Accelerated Brain Gray Matter Loss in Fibromyalgia

This a frightening and devastating discovery, of accelerated brain gray matter loss in Fibromyalgia. It is especially distressing when coupled with the symptoms most fibromyalgia fighters describe as brain fog - not being able to concentrate, not taking information in, poor decision making, poor memory etc. These symtoms are upsetting enough without knowing that our brain is losing it's gray matter.

Gray matter contains most of the brain's neuronal cell bodies. The gray matter includes regions of the brain involved in muscle control, sensory perception such as seeing and hearing, memory, emotions, speech, decision making, and self-control.

This report, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, April 11, 2007, showed there was a decrease in gray matter in fibromyalgia sufferers, relating to how long they'd had the disease. This decrease was much faster than in the normal population.

"The patients, who ranged from 27 to 61 years of age, demonstrated a yearly decrease in gray matter volume more than three times that of age-matched controls."

The research carried out at Universities in both Canada and the UK prove there is Central Nervous System involvement in fibromyalgia.

The question is are these changes in the brain the cause of fibromyalgia or as a consequence of it?

The good news is these findings may mean new approaches in treatment such as protecting the brain and could possibly mean symptoms may be able to be reversed.

MRI of brain.

Does anyone know of any studies that builds on this?

To find out more about the research quoted here please contact M. Catherine Bushnell, McGill Centre for Research on Pain, 3640 University Street, Room M19, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 2B2. Email: Catherine.bushnell@mcgill.ca

LINKED UP AT FIBRO FRIDAY No 6.

History of pain - part 3

In the 17th century, the study of the human body and it's senses continued to be a source of wonder for the world's philosophers. In 1664, the French philosopher René Descartes described in his book, Treatise of Man, what is still called a "pain pathway." Descartes illustrated how particles of fire, in contact with the foot, travel to the brain and he compared pain sensation to the ringing of a bell.

"For example, if the fire A is close to the foot B, the small particles of fire, which as you know move very swiftly, are able to move as well the part of the skin which they touch on the foot. In this way, by pulling at the little thread cc, which you see attached there, they at the same instant open e, which is the entry for the pore d, which is where this small thread terminates; just as, by pulling one end of a cord, you ring a bell which hangs at the other end.... Now when the entry of the pore, or the little tube, de, has thus been opened, the animal spirits flow into it from the cavity F, and through it they are carried partly into the muscles which serve to pull the foot back from the fire, partly into those which serve to turn the eyes and the head to look at it, and partly into those which serve to move the hands forward and to turn the whole body for its defense" Descartes, On Man, 1662

Rene Descartes now known as one of the fathers of modern science proposed one of the original theories of pain. His specificity theory was that pain is related to the amount of injury inflicted. This theory is still accurate when applied to acute pain but not to chronic pain such as fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia causes aching all over. Painful trigger points stay painful no matter what medication you take. Muscles feel like they have been overworked, sometimes with burning pain, sometimes a stabbing pain, sometimes joint pain.

THE IMAGE is from Descartes book Treatise of Man.
The long fiber running from the foot to the cavity in the head is pulled by the heat and releases a fluid that makes the muscles contract.

Books on Fibromyalgia proliferate

Here you will find a list of over 25 Fibromyalgia books. 

Come on now, how many of these books listed have you read? Any? Oh, at least we can not complain about a lack of information.

On the flip side if you know of any extras that you would like to recommend please post them in comments. Also if you have read any of these books I would love to hear if they were beneficial to you.

Fibromyalgia: A Comprehensive Approach What You Can Do About Chronic Pain and Fatigue by Williamson, Miryam Ehrlich Published in 1996, it was the first book on the disorder for people who have it. It is still an excellent introduction for people newly diagnosed.

The FibroManual A Complete Fibromyalgia Treatment Guide for You and Your Doctor by Ginevra Liptan.

CFS Unravelled: Get Well By Treating The Cause Not Just The Symptoms Of CFS, Fibromyalgia, POTS And Related Syndromes by Dan Nueffer. 

Fibromyalgia Controversy by M. Clement Hall.

The Cleveland Clinic Guide to Fibromyalgia by William S. Wilke.

Figuring out Fibromyalgia: Current science and the most effective treatments by Ginerva Liptan, MD.

The Complete Guide to Healing Fibromyalgia: How to Conquer Pain, Fatigue, and Other Symptoms - And Live Your Life to the Fullest by Deborah Mitchell.

The First Year: Fibromyalgia: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed by Claudia Craig Marek

Reversing Fibromyalgia: The Whole-Health Approach to Overcoming Fibromyalgia Through Nutrition, Exercise by Joe M. Elrod

The Chronic Fatigue Healing Diet  (Overcoming Common Problems) by Christine Craggs-Hinton

The Fibromyalgia Healing Diet  by Christine Craggs-Hinton

Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain: A Survival Manual by Mary Ellen Copeland and Devin Starlanyl

The Fibromyalgia Help Book: Practical Guide to Living Better with Fibromyalgia by Jenny Fransen

What Your Doctor May NOT Tell You About Fibromyalgia by Dr. R. Paul St. Amand, M.D.

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Pediatric Fibromyalgia - A Safe New Treatment Plan For Children by Dr. R. Paul St. Amand and Claudia Craig Marek

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia Fatigue The Powerful Program That Helps You Boost Your Energy and Reclaim Your Life by R. Paul St. Amand, M.D. and Claudia Craig Marek, published by Warner Books.

The Fibromyalgia Cure by Dr. David Dryland.

From Fatigued to Fantastic by Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D.

Living Well with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to Know by Mary J. Shomon.

Pain Free 1-2-3: A Proven Program for Eliminating Chronic Pain Now by Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D.

The Fibromyalgia Relief Book: 213 Ideas to Improve Your Quality of Life by Miryam Ehrlich Williamson.

Fibromyalgia: The Cause and The Cure by Annesse Brockley and Annesse Brockley. 

Cure Your Fibromyalgia without Medication: Fibromyalgia Treatment and Pain Relief with Diet and Exercises by Jeff Robson.

Foods that Fight Fibromyalgia: Nutrient-Packed Meals That Increase Energy, Ease Pain, and Move You Towards Recovery by Deirdre Rawlings. 

Exercises for Fibromyalgia: The Complete Exercise Guide for Managing and Lessening Fibromyalgia Symptoms. 

Fibromyalgia: Hope Beyond The Pain: by Kelly Hemingway who is both a nurse and a fibromyalgia patient.

Fibromyalgia for Families and Friends by Janet Black who is both a nurse and a patient. 

Treating Fibromyalgia: What You Can Do When Your Doctor Doesn't Know What Else to Do.by Janet Black who is both a nurse and a patient. 

You may also be interested in visiting OUR FIBRO PRODUCT SHOP.

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Groundbreaking study widens treatment options for fibromyalgia

Have you heard about fascia, myofascial release therapy and how it helps fibromyalgia?

If you have not then you need to read more here...

In 2011 a European study, including myofascial release treatments, found significant reduction in fibromyalgia pain even weeks after the treatments had finished. So, long lasting pain relief!

Effects of myofascial release techniques on pain, physical function, and postural stability in patients with fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled trial. 

Eighty-six patients with fibromyalgia syndrome were enrolled in the study. 

Outcome measures were assessed before and immediately after, at six months and one year after the last session of the corresponding intervention.

RESULTS:

After 20 weeks of myofascial therapy, the group showed a significant improvement in painful tender points, McGill Pain Score, physical function, and clinical severity. 

At six months after the trial had finished, there was a significantly lower number of painful points, pain score, physical function and clinical severity. 

Myofascial release therapy is a combination of manual traction and prolonged assisted stretching manoeuvers to break up fascial adhesions.

Fascia could be the answer to a lot of questions
about structure, movement, stability, pain and healing. Deep Recovery

What Is Fascia?

In the broadest sense, fascia, is a thin layer of connective tissue that surrounds every muscle in your body. It is the area targeted in myofascial release therapy.

Why is muscle fascia important?

You could refer to fascia as the connection component of the body. Fascia is, after all, another way to refer to connective tissue. Fascia is the tissue that connects everything into one big interconnected whole. With this in mind then, you could imagine that tension or length experienced in the muscle is in a relationship with the tension or length in the fascia. Fascia is an important component of maintaining the tensional patterns of the body and can be a part of allowing or restricting movements.

 “Figuring out Fibromyalgia: Current science and the most effective treatments” is a book by Dr Ginevra Liptan, that helps us understand fascia in fibromyalgia muscle pain and therefore treatment of muscle pain.

So it seems, because of the scientific evidence in this book, treating the fascia will be the way forward in resolving fibromyalgia muscle pain.

Dr Liptan believes that fascia is the missing link in our understanding of fibromyalgia.  She is a graduate of Tufts University School of Medicine, and is board-certified in internal medicine. After developing fibromyalgia as a medical student, she spent many years using herself as a guinea pig in a search for effective treatments. She is one of the few clinical specialists in the world to focus solely on fibromyalgia, and directs The Frida Center for Fibromyalgia in Portland, Oregon. She also serves as medical advisor to the Fibromyalgia Information Foundation and is on the board for the non-profit Mastering Pain Institute.

She is the author of "The FibroManual: A Complete Fibromyalgia Treatment Guide for You and Your Doctor" and "Figuring out Fibromyalgia: Current Science and the Most Effective Treatments."

Practitioner doing myofascial release.

Other books by Dr Liptan

Myofascial Release Therapy has developed over many years from a combination of Rolfing, Yoga and Joint Mobilisation. More about Myofascial Release Therapy.

Find out more about fascia.

You can find a therapist who does myofascial release therapy HERE

LINKED UP At Fibro Friday No 259