There is a NEW cure for fibromyalgia plastered on FaceBook! Yep. They have done it! AGAIN! Another cure for us fibro sufferers, for crying out loud! It is about time!!! (Really?) Well, let’s talk about this…
Ok. There is a blood test called the FM/a to diagnose fibromyalgia. This is real. Your insurance, whatever that may be, will cover the cost of this blood test.
What does the FM/a test for? (Researcher-speak) This is a multi-biomarker-based test that analyzes your immune systems’ white blood cells’ chemokine and cytokine patterns. People with fibro have an irregular pattern regarding these proteins.
What does the FM/a test for?(Kim-speak) This test measures the proteins in your body that increase when you are ill. These proteins increase your white blood cell count considerably to fight the likes of the flu, mono, infection, etc… These measurements should prove to be erratic if you have fibromyalgia.
(Kim-speak) Do not rule out being tested for the FM/a test, just don’t be firstin case it’s a deciding factor in the treatment you are allowed to receive! (This is not a one-size-fits-all illness!)
The result in this proposed theory will be a cure for the incurable… AND (drumroll!) they have the ONLY cure!
Just what is this cure? It is the TB vaccine. Period. Will this work? I haven’t researched one case where it has worked. I have not studied one case where it has caused any harm. Go ahead and research the TB vaccine and see if you think it may hold promise for your ‘type’ of fibromyalgia. Go ahead and get the TB vaccine if you think it might work. Just ask your doctor to administer the TB vaccine. The cost is low, the vaccine is available. There is no need for such a cryptic message of a wonderous ‘cure!’I trust YOU to make the best decision for YOU!
Our journeys with Fibromyalgia are often long and very lonely.
It is difficult it seems for our loved ones, friends, and colleagues to contemplate ever feeling so awful and wracked with pain when in most cases you look surprisingly well. Doctors, if you get a sympathetic one, are busy and how do you pour your heart out in just a few minutes assigned to each patient? Finding your Fibromyalgia support network isn’t always easy.
At times, I think it is the loneliness that I find the hardest to deal with. The holding inside of the things that scare me and my sheer frustrations of having a condition that nobody, including some medical professionals, has no comprehension of. Add to that the feelings of guilt at not always being able to function the same as everybody else and it all makes for some pretty grim days.
So just where do those suffering with Fibromyalgia and other chronic conditions get their support if not from those closest to us?
A simple search on google reveals plenty of groups and communities but do they really offer the kind of Fibromyalgia support you are looking for? I know that for me when I was first diagnosed, I looked to the internet for some guidance and was desperate for somebody that just understood.
Sadly in those days, I found plenty of sites but the reality was that there seemed to be some huge pity party going on and that really wasn’t me. Don’t get me wrong, I can do feel sorry for myself with the best of them but truth is, I have Fibromyalgia but it was never going to have me. So I plodded on alone for pretty much 25 years with no real, tangible support. I have an amazing husband who constantly tells me to rest and who takes care of me very well but after all these years, he still just doesn’t get it but he loves me anyway.
When I decided to put my experience to good use and start the blog, I was determined that I was going to offer positive Fibromyalgia support and advice to my fellow sufferers. I wanted to empower and show that despite us having a condition that can take over our bodies from time to time, we could still function and with some determination lead a pretty normal life.
Well now, having had a good look around, it seems things have moved on in the past 28 years.
There are groups of Fibro Warriors who use their personal knowledge of the condition to motivate and support others in the same situation. I have come across Facebook groups where the love contained on the page is almost tangible. It is uplifting seeing people sharing their experiences of Fibromyalgia with the one constant of supporting one another and offering advice to those who are unsure or confused about their condition.
I am passionate about getting the Fibro message out there, but more importantly, I want to stand alongside fellow sufferers as they navigate their Fibromyalgia journey. I have 28 years of experience with this condition and can take the guesswork away from you when you are looking for answers.
Facebook allows us to come together to support one another and I have both a public pagebut probably more importantly I have the safe sanctuary of a closed group. The support fellow sufferers can give one another is invaluable, it is very hard for our family and friends to really comprehend what we deal with daily. You would be more than welcome to either the page or group.
Cryotherapy is a treatment that uses freezing or near-freezing temperatures to attain specific results, namely pain reduction. The most popular thing right now is whole-body cryotherapy (WBC). WBC involves standing in a chamber called a cryo-chamber for anywhere from two to five minutes. While you are standing in this chamber, the temperature is taken down to a range between negative 100 and negative 140 degrees. You are virtually naked while you stand in a cryotherapy chamber.
Usually, the facility where the cryotherapy is performed will give you a pair of clean, thick socks (a nice alpaca blend) to wear, as well as thick slippers and thick industrial-strength winter gloves. For women, they can either wear underwear and a bra or they can stand in there completely naked. It is highly encouraged for men to keep their underwear on while cryotherapy is performed. For men, it is not recommended to stand in the buff unless they want their “bits” to get a little bit extra chilly (frostbit). A nice furry, fluffy robe is provided for you so you can get from the dressing room to the cryotherapy chamber.
You step up into this cryo chamber that has a door on the front that hinges open and close. Once you’re inside the chamber, the operator will close the door tight and only your head will stick out of the top. It doesn’t matter if you’re short or tall, just about everybody fits in a cryotherapy chamber. There are little mini foam platforms that are placed on the bottom for you to stand on. This makes the height completely adjustable so almost everybody fits.
Once you are inside you will notice that it is a little bit chilly. Surprisingly, it’s a different kind of cold than what you think it would be. You’ll then be locked into the chamber and the doors closed so you can take off your robe and toss it over the side to the staff member who is monitoring the controls.
The temperature when you enter the cryotherapy chamber is usually around 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending on whether there was already someone in there prior to you, the temperature can be colder than that. So now that your robe is off, hold on tight because your three-minute journey is about to start. If you have any “bits” that you don’t feel like you want to have icicles grow from, I suggest holding on to them tight, because that is exactly what will happen if you don’t.
Now that you are officially ready to go, the cryotherapy practitioner will set the time and the temperature on the cryo–chamber. Generally, when you’re new to cryotherapy the operator will start you at a temperature around negative 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Once that is set, it triggers the nitrogen to release its gas that cools off the inside of the chamber. Cold, smoky steam will start billowing out of the top where your head sticks through and will make it hard to see. You can feel the cold air coming from the jets that are positioned in several different places throughout the inside of the chamber. After about a minute or so you can see icicles forming where your fine body hair “used to be” on your arm and other places of your body.
While cryotherapy is cold, it is not the kind of cold that you would think about not being able to tolerate. I live in the snow belt of Ohio and I have lived here my entire life, so I know cold. In the winter of 1996, we had five feet of snowfall in less than a week and the National Guard had to come to my hometown and dig us out. In the Cleveland area, we are used to having winters where, when the wind chill is factored in, it will easily be negative 40 degrees outside. Let me tell you, it is the most unbearable thing you could ever possibly imagine. It does not matter how layered up you are, or the quality of your “thermal underwear,” it’s dang cold and there’s no way to get around it.
I don’t know how the designers did it, but cryotherapy is different. There is absolutely no way in hell that you would ever catch me standing outside in the middle of January in the snow belt of Ohio butt naked for three minutes and be able to tolerate it. It doesn’t matter what lifetime, it’s not happening! Somehow the geniuses that came up with the cryotherapy chamber have made it just cold enough for you to be able to stand there butt naked and not pray for death. Don’t get me wrong, it’s miserable. It’s very, very miserable. I counted in my head the seconds until the nitrogen would be turned off and I could find some relief from the cold. It still wasn’t January snowbelt cold miserable.
Even while you’re standing there freezing off your cha-chas, you start to get a sense of invigoration and energy that you hadn’t had before. It is amazing the energy you feel from doing a whole-body cryotherapy session. The theory behind this and why this happens is because the air becomes so cold that in order to protect itself, your body concentrates all of its blood to your main internal organs, away from your extremities.
This affects both your brain and the pain receptors in your body. Your body starts releasing anti-inflammatory molecules and endorphins to protect itself from the extreme cold. Cryotherapy increases white blood cells, anti-inflammatory cytokines, and beta-endorphins. Once you are done with the cryotherapy and your body starts to return to normal temperature the blood that was protecting your major organs moves back to your extremities. Immunostimulation due to noradrenaline responds to cold which causes a reduction of pain through the alteration of nerve conduction. This causes oxygen-rich blood to be returned to the extremities, which in turn helps with decreasing pain and inflammation in your muscles and joints.
To have the best results for Fibromyalgia, it is suggested that you perform three to five consecutive whole-body cryotherapy sessions in a row. After that, it is suggested that you follow a maintenance schedule of two to three times a week to maintain the benefits.
Cryotherapy is being used for many different conditions. Some of them are Fibromyalgia and chronic pain, sprains, different types of arthritis, pain, and swelling after surgery, tendonitis, sports injuries, low back pain, broken bones, and more.
You may be wondering how effective cryotherapy is for Fibromyalgia. That is a very good question. According to one study, whole body cryotherapy worked for 83% of Fibromyalgia patients during the three weeks while they were undergoing treatment. Results may last for up to a week after the last treatment. Long-term effects were not measured in this particular study.
My personal experience with cryotherapy was that it wasn’t worth the monetary cost to continue. I spent hundreds of dollars and felt minimal relief that only lasted for an hour or so after my treatments. On the other hand, when I did localized cryotherapy on my neck where I have spinal stenosis, I had an incredible amount of relief. I also highly suggest a cryotherapy facial. It is so relaxing and amazing and refreshing. You walk away with a glow and tightness you could never imagine.
To see the full benefits of cryotherapy, it is suggested that you have continuous treatments. Unfortunately, the pain relief results aren’t permanent. On the other hand, when you are in the throws of pain and agony, cryotherapy could be the answer to alleviating some of your symptoms.
Cannabis for fibromyalgia patients can be life-changing. At least it was for me! As a neuroscientist diagnosed with fibromyalgia, I tried all the traditional treatments, but nothing worked and the side effects were awful. Cannabis and CBD are helpful for fibro patients because they treat some of the root causes of fibromyalgia instead of just covering up symptoms.
Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues. It is often diagnosed by pressing on tender points throughout the body that results in pain upon light touching. Fibromyalgia flares occur when symptoms rapidly increase in severity or number; these flares may last for days or weeks and are often dependent on stress levels or triggers like a poor diet.
Approximately 10 million patients in the United States have fibromyalgia, and 75-90% are women. While the cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, infections, physical or emotional trauma, and genetics appear to play a role in onset. Patients with lupus, osteoarthritis, and or rheumatoid arthritis are at higher risk of developing fibromyalgia.
In Canada, 30% of patients with fibromyalgia are on disability, whereas in the United States, the percentage is unclear because disability, as well as a fibromyalgia diagnosis, is harder for patients to obtain. In a survey conducted by the National Fibromyalgia Association in 2003, 99% of the respondents who were currently disabled because of fibromyalgia said that they would return to work immediately if they could find some relief for their pain.
Symptoms of fibromyalgia include muscle pain and tenderness, muscle spasms, joint pain, bone pain, neurological pain, pelvic pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, headaches, anxiety or depression, gastrointestinal issues, and cognitive issues including memory problems.
Common treatments of fibromyalgia include anti-inflammatories such as Aleve (naproxen), Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen), aspirin, and meloxicam, pain relievers Tylenol (acetaminophen), morphine (MScontin), and Percocet (oxycodone), and anti-anxiety medications including Valium (diazepam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Ativan (lorazepam) and Xanax (alprazolam). Anti-depressants include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Prozac (fluoxetine) and Zoloft (sertraline), selective norepinephrine inhibitors (SNRIs) like Cymbalta (duloxetine) and Savella (milnacipran), and tricyclic antidepressants like amitriptyline are also used.
Anti-seizure drug Lyrica (pregabalin) is most well-known for fibromyalgia because of the constant commercials played in the United States; Neurontin (gabapentin) is another anticonvulsant used to treat fibromyalgia. Finally, alternative therapies such as acupuncture, myofascial therapy, massage therapy, yoga, meditation, and cognitive therapy are also used to treat fibromyalgia.
Cannabis helps fibromyalgia by reducing neuropathic pain, pelvic pain, and other forms of pain. It reduces spasms, headaches, inflammation, anxiety, and stress that may trigger or worsen flares. It can improve mood and depression that often comes with having a painful chronic disease with no cure. Finally, cannabis may improve serotonin or other neurotransmitter imbalances in fibromyalgia.
No genetic causes of fibromyalgia have been found yet, and a blood test for diagnosis was only recently developed and is not widely used or covered by most health insurance plans. It is possible that mutations in genes that regulate the endocannabinoid system could be involved in its development, but no study has looked at that.
There is limited clinical research on cannabis and fibromyalgia because of its Schedule 1 nature in the United States and limited funding on the medical benefits of cannabis. However, a survey by the National Pain Report found cannabis was more effective than standard treatments for fibromyalgia including Cymbalta, Lyrica, and Savella, and fibromyalgia patients prefer it. No research has suggested harm from using cannabis in fibromyalgia patients.
Patients are already using cannabis, partly due to tightening restrictions on opioid use in the United States. The National Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Association completed a survey on the impact on patients of changing hydrocodone from Schedule 3 to Schedule 2. The survey found 17% of fibromyalgia patients who were no longer able to fill their hydrocodone prescription shifted to medical marijuana, and 13% moved to alcohol to treat pain, a much less desirable outcome. Another study published in 2012 found 13% of fibromyalgia patients used cannabis, with 80% using smoked marijuana and 24% using prescription cannabinoids.
In a pilot study of nine patients, THC in doses of 2.5-15 mg per day for three months significantly reduced subjective pain in the four patients that completed the study. In a study of 40 patients with fibromyalgia, four weeks of 1 mg of nabilone, a synthetic THC-like drug that binds strongly to the CB1 receptor improved insomnia but has little impact on pain, mood, or quality of life.
Twenty-eight fibromyalgia patients using cannabis had significantly reduced pain and stiffness and increased feelings of well-being, relaxation, and sleepiness two hours after use in another study. Finally, a survey of fibromyalgia patients in Israel found 50% of patients stopped using all prescriptions medications for fibromyalgia when they began using cannabis, and there were significant improvements in all quality of life and symptom scores on the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR).
It’s been 5 years since I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and 12 years since I got my Ph.D. in Neuroscience in the Department of Molecular Psychiatry.
To be honest, I’ve never met another neuroscientist who has fibromyalgia. And maybe that’s why my approach to treating fibromyalgia is so different than most clinicians.
When it came to treating my fibromyalgia, I let the professionals take the reins at first. I went through the typical medications like opioids, Lyrica, muscle relaxers, antidepressants, and hormone pills.
When all I got was dependence on opioids, and side effects like weight gain, nausea, and more pain, the scientist in me said there has to be a better way.
As a neuroscientist, I understand the brain, how both emotional and physical pain is processed, how pharmaceutical drugs impact brain chemistry, and how disease harms it.
I also know how to research solutions to complex problems, compare weak versus strong evidence, test hypotheses, communicate my findings, and teach students.
Fibromyalgia is a complex disease that requires a personalized medicine approach and no two cases are the same. It’s a disease that is worsened by stress, and the mind-body connection must be respected.
I did my research. Part reading the clinical research, part talking to alternative medicine experts and caregivers, and part playing guinea pig on myself and other patients.
I have a unique protocol that uses cannabis, kratom, and magic mushrooms to rewire the brain and heal the emotional and physical pain underlying fibromyalgia.
I’m sharing my secret sauce to how I ditched all my pills, got out of my walker, back to work, got my executive MBA, and wrote multiple books, all when my fibromyalgia doctor told me my best case scenario was to accept my illness and collect disability checks.
10 million patients in the United States with fibromyalgia, 75-90% are women. While the cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, infections, physical or emotional trauma, and genetics appear to play a role in onset. Patients with lupus, osteoarthritis, and or rheumatoid arthritis are at higher risk of developing fibromyalgia. Symptoms of fibromyalgia include muscle pain and tenderness, muscle spasms, joint pain, bone pain, neurological pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, headaches, anxiety or depression, gastrointestinal issues, and cognitive issues including issues with memory.
Common prescription or OTC treatments for fibromyalgia include anti-inflammatories and pain relievers, antidepressants, and anti-seizure drugs including gabapentin (Neurontin) and pregabalin (Lyrica), the first drug to be FDA approved for fibromyalgia. Massage, physical therapy, acupuncture, meditation, yoga, diet change from going gluten-free, and cognitive therapy have also provided relief for patients but are not widely adopted nor covered by health insurance.
In Canada, 30% of patients with fibromyalgia are on disability, whereas in the United States, the percentage is unclear because disability as a well as a fibromyalgia diagnosis is harder for patients to obtain. In a survey conducted by the National Fibromyalgia Association in 2003, 99 % of the respondents who were currently disabled because of fibromyalgia said that they would return to work immediately if they could find some relief for their pain.
There has been a lot of clinical research on cannabis for fibromyalgia in the last 10 years. We’ve transitioned from fibromyalgia being a medical condition linked to endocannabinoid deficiency based on Dr. Ethan Russo’s research, to anecdotal evidence that over 90% of fibromyalgia patients benefit from cannabis, to clear clinical trials showing evidence that cannabis works.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder that is difficult to diagnose and harder to treat. As a neuroscientist and health coach with fibromyalgia, Dr. Ross has combined modern science with ancient plant wisdom to not only stop the pain but also heal emotional and physical trauma from the disorder.
Approximately 10 million patients in the United States have fibromyalgia, and 75-90% are women. While the cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, infections, physical or emotional trauma, and genetics appear to play a role in onset. Patients with lupus, osteoarthritis, and or rheumatoid arthritis are at higher risk of developing fibromyalgia.
Cannabis helps fibromyalgia by reducing neuropathic pain, pelvic pain, and other forms of pain. It reduces spasms, headaches, inflammation, anxiety, and stress that may trigger or worsen flares. It can improve mood and depression that often comes with having a painful chronic disease with no cure. Finally, cannabis may improve serotonin or other neurotransmitter imbalances in fibromyalgia.
There are 1000s of cannabis strains and CBD products that can improve the quality of life with fibromyalgia. If cannabis isn’t right for you, some people prefer microdosing magic mushrooms, while others prefer calming strains of kratom. Your plant medicine guide will go over the pros and cons of each plant medicine and help you decide which one is right for you.
The plant-based health revolution is here! I’m your guide to understanding cannabis, mushrooms, and other healing plants so you live a life free of pain.
My name is Dr. Michele Ross and my mission is to empower patients with the knowledge and use of plant-based medicine so they can live their healthiest and happiest lives.
“Dr. Ross is so knowledgeable about the hottest topic right, CBD, and her passion for using it to heal people is amazing. Her energy, humor, and relatability are refreshing and inviting. The type of wisdom and warmth that you’d want if your health journey should include CBD.”
“Dr. Ross will open your mind to so many new ideas about holistic health. WHY are we not taking care of ourselves as our instincts direct us? Well, the law has not been on the side of cannabis users for most of history. Now, things are changing and it’s up to us to reclaim our health.”
This is something I have been working on for a long time.
As a neuroscientist with fibromyalgia, I’ve worked for years to test the available treatments and debunk fibro myths.
I’ve come up with a protocol that has helped me cure my fibromyalgia naturally (putting it into recovery mode) and has helped so many of my patients.
And I want to share it with you.
Here’s what Ashley R. says about my work:
“Dr. Ross is so knowledgeable about the hottest topic right now, CBD, and her passion for using it to heal people is amazing. Her energy, humor, and relatability are refreshing and inviting. The type of wisdom and warmth that you’d want if your health journey should include CBD.”
Many of you know me from my turn as the first scientist to star in a reality TV series, Big Brother 11 on CBS, where I was a beast at winning competitions and almost won the whole game. There’s another part to my story, one that includes the struggle of getting a fibromyalgiadiagnosis.
Several years ago I used a cane and even a walker to move around. I had no energy, had permanent brain fog, and barely could sit up to work on my laptop at home for an hour or two before having to take a nap. I was prescribed Lyrica, morphine, and a laundry list of other prescriptions to manage severe pain, spasms, and depression. And I wanted to die.
I got off all my prescriptions using cannabis, and today, I’m healthy enough that I work full time and travel all over the world teaching doctors and patients about cannabis medicine.
Fibromyalgia isn’t stopping me from living my best life anymore. Now it’s your turn.
I created the Fibro University Membership to help patients design a life that supports their progress to cure fibromyalgia naturally – so you can feel connected, supported, and motivated every day.
Each month I deliver you brand-new content that’s easy to access on your computer, phone or tablet.
But this deal will not last forever. In fact, the lifetime membership disappears Saturday, July 25th, 2020 & the price goes up for an annual membership.
Are you ready to invest in your health today, for less than 10 cents a day?
Having the right fibromyalgia doctor can make the difference between struggling silently in pain or managing your disease confidently. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or feel overwhelmed by your massive list of prescriptions that seem to not do much, it’s never too late to do your research and change your fibromyalgia doctor.
While a general practitioner is great to go to for your yearly checkup or for a quick test and prescription when you’ve got strep throat, they’re not the best for handling complex chronic health conditions. That’s why they usually refer fibromyalgia patients out to a specialist, like a rheumatologist.
Your primary care doctor might refer you to the wrong specialist, especially if they don’t know too much about fibromyalgia. Take your provider’s recommendation with a grain of salt, and do your due diligence (get to those Yelp reviews!).
Your doctor might refer you to a rheumatologist because they specialize in painful autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Fibromyalgia is not considered an autoimmune disorder (although some research suggests the immune system plays a role), and some rheumatologists don’t even take fibromyalgia patients.
Other specialists that take fibromyalgia patients include neurologists, pain management doctors, chiropractors, and functional medicine doctors. Each will have a different primary mode of treating you, and you should think about what is the best fit for you.
Some patients feel their doctors are just pushing 10 different types of pills on them, without offering any insight into other types of treatments. Others suggest treatments that aren’t covered by insurance and are out of their budget. Learn what typical fibromyalgia spends per year with the doctor to get a feel for what’s right for you.
No matter what type of doctor you do choose, make sure that they have extensive experience in treating fibromyalgia patients. This condition is notoriously hard to treat, with a wide variety of symptoms and many patients not responding to medications.
Working with an inexperienced doctor could mean that your doctor gives up on you because they don’t know all the options available, or worse, doesn’t understand the level of pain you’re in and downplays it. You need a compassionate doctor who understands you and your disease.
A doctor can prescribe medications, but if you’re looking for a more natural, holistic approach that includes changing your diet and using herbal supplements, a doctor is not the right fit. Your doctor can tell you to eat healthily but doesn’t have the time to tell you how to do it or follow up with you to make sure it’s happening.
Knowledge is NOT power. Knowledge is only potential power. Action is power.
Health coaches turn information into action and provide the emotional support to help you implement and maintain long-term lifestyle changes that will transform your health in a short amount of time.
Health coaches usually specialize in a condition or a treatment that they have personal experience with. For example, there are cannabis coaches that support new medical marijuana patients and there are fibromyalgia coaches that support patients through functional medicine.
I happen to be one of the few health coaches that specializes in fibromyalgia and cannabis, helping clients reduce their dependence on toxic prescriptions and heal naturally.
A recent research study found that 81% of fibromyalgia patients improved their symptoms with medical marijuana, also known as cannabis. However, many conservative doctors still believe cannabis is a drug of abuse and has no medical benefit. If your doctor isn’t open to the massive amount of research and testimonials supporting cannabis for fibromyalgia, you should pick another physician.
An overactive sympathetic nervous system, also known as the body’s fight or flight response is closely linked to fibromyalgia. The fight or flight response is designed to help us function in emergency situations. It is meant to be a response that only lasts a short time and then turns itself off. With fibromyalgia, the fight or flight response gets stuck in the “on” position playing havoc with our body, our emotions, and our ability to think clearly.
Increased activation of the fight or flight response is associated with poor sleep, fatigue, poor cognitive function (brain fog ), anxiety, and depression. Recently researchers have also found a direct correlation between our fight or flight response and fibromyalgia pain.
The overactive fight or flight response in fibromyalgia is linked to a dysfunctional autonomic nervous system.
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is the part of the nervous system which controls involuntary functions. These functions include breathing, blood pressure, digestion, heartbeat, bladder function, and narrowing or widening of the blood vessels.
The ANS contains two branches, the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). Both of these systems control the same group of body functions, but they have opposite effects on the functions that they regulate.
The sympathetic nervous system is the one that controls the “fight or flight” response, also known as the acute stress response. It is our body’s automatic response that prepares the body to “fight” or “flee” from perceived harm or threat to our survival.
When activated, the fight or flight response causes a surge of adrenaline and other stress hormones to pump through our bodies. It increases our heart rate and blood pressure, dilates pupils, restricts circulation, slows down digestion, relaxes the bladder, and makes us more alert. It also provides a boost in energy so that we are capable of dealing with stressful situations effectively.
While the stress response can be lifesaving in emergency situations where you need to act quickly, it wears your body down when constantly activated by the stresses of everyday life.
The parasympathetic nervous system has almost the exact opposite effect. It counteracts the stress response. The PNS brings the heart rate and blood pressure back to normal, constricts pupils, improves circulation, enhances digestion, calms us down, contracts the bladder, and puts us into a state of rest and relaxation. It conserves energy and can be summarized by the phrase “rest and digest”.
When the autonomic nervous system is functioning as it should, the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system work in harmony to maintain balance in the body. The sympathetic nervous system helps us respond to stress and then the parasympathetic nervous system restores us to our normal state.
In fibromyalgia and many other chronic illnesses, this autonomic balance is impaired with an excessive sympathetic nervous system response and underactive parasympathetic nervous system response. So now the question is, how do we turn off our fight or flight response? Is it even possible?
Most of us have heard of the fight or flight response, but have you heard of the “relaxation response”? The relaxation response is a term coined in 1975 by a pioneer of mind-body medicine, Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard Medical School. The relaxation response is a state of deep rest that is the polar opposite of the fight or flight response.
The relaxation response is a mentally active process that leaves the body relaxed, calm, and focused. When the relaxation response is activated:
In addition to its calming effects, the relaxation response increases energy and focus, relieves aches and pain, heightens problem-solving abilities, and boosts motivation and productivity.
We can turn “OFF” the fight or flight response by turning the relaxation response “ON”.
A variety of different relaxation techniques can help bring your nervous system back into balance by producing a relaxation response. Many of these techniques can be incorporated into your regular daily schedule. There is no single technique that works for everyone. Read about the relaxation response next and you will find tips on how to find the right technique for you to turn off your fight or flight response.
Do you practice any relaxation techniques? If so, what have you found works for you? If not, are you thinking about it?
