Fibromyalgia: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment in Homeopathy

What is Fibromyalgia? 

Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. Fibromyalgia is believed to amplify painful sensations by affecting the way your brain and spinal cord process painful and nonpainful signals.

It usually starts during middle age or after, but it can affect children.

What Causes Fibromyalgia?

Abnormal pain message

People with fibromyalgia develop changes in the way the central nervous system processes the pain messages carried around the body.

This could be the result of changes to chemicals in the nervous system.

The central nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves) transmits information all over your body through a network of specialised cells.

Changes in the way this system works may explain why fibromyalgia results in constant feelings of, and extreme sensitivity to, pain.

Chemical imbalances

Abnormally low levels of the hormones serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine in the brains of people with fibromyalgia.

Low levels of these hormones may be a key factor in the cause of fibromyalgia, as they're important in regulating things like:

• Mood
• Appetite
• Sleep
• Behaviour
• Your response to stressful situations

These hormones also play a role in processing pain messages sent by the nerves. Increasing the hormone levels with medication can disrupt these signals.

Changes in the levels of some other hormones, such as cortisol, which is released when the body is under stress, may contribute to fibromyalgia.

Sleep problems

It's possible that disturbed sleep patterns may be a cause of fibromyalgia, rather than just a symptom.

Fibromyalgia can prevent you sleeping deeply and cause extreme tiredness (fatigue).

People with the condition who sleep badly can also have higher levels of pain which in turn causes other symptoms.

What are the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia?

There may be periods when your symptoms get better or worse, depending on factors such as:

• Your stress levels
• Changes in the weather
• How physically active you are

Fibromyalgia can involve:

• Widespread pain

• Extreme Sensitivity

• Stiffness

• Sleep disturbance

• Fatigue

• Headaches

• Depression

• Problems with thinking and remembering ('Fibro-fog')

You may experience abnormal pain processing, where you react strongly to something that other people would not find painful.

There may also be tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, pain in the jaw, and digestive problems.

What Triggers Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is often triggered by a stressful event, including physical stress or emotional (psychological) stress. 

Factors that are associated with disease onset:

• Stressful or traumatic events

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Injuries due to repetitive movements

• Illness, for example viral infections

• Having lupus, RA, or chronic fatigue syndrome

• Having a surgery

• Family history

• Obesity

• More common among females.

How Homeopathy helps in Fibromyalgia?

• Homeopathy treats you as an individual and not just your affected or diseased parts.

• Homeopathy does not treat on the name of the disease but it looks for the root of the disease. Thus when the cause of fibromyalgia is removed from the body, the disease automatically goes away completely.

• This is when, your body needs an external force which will help it recover and this is where Homeopathy helps. It strengthens the immune system (your body’s disease fighting ability) and it aids the system to fight back and helps in faster recovery.

• Homeopathy is works on the principle that your body constantly makes effort to uphold and re-establish the internal strength. 

• When the body is in a state of sickness, Homeopathic medicines gently provide stimulus to the immune system of your body and aids in fighting the disease in your body efficiently.