Is Fibromyalgia Curable?
Yes, fibromyalgia is treatable with complete or part recovery being possible.
If you have recently had a fibromyalgia diagnosis then knowing that it can get better will no doubt come as some relief.
The first thing to say is that there is no magic cure. There is no pill that can be administered to resolve fibromyalgia as it is a complex functional issue unique to each person. Recovery comes from a mixture of lifestyle change, ones that support your general emotional and physical health, and emotional therapy, targeting emotional issues that are either at the root of the problem or perpetuate it.
With that said, in this article I aim to give you a few basic facts that will give you a clear idea of what you can do to get better.
What exactly is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a functional disorder causing a form of chronic pain classed as primary pain, this means there is no disease, injury or other identifiable direct cause, though the existence of previous physical or emotional trauma is the root cause in at least a third of cases.
Fibromyalgia pain is also classified as nociplastic pain pain that is caused by over reactivity or a fault in the body’s danger detection or pain processing systems. This type of pain used to be called psychogenic pain due to its relationship with our psychological health.
Fibromyalgia is not uncommon, with up to 8% of the population diagnosed as suffering with it, more predominantly women than men. There are no conclusive test to confirm it is Fibromyalgia, so it is diagnosed on medical history and symptomology.
The symptoms are not just widespread pain that may seem to appear with no rhyme or reason, there are often accompanying symptoms too, including;
- Muscle stiffness and sensitivity
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Sleep issues
- Digestive disorders
- Dizziness
- Brain fog / poor memory or concentration
- Depression and anxiety, though living with fibromyalgia is enough to cause this too!
You may only be experiencing one or all of these symptoms, but the good news is with a comprehensive treatment plan comprising of psychological support, lifestyle changes if necessary and physical activity, they should all start subsiding.
What causes Fibromyalgia?
There are a number of contributory factors that can lead to someone getting fibromyalgia, one third being identified as the result of previous emotional trauma. This can be complex trauma such as a difficult childhood, PTSD caused by assault, accident or having been in a job where death or injury has been witnessed, maybe on a regular basis. These more recently include the key workers in the care systems who supported patients through covid.
Genetics, illness and chronic stress are also recognised causes.
Whatever you want to call it, the pain experienced when you have fibromyalgia is real pain, but as pain is made in the brain, it is the brain trying to protect the body, even when it doesn’t need to. Therefore, the most effective treatments for fibromyalgia will involve both mind and body retraining therapy.
Treating Fibromyalgia
The key to treating fibromyalgia effectively is to gently coax the mind and body back to normal function. This is done through rebalancing the nervous systems alongside eliminating the emotional triggers that keep reactivating the pain response.
There are many ways this can be done, hypnotherapy, NLP, mindfulness, meditation, breathwork, IEMT, CBT, talking therapies and physical activity are all helpful in addressing the causes and the maladaptive thoughts, feelings and behaviours that anyone living with chronic pain is likely to develop.
In Conclusion
You can recover from fibromyalgia by having a step by step plan that will teach you simple and effective ways you can lead your everyday life in a way that supports your emotional and physical health, alongside the accountability and emotional support to see it through.
Treatment is not a quick fix, it is a lifestyle choice, one that each day can bring new hope, confidence, self-empowerment and positive experiences until you get to be the healthiest, happiest version of you, whatever other challenges you are facing.
Hope and happiness are 2 essential ingredients as a happy brain, makes less pain!
How the Healthful Mind Clinic can help
If you would like to find out more about our Healthful Mind Programme that will give you all the steps and support you need to put you firmly on your path to recovery, then please take contact Alexa for a free introductory consultation which can be either online or at the Healthful Mind Clinic. Contact Alexa HERE.
Alexa has 50+ years of personal experience of living with chronic health issues, alongside over a decade of professional experience helping clients with a variety of emotional and physical health issues to get their lives back on track. You can read more about her HERE.
A word of caution
Fibromyalgia is not a condition to be fought. Fighting it will increase your defence system activity and therefore your pain. The most effective treatment is solution focussed, becoming who you want to be, not stopping what you don’t want. It should be pleasurable and something you can learn to do on your own, because in your everyday life it is not what you do but the way that you do it, that will make your recovery journey a success.
If you are struggling with stress, anxiety, chronic pain or illness and you would like to be an integral part of ensuring our group and online Healthful Mind Programme addresses your needs and is an easy and interesting way to learn, then contact Alexa to find out more about joining the focus group.