Fibromyalgia is chronic debilitating disease. Symptoms range from severe fatigue to excruciating muscle pain, cognitive disabilities, irritable bowel syndrome, and headaches. The cognitive issues have been demonstrated on brain imaging (SPECT scans) to show hyperactivity in some areas of the brain and reduced activity in other areas.
Fibromyalgia patients have trouble with activities of daily living, sleeping disturbances, social interactions, neuropsychiatric disorders, emotional exhaustion, and work-related concerns. Symptoms can wax and wane over time and even day to day depending on sleep and activity levels.
Diagnosis is difficult. Fibromyalgia patients are often overlooked leading to a multi-year delays in receiving a proper diagnosis.
Statistics Canada estimates that 900,000 people or 3% of the Canadian population suffer from this life altering disease. Women are 4 to 9 times more likely to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
Several contributing factors have been proposed as the underlying cause of the disorder. These include infections, autoimmune, emotional trauma, physical trauma, genetics, and toxin exposure.
Although no one theory has proven to be the cause, several factors often play into the progression of fibromyalgia. Once a diagnosis is made patients typically seek treatment options both conventionally and with alternative approaches.
Naturopathic doctors at the Nardella Clinic will try to identify the underlying causes of a patient’s fibromyalgia based upon the patient’s history. Testing options can include food sensitivities, mold exposures, toxin exposures, vitamin/mineral deficiencies, and stool testing just to name a few. Treatment options also vary again depending upon the patient’s history. The Nardella Clinic has experience with nutritional interventions, supplement support, intravenous vitamins/anti-inflammatories, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy to help the fibromyalgia patient.
Hyperbaric oxygen treatments use 100% oxygen under pressure to decrease pain, and inflammation, and heal abnormal brain activity (neuroplasticity). Recent studies have shown that 20-40 treatments can help with the pain associated with fibromyalgia and heal abnormal brain activity with sustained results leading to a much-improved quality of life. It should be noted that some patients did experience an increase in symptoms during the first 10-20 sessions. However, at the end of the 40 sessions all these patients experienced significant improvement in their symptoms. We have attached links to the studies for your review.
Hyperbaric oxygen treatments can aid fibromyalgia patients in their healing process helping to create a healthier life.
If you or a loved one are interested in hyperbaric oxygen therapy or other interventions, please contact the clinic.
References
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-619-m/2006003/4144159-eng.htm
https://rheum.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/CRA_Position_Paper_on_Fibromyalgia_updated_Sep_2015.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4444341/
https://academic.oup.com/painmedicine/article/22/6/1324/6140166?login=false
