If you suffer with Fibromyalgia, reading this article may be the most important thing you do for your family, your career and your life. After reading this article, you may feel you finally have a solution to simplify your life, as you get information that will help you to manage a huge debilitating monster that cripples your enthusiasm and crushes your very will to live. You know that monster I'm talking about - Fibromyalgia, an overt form of arthritis that can rob you of your youth, suck the fun right out of your life and make you old before your time.

Many people live the fibromyalgia nightmare. They suffer through the medical failures, being shuffled from doctor to doctor. Always with the same results -- the physical exam comes back NEGATIVE... The x-rays come back NEGATIVE... the blood tests come back NEGATIVE... They say, "We've done all we can do, it's ALL IN YOUR HEAD... take these anti-depressants!" And after all was said and done, you may be worse after all the treatments. It does NOT have to be this way... it does NOT have to be a struggle anymore. Imagine how great you would feel without your constant, nagging aches and pains. Imagine how easy your life would be if you could just do all the things you want without feeling exhausted and miserable. Imagine waking up in the morning, springing out of bed, feeling refreshed - - instead of feeling like you got hit by a bus in your sleep! Imagine not having to take handfuls of expensive pain medications that barely help and have side effects. Well, stop imagining - a solution is here, now!

Fibromyalgia (fye-bro-my-AL-gee-ah) is recognized as an arthritis-related condition characterized by generalized muscular pain and fatigue. The term "fibromyalgia" means pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons. This condition is referred to as a "syndrome" because it's a set of signs and symptoms that occur together. Fibromyalgia is an especially confusing and often misunderstood condition, because its symptoms are quite common and laboratory test results generally come back as "Normal" readings. So, people with fibromyalgia are often told their condition is possibly "psychosomatic," or a figment of their minds. However, medical studies have proven that fibromyalgia does indeed exist, and it is estimated to affect about 2 percent of the U.S. population today. In 1990, the American College of Rheumatology, the official body of doctors who treat arthritis and related conditions, finally legitimized fibromyalgia in the medical community by presenting criteria for diagnosing the ailment. Diagnosis may be confirmed when you display the following symptoms:

A history of widespread pain (pain on both sides of the body and above and below the waist) that is present for at least three months

Pain in at least 11 of 18 specific tender-point sites on the human body.

One of the most successful strategies for treating fibromyalgia is organizing self-care in conjunction with comprehensive outpatient clinical treatment programs. In the Seattle, WA area there are clinicians (see links below) who specialize in such treatment, and who have dramatically reduced the effects of fibromyalgia, and whose treatments further support your ongoing self-care choices.

The primary self-care strategy to reduce fibromyalgia symptoms must focus on reducing physical and emotional stress. Trained clinicians help develop a plan to avoid or limit overexertion and emotional stress. It is critical that you take time each day to relax. That may mean learning how to say "no" to others who wish to impact your time, and to do so without guilt. But don't change your routine totally. People who quit work or drop all activity tend to do worse than those who remain active. Stress management techniques, such as deep-breathing exercises or meditation can be powerful tools for recovery.

Secondly, get enough sleep. Because tissue breakdown is one of the main characteristics of fibromyalgia, getting sufficient sleep is essential in order to repair damaged tissues. Allot enough time for sleep, practice good sleep habits, such as going to bed and getting up at the same time each day. Follow your body's natural "circadian rhythms" and retire early (ideally around 9 PM). Remember, 1 hour's sleep before midnight is equivalent to 2 hours after midnight).

And exercise regularly. At first, exercise may increase your pain. But doing it regularly will decreases symptoms. However, it must be done according to your tolerance. Start out very slowly - say 2 or 3 minutes for a week, and then increasing time by a few minutes per week. Exercise is also a stress on your system that will impair the healing process if it is too vigorous for the stage of recovery that you are in. Appropriate exercises often include walking, swimming, biking and water aerobics. A chiropractor can help you develop a home exercise program. Stretching, good posture and relaxation exercises also are helpful. Pace yourself. Keep your activity on an even level. If you do too much on your good days, you may have more bad days. Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eat healthy foods. Limit your caffeine intake. Do something that you find enjoyable and fulfilling every day.

Follow the simple guidelines offered in this article. For more detailed information, please contact the clinicians below. You will learn how to diminish the affects of this disease in your own life. Further, learn other key things that relate to the treatment of Fibromyalgia - for instance: