Fibromyalgia & acupuncture

[Guest guest]

Chinese Medicine , " "

< wrote:

>

> Hi Sharon & All,

>

> Sharon wrote:

> > Hi Everyone, I have a potentially new Px who wants to know how well

> > fibromyalgia responds to acupuncture so I wanted to check in and see;

> > 1. if anyone has been treating the condition 2. what approach they

used

> > 3. what changed and 4. the length of time to getting a result Thanks

> > Sharon

>

 

 

There are 18 points (they are acupuncture points) they use to diagnose

FMS, if you just needle just those you can have a patient for life,

because when ever they go to see their Doc, the Doc will say they

don't have FMS or at least the symptoms are much better (pain is less

in those points).

This of course is using the stupidity of Western Medicine for having

such a lame diagnostic tool (18 paimful points) against it, but is

highly unethical.

 

I believe that FMS is caused buy lack of nuturition going to the

muscle cells. This causes the muscle to be anaerobic and toxic. Just

with posture training, diaphragmic breathing (the source of

nutrition), ying qi points plus shu moxa you should see immediate

results. Then add some dao yin execises.

 

Kelvin

[Guest guest]

Hi Pete

 

In the archives of Acupuncture.com at

http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2005/mar/03wang.html

 

you can find an article called

" Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medical Approaches for

Fibromyalgia " by Douglas Yi Wang, L.Ac., Dipl. Ac., MD (China)

 

It has also got a picture of the location of the 18 diagnostic points

 

Best wishes

 

Alwin van Egmond

 

Chinese Medicine , petetheisen

<petetheisen wrote:

>

> acupuncturebeverlyhills wrote:

> <snip>

> > There are 18 points (they are acupuncture points) they use to

diagnose

> > FMS

>

> Hi Kelvin!

>

> Now, you *were* going to post the points, weren't you? Failing

that, a

> link to them?

>

> Regards,

>

> Pete

>

[Guest guest]

Alwin van Egmond wrote:

> Hi Pete

>

> In the archives of Acupuncture.com at

> http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2005/mar/03wang.html

>

> you can find an article called

> " Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medical Approaches for

> Fibromyalgia " by Douglas Yi Wang, L.Ac., Dipl. Ac., MD (China)

>

> It has also got a picture of the location of the 18 diagnostic points

 

Hi Alwin!

 

Great link! Thanks.

 

Regards,

 

Pete

[Guest guest]

Hi Kelvin,

I would like to know those points, too.

Would you be very kind to post them.

Thanks.

amy

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Got it.Good article.Thanks.

amy

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharon,

 

I have fibromyalgia and I am a L.Ac., so I have some information for you that is

borne out by personal experience. In broad general terms, it is necessary to

address both deficiencies (blood, and qi most commonly, sometimes also yin

and/or

yang) and excesses (any of the various stagnations - most notable liver qi,

dampness/damp heat, and any palpable areas of cold or heat stagnating in the

body,

etc.). I have had best results using herbs to address constitutional factors

above, and acupuncture for flare-ups and acute symptoms (in particular, ear

acupuncture has been very effective for me during flare-ups).

 

In my experience, fibromyalgia responds best to shallow and gentle needle

techniques on body points; heavier needles with deep insertions and prolonged

retention time tend to worsen symptoms of pain, achiness and stiffness. It is

essential for your patient to get moving physically - even though MD's are now

prescribing aerobic exercise for fibro patients, most are too weak or

deconditioned

to engage in this and give up quickly when it causes a flare-up. Slow, gentle

movement such as Tai Qi or Qi Gong is ideal, and has helped me enormously in

regaining flexibility, balance, coordination and stamina. Walking is good for

reducing stress and gently moving qi. As well, the importance of healthy eating

habits cannot be overstated.

 

As with any patient, you must do your constitutional assessment and base your

treatment on what is presenting. Make sure not to overlook the patient's

emotional

condition too - I found shen calming herbs and treatments to be a lifeline

during

certain segments of my healing process. I also found it necessary to learn good

coping skills for anxiety and stress - which tend to feature strongly in

patients

with fibromyalgia.

 

Know that fibromyalgia patients are particularly sensitive to weather changes.

However, the same weather patterns will not produce flare-ups in all patients;

some

are better in warm weather, and some better when it is cool. Almost all are

worse

in damp or humid weather.

 

I first developed fibro symptoms in 1978, was diagnosed in 1993 (a prolonged

symptomatic period before diagnosis is common history in fibro patients), and

began

acupuncture school in 1997, unsure I had the physical ability to complete the

program. Learning Tai Qi was an enormous challenge, in which I took a stand on

behalf of reclaiming my body. I needed to cut back on my school schedule, but

as I

moved along with my studies, my health kept getting better and better. I am not

totally free of fibromyalgia, but I am able to function reasonably well most of

the

time, and my symptoms keep decreasing in frequency and severity as time goes by.

I

no longer think of fibromyalgia as a diagnosis of absolute disability and

downturn.

 

What's changed for me? I have more energy, less pain, less stiffness and

prolonged

muscle cramping (my main troublesome symptoms), less brain fog, and I am " in my

body " more than I used to be. I have also learned how to prevent stress from

turning into anxiety and then full-blown panic. There's probably more, but I

feel

so good most of the time that I can't remember what all of my symptoms were! :-)

Length of time for results is extremely variable, as fibro flare-ups are so

intimately entwined with weather changes, daily events, problematic foods and

stressors, and coping strategies for same. In general, flare-ups can respond

quickly - inside of a treatment - while ongoing symptoms will change more slowly

according to the person's health, resources, and motivation. Depending on how

long

the patient has had fibromyalgia and how severe it is, this can be a process of

ongoing, gradual improvement over a period of years. It can be difficult,

unfortunately, to track results in the short-term, due to the impact of weather

changes, day-to-day stress, and actual unpredictable changes in the individual's

health, etc. So while I may feel good for a week or two and then have a few bad

days, that doesn't mean my situation is worsening - but if I compare this winter

to

1993, when I was bedridden for several months, the improvement is vast.

 

I hope this helps. Blue Poppy offers a CEU class for fibromyalgia, which I

found

particularly useful and neatly concise for help with pattern differentiation.

If

you wish further assistance, you may contact me privately.

 

Best wishes,

 

 

 

> Sharon wrote:

> > Hi Everyone, I have a potentially new Px who wants to know how well

> > fibromyalgia responds to acupuncture so I wanted to check in and see;

> > 1. if anyone has been treating the condition 2. what approach they used

> > 3. what changed and 4. the length of time to getting a result Thanks

> > Sharon