your doctor may determine if you should switch to a migraine medication.

According to the NHF, tension headaches caused by stress should respond to reducing the stress or use of over-the-counter analgesics. However, if headaches occur almost daily you need to look for ways of dealing with the stress and discuss other options with your doctor.

As with caffeine, regular daily use of over the counter medications can actually cause headaches.

If headaches occur for long periods, are unusually intense or do not respond to pain medication after several days you should seek treatment and diagnosis from a health care professional.

Leading a healthy and active lifestyle has many health benefits, including a reduction of tension-type headaches. Combining a healthy lifestyle with avoidance of triggers may help you find relief from tension-type headaches.

Relieve Back Pain Naturally

Back pain is one of humanity’s most repeated complaints. Back pain is one of the most common medical problems today, affecting 8 out of 10 people at some point during their lives. The pain can range from a dull constant ache to a sudden, sharp pain. This conditions may be the result of an infection in the bone (osteomyelitis) or in the spinal cord. Pain in the lower back or low back pain is by far the most common concern, affecting up to 90% of Americans at some point in their lifetime. Back pain is a common problem most frequently caused by overusing or misusing the muscles of the back. The pain may not be prevented completely, but there are things you can do to reduce the severity or frequency.

Treatment

Treatment of back problems should be directed at the cause. Treatments will range from doing nothing to spinal surgery. Many find relief from back pain through stretching exercises or alternative therapies like yoga, but chronic back pain may require medication and treatment that is more intensive. There are trouble-free home treatment along with proper body mechanics, which will often heal your back within a few weeks and keep it functional for the long haul.

One of the simplest ways to relieve back pain is to use hot and cold compressed. You must be sure alternate the compresses. First do five minutes as hot as you can stand it. Then one minute of an ice cold compress. Repeat this five to seven times. You will be amazed at how well this works. This brings great temporary relief.

Here are some examples of common herbs used to treat back pain:

Some natural pain reliever:
Feverfew
Burdock
Stringing Nettle
Willow Bark
Ginger

Here are some natural anti-inflammatory:
Saw Palmetto
Rosemary
Bromelain
Cat’s Claw
Licorice
Valeria

And here are some antispasmodics:
Angelica
Cramp Bark
Black Haw

Exercises

Exercises are important to prevent, reduce, and ultimately get rid of the pain. They must consist of stretching exercises. These include exercised for the back and leg muscles. Any exercise program must have strength, stamina, and stabilizing exercises also. These include exercises for the back, stomach and leg muscles. There are particular exercises to strengthen and stretch the muscles in the abdomen, buttocks, and back can help stabilize the spine and decrease strain on he disk that cushion the spine and the ligaments that hold it in place.

In conclusion, we must realize that back pain is not a diagnosis, it is a symptom of an underlying condition. Back pain is a symptom that can arise from many causes. Being one of humanity’s most frequent complaints, you can be sure though back pain may not be prevented completely, but there are natural things that you can do to reduce the severity or frequency.

Pain Relief

I apparently come from a family of people who suffer from a lot of pain. Between my brother and my mother, there are many discussions at our family gatherings about the various forms of pain relief. Though it may be something that people everywhere talk about here and there, there are times when I feel like it’s all they ever talk about. I know being in pain is not fun, but it seems that they are dwelling on it entirely too much.

Pain relief is important though, and I do understand that. When something happens to me I am glad there are a variety of things to take and I am glad the choices are out there. I have a little of the common things in my home, but I certainly do not have the pharmacy that my mom had. She had a bad back for quite a while and it seemed that her doctor tired every form of pain relief known to man while trying to help her get better. She eventually had back surgery and she doesn’t have to take what she used to take, but she occasionally needs something. For some reason though, she keeps most of the empty bottles. It might just be that she is a pack rat.

The good thing about that though, is when I need pain relief I can generally get a good idea from her what I should take. She knows just as much about over the counter pain relief as she knows about her prescription medications. Though she doesn’t have to take much of anything any longer, she still remembers what worked best for her and what she should have not bothered buying. I know what to do for headaches and other regular problems, but when I have a knee pain or perhaps my back hurts, she can always tell me what to take for pain relief.

You do have to be careful with pain relief though. Medications can be addictive. Though this is most common with prescription drugs, there are some over the counter remedies that you shouldn’t take on a daily basis. There are some forms of pain relief that can also harm your stomach in the long run, and you have to keep an eye on what you are taking. When you can, you should try other forms of pain relief like heat pads or even creams, just to give your body a break.

Can Hypnosis Help to Eliminate Pain?

Pain is a subject that touches everyone. After all, it is a human condition from which we all suffer at one time or another. There are headaches, dental procedures, sports injuries, broken bones, soft-tissue injuries, and psychosomatic pain.

Research shows that 75% to 80% of all adults will experience lower back pain at some time in their lives. Approximately 40 million Americans suffer from arthritis pain and as many as 45 million suffer from chronic, recurring headaches. There are thousands of people every year who suffer the agony of surgical interventions and thousands more who endure the pain of debilitating or terminal illnesses.

All of this pain falls into two basic categories: (1) acute pain, which is of short duration and (2) chronic pain, which continues for weeks, months or years.

Most people respond to pain - whether acute or chronic - by taking drugs of some kind. But drugs are often a temporary solution.

What few people realize is that the ancient art of hypnosis offers a safe, effective alternative for reducing sensitivity to pain.

Hypnosis has been shown effective in the management of various types of pain. Besides providing an effective solution for maladies such as headaches and acute injuries, hypnosis offers a unique solution for those suffering from chronic conditions like back pain and arthritis as well as intermediate and advanced stages of cancer. Studies show that patients with chronic diseases require fewer painkillers to achieve pain relief when they practice hypnosis. These same patients exhibit fewer signs of anxiety and experience greater comfort during medical procedures.

Hypnosis also has been shown to be effective in reducing nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy patients.

The most effective approach for acute pain appears to be the use of hypnotic suggestions focusing on anxiety reduction and minimizing the importance of the pain. For chronic pain, it is more effective to confront the pain directly under hypnosis, dealing with both the pain’s physical and psychological effects.

Another area where hypnosis offers significant positive results is in dealing with pre- and post-operative patients. Using hypnosis in preparation for surgery has been shown to reduce the experience of pain during surgery, resulting in the need for less anesthetics. Hypnosis as a pain management tool with surgical patients also has been shown to reduce nausea and greatly increase the recovery rate in most patients, thereby truncating the length of time spent in the hospital. (That creates another rarely mentioned positive result: reduced medical costs!)

But efficacy and lower medical expenses are not the only positives related to the use of hypnosis for pain management. This modality has no dangerous side effects. Unlike medications, hypnosis does not become less effective with use and does not require stronger and stronger doses to cope with pain. While patients may have to ingest costly medications several times a day for years, they have the potential for reducing or eliminating their pain in just a few hypnotic sessions for significantly less cost.

Does hypnosis always work? In the area of pain control, everyone can be helped to SOME degree. There are essentially five categories into which subjects fall:

1. Those who find total and permanent relief.
2. Those that have a decrease in the severity of pain.
3. Those who experience pain relief initially, but who need occasional reinforcement.
4. Those that experience intermittent relief.
5. Those that still have pain, but feel 10-30% less pain than before.

What accounts for these differences in relief? The answer appears to be the patient’s susceptibility to hypnosis - the level of relaxation reached during the hypnotic sessions. The deeper the relaxation, the more effective the pain reduction.

Certainly, no treatment for pain - whether chemical, physical or psychological - is effective all the time. However, hypnosis has shown over and over again that it can help people reduce or eliminate both acute and chronic pain. Best of all, it works its magic without any side effects.

As a safe, effective alternative for reducing sensitivity to pain, hypnosis is second to none.

Natural Choices for Relaxation and Pain Relief

It seems more and more people are turning to natural healing methods for relief from aches and pains these days. Besides relieving the aches and pains, these methods can help release stress and return a sense of balance to the person who craves a break from a hectic lifestyle. There are hundreds of variations of these natural healing methods, or bodywork styles.

These methods don’t involve any surgery, prescription drugs or invasive procedures as are routinely practiced by medical professionals and so can be considered natural. This is a type of treatment offered by skilled body workers who combine their healing techniques with the natural healing powers of the body to bring about wholeness.

Of course, it is definitely recommended that anyone with any severe or chronic pain or concern should consult with a licensed medical professional even if they choose to seek help with a natural healing method as well.

One of the better-known and more popular natural healing methods is massage therapy. There are as many forms of massage therapy as there are practitioners. Although many communities require that massage therapists attend formal training and be licensed, there is a lot of room for individuality in the practice.

Massage involves the manipulation of the soft tissue of the body. This is rubbing, kneading, pressing, and touching the skin of the client using various strokes, patterns and levels of pressure to impact the tissue below. Massage impacts the nervous system, the lymph system, circulation, digestion, muscles - you name it.

To be clear, the variety of massage available is not only due to differences in the therapists’ styles, since there are many established techniques and schools. Swedish is probably the most fundamental in the west, while others include sports massage, neuromuscular, and trigger point, to name just a few.

Shiatsu Massage is Japanese in origin, although it has its roots in Chinese medicine. Shiatsu involves putting pressure on various points on the body, following the meridian pathways, to release any blocks in the system and so allow the chi to flow freely. This will then restore balance and health to the body. These therapists mostly use their thumbs in their work, but also use their fingers, palms, and even their feet when appropriate.

Although the experience of Swedish and Shiatsu massage is very different, the effects can be very similar. A Shiatsu massage can lead to feelings of deep relaxation and balance while also affecting the body’s systems in healing ways.

In addition to massage, there are many other bodywork techniques. Many are hands on, involving actual touch of the body like massage. Other styles work just within the energy field of the body, and do not involve actual physical touch at all. Then there are some, like Healing Touch, that offer a combination.

Whatever the ailment someone might experience, whether it is physical, emotional, or mental, there is a natural bodywork method that could assist in the healing process. Trying out a few of the techniques to find out which styles you like the best can be a very enjoyable and relaxing experience.