Re-Thinking "Exercise" for Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Tuesday November 18, 2008
Do you get sick of your doctor and well-meaning people telling you that you'd feel better if you got more exercise?
For those of us with fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS), exercise is a big problem. Not only are we hurting and/or fatigued when we start out, it can make our symptoms a whole lot worse for several days afterward. Studies show exercise can alleviate our symptoms, but anyone with FMS or ME/CFS who's ever over done it (most of us) knows how debilitating that post-exercise crash can be. So doctors and healthy people tell us, "Exercise more!" and we respond, "I can't!"
I think part of the problem here is in how we define "exercise." That word generally conjures up images of aerobics classes, doing a weight circuit at the gym, or spending half the day on a treadmill or exercise bike. I can't handle that kind of exertion - can you? I'm giving 3-1 odds that you said, "No way!"
What we need is a new definition of exercise. I believe, for us, it should be:
Intentional movement designed to have a specific effect on the body.
No special shoes, no equipment, just intentional movement. For example, if I've done a few simple yoga stretches and a couple of core-strengthening exercises, I consider it exercising. I have to do those things regularly to keep my back functional, because of a joint problem, and when I slack off, my FMS symptoms actually get worse before my back does. The entire routine (if it can even be called that) takes about 3-4 minutes.
We all have vastly different ability levels, so you're the only one who can determine how much exercise you can handle, and what form of exercise is best for you. Especially if you have ME/CFS, you have to be extremely careful and take it slowly. Here's more on how to get started the right way:
What kind of exercise do you do? What bad experiences have you had, and what have you learned from them? Let's all learn from each other - share your stories here or in About.com's Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome community forum.
Suggested Reading:
Photo © Reggie Casagrande/Getty Images
Whole Body Vibration as Fibromyalgia Treatment
Sunday November 16, 2008
OK, here's one I didn't see coming - a study published in the Journal of Altenative and Complementary Medicine says that whole-body vibration (WBV) can actually reduce pain and fatigue, and improve physical function for those of us with fibromyalgia.
In the study, they had a group of women with fibromyalgia who followed an exercise regimen consisting of aerobic activities, stretching and relaxation twice a week. Half of the women followed their work-outs with WBV, while the other half didn't. A control group didn't exercise or get WBV.
After 6 weeks, the WBV group showed significantly lower pain and fatigue scores than the exercise-only group and the control group, while the exercise-only group wasn't significantly different from the control group.
This sounded really bizarre to me, so I did some research on WBV. Turns out, it's been proven to help physical function in the elderly as well. I also found out you can buy WBV platforms online. Some cost thousands of dollars, but I found some for around $250.
Is WBV something you'd be interested in trying? It sounds weird to me, but then again the treatments that have helped me most sound weird, too! Does anyone have experience with WBV? What do you think about it? Share your comments here or in About.com's Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome community forum.
Suggested Reading:
Photo © Andersen Ross/Getty Images
Want Action on Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? Make Your Voice Heard!
Friday November 14, 2008
The squeaky wheel gets the grease, right? It's time for us all to squeak, squeal and scream as loud as we can to move fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS) higher on the national agenda.
President-Elect Obama has set up a website where you can tell him your opinion on what needs to be done. I told him we need:
- Universal health care
- Social security disability reform
- More research funding
Whether you agree with me or not, let your voice be heard! Here's the link:
Let's all stand together and yell for help!
Suggested Reading:
Photo © Getty Images
IBS Treatments - What's Old is New Again
Friday November 14, 2008
NEWSBRIEF: Citing the failure of newer treatments to live up to expectations, researchers compiled data from numerous studies of older treatments to see what works best for treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Currently, there's no standard first-line treatment for IBS, which is a painful and potentially debilitating condition that frequently overlaps with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.
For constipation-dominant IBS, researchers concluded that psyllium-fiber therapy, such as Metamucil, would significantly help 1 in 6 people. For diarrhea-dominant IBS, they concluded that 1 in 2.5 people would get significant relief from peppermint oil while 1 in 5 would be helped by antispasmodic drugs such as scopolamine.
In the peppermint oil studies examined, participants took 200 mg in capsule form 2 or 3 times per day.
Researchers say these treatments have fallen out of clinical favor, but that they work, they're inexpensive, and they're much less toxic than some of the newer therapies. The analysis was published in the latest issue of BMJ Online First.
Related Content: Fibromyalgia, ME/CFS & IBS; Symptoms of IBS
