Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain

Many people who suffer with Fibromyalgia or chronic pain have heard at one time or another, "It's all in your head!", usually implying that the pain is not real and that they are imagining it.

Research has shown that the problem is indeed in your head or rather, your brain, but also that it is real. The pain is a result of a malfunctioning brain. Sleep studies have demonstrated that people suffering with Fibromyalgia are unable to enter deep sleep, known as Delta or stage 4 sleep (1 - 4 hertz brainwaves), normally.

This is very important because Delta sleep is responsible for the production of:

Human Growth Hormone ( HGH ) - necessary for the repair of tissues of our bodies damaged by micro-traumas that occur with daily activities.

Serotonin - a neurotransmitter produced in the brain that reduces the perception of pain.

The decreased ability or inability of people with Fibromyalgia or chronic pain to enter Delta sleep reduces their levels of HGH and Serotonin, which in turn causes muscle damage to accumulate and sensitivity to pain to increase, resulting in their symptoms.

In 1975, two Canadian physicians and researchers, Harvey Molofsky, M.D. and Hugh Smythe, M.D., suspected sleep disorders as a factor in Fibromyalgia. They used an EEG (electroencephalograph) to measure brainwaves of patients with Fibromyalgia and found that they were unable to go into Delta sleep. They did another study in which healthy people were awakened as they entered Delta sleep, thus disrupting their sleeping pattern. They found that the healthy people developed Fibromyalgia symptoms when their sleep was disturbed, but that the symptoms subsided when they were permitted to sleep undisturbed.

In another study at the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Kocaeli University in Turkey neurofeedback therapy was used on several patients with Fibromyalgia. Most of their symptoms decreased within ten sessions and there was improvement on all of the measurement scales they used.

Another study using EEG with 30 patients published in 2001 in the Journal of Clinical Psychology found significant improvement in their mental clarity, mood, and sleep. Extended follow-up demonstrated statistically significant improvement in their psychological and physical functioning.

Here is a link to a video about neurofeedback for Fibromyalgia:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbQqG-7gpps&feature=player_embedded

We offer a complimentary EEG evaluation at our office in Nashville, TN. Call 615-833-8851 or visit:

http://www.braincoretherapy.com/

to find another BrainCore Therapy clinic near you.