Between two to four percent of the population is now afflicted with a medically-incurable condition known as fibromyalgia. Affecting nine times more women than men, fibromyalgia is characterized by the presence of widespread pain and tenderness to the touch. Tingling of the skin, muscle aches, muscle spasms, weakness of the limbs, fatigue, sleep problems and cognitive dysfunction (commonly called “brain fog”) are other common symptoms.
As yet, modern medicine has no cure for this widespread problem, so treatment is primarily symptomatic. Pain relievers, antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, anti-seizure drugs and dopamine antagonists are some of the commonly prescribed medications.
Like so many other illnesses of modern civilization, fibromyalgia has complex causes and what is really needed to help this (and other conditions like it) is to focus on rebuilding overall health, rather than just trying to relieve the symptoms. In this month’s Herbal Hour, Steven Horne, RH(AHG) discusses some of the underlying causes of fibromyalgia and conditions like it, such as chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple chemical sensitivity. He also discusses ways to aid the body’s own healing ability to help sufferers overcome this painful and debilitating condition.
