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Hope for Fibromyalgia Sufferers

by Dr. Julian Whitaker

Published 04/30/09

The term "fibromyalgia" only entered the official medical lexicon in 1990, but it was first described long before that. An 1843 medical text referred to it as "rheumatism with hard places." Most doctors today are baffled by fibromyalgia, and many dismiss the label altogether, telling sufferers that the pain is "all in their head." They're wrong.

Fibromyalgia involves a specific diagnosis: the identification of at least 11 "tender points" throughout the body that are extremely painful when pressed. In addition, patients with fibromyalgia are likely to suffer from fatigue, insomnia, and generalized stiffness.

Headaches are also common, and almost half suffer from depression, probably as a result of their chronic pain. Conventional treatment consists largely of prescription drugs to alleviate its symptoms-antidepressants, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, analgesics, and steroids, to name only a few.

If you have fibromyalgia, I want to assure you of two things: first, the pain and other symptoms you are experiencing are not all in your head. They are real, and they have a cause. Second, and most important, you can be helped.

The Serotonin Connection

Patients with fibromyalgia tend to have low blood levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin. The chronic pain, sleep disturbances, and depression they experience are no surprise, given that serotonin plays a key role in inhibiting pain, regulating sleep, and enhancing mood. Interestingly, low serotonin levels are also linked to migraine headaches and irritable bowel syndrome, two conditions that are common among fibromyalgia sufferers.

The conventional approach to fibromyalgia relies heavily on the use of antidepressants that alter serotonin levels. The most popular of these drugs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac, have numerous side effects and are linked with acts of extreme violence, self-destructive behavior, and suicide.

Fortunately, there are safe, effective, natural ways to boost serotonin levels. One is 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), an herbal extract that is the direct precursor to serotonin. In addition to its benefits for depression, it has been studied specifically as a therapy for fibromyalgia. In a three-month study of 50 patients with fibromyalgia, about half experienced improvement in pain, fatigue, anxiety, and quality of sleep when given 100 mg of 5-HTP three times a day.

Another natural antidepressant that may improve symptoms of fibromyalgia is s-adenosyl-methionine (SAMe). SAMe boosts levels of serotonin and balances levels of other neurotransmitters that are involved in regulating mood. It has also proven helpful in relieving pain, decreasing morning stiffness, and enhancing mood in patients with fibromyalgia.

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