Fibromyalgia Support Groups
By Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN
updated on 06/20/2007 at 11:06AM
According to the American College of Rheumatology, fibromyalgia currently affects roughly five to ten million Americans. It can affect people of all ages, sexes, religions, and socioeconomic classes. But it primarily occurs in women of childbearing age. Joining a fibromyalgia support group can help you learn more about your condition connect you with peers who understand and empathize with your symptoms. A Fibromyalgia Support Group can also keep you in touch with the latest news and events for more information. We recommend the forum at http://www.fibromyalgia-support.org/forum/
The Latest Events
A Fibromyalgia Support Group can keep you in touch with the latest events. For instance, May 12th of every year is "Fibromyalgia Awareness Day" On this day, most Fibromyalgia Support Groups will offer seminars and other educational opportunities to help teach others about fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions. May 12th has been recognized as Fibromyalgia Awareness Day for eleven years.
The Latest Health Tips
The key to managing a life with fibromyalgia or any other chronic pain condition is to stay informed about the latest health information. A Fibromyalgia Support Group can help keep you in touch with others who can share valuable resources and tips for reducing your symptoms and getting on with your life. The latest health tips for patients who suffer from fibromyalgia. Involve recommendations on exercise, nutrition, and posture techniques to minimize pressure.
The Latest News
Researchers are continually performing clinical studies and testing medication that can aid in the treatment of fibromyalgia. Your Fibromyalgia Support Group can help to serve as a clearing house of information for these types of studies. Here's a look at some of the most recent research on Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Abstract: Chronic fatigue syndrome: assessment of increased oxidative stress and altered muscle excitability in response to incremental exercise
03-02-2005, J Intern Med. 2005 Mar;257(3):299-310., James Y, Steinberg JG, Mambrini O, Bregeon F, Delliaux S.
From the Laboratoire de Physiopathologie Respiratoire (UPRES EA 2201), Faculte de Medecine, Institut Federatif de Recherche Jean Roche, and Service des Explorations Fonctionnelles Respiratoires, Hopital Nord, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France.
Objectives. Because the muscle response to incremental exercise is not well documented in patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), we combined electrophysiological (compound-evoked muscle action potential, M wave), and biochemical (lactic acid production, oxidative stress) measurements to assess any muscle dysfunction in response to a routine cycling exercise.
Design. This case-control study compared 15 CFS patients to a gender-, age- and weight-matched control group (n = 11) of healthy subjects.
Interventions. All subjects performed an incre-mental cycling exercise continued until exhaustion. Main outcome measures. We measured the oxygen uptake (Vo(2)), heart rate (HR), systemic blood pressure, percutaneous O(2) saturation (SpO(2)), M-wave recording from vastus lateralis, and venous blood sampling allowing measurements of pH (pHv), PO(2) (PvO(2)), lactic acid (LA), and three markers of the oxidative stress (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, TBARS, reduced glutathione, GSH, and ascorbic acid, RAA).
Results. Compared with control, in CFS patients (i) the slope of Vo(2) versus work load relationship did not differ from control subjects and there was a tendency for an accentuated PvO(2) fall at the same exercise intensity, indicating an increased oxygen uptake by the exercising muscles; (ii) the HR and blood pressure responses to exercise did not vary; (iii) the anaerobic pathways were not accentuated; (iv) the exercise-induced oxidative stress was enhanced with early changes in TBARS and RAA and enhanced maximal RAA consumption; and (v) the M-wave duration markedly increased during the recovery period. Conclusions.
The response of CFS patients to incremental exercise associates a lengthened and accentuated oxidative stress together with marked alterations of the muscle membrane excitability. These two objective signs of muscle dysfunction are sufficient to explain muscle pain and postexertional malaise reported by our patients. PMID: 15715687 [Pub Med - as supplied by publisher]
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