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Approximately 10 million people in the United States (Source:Fibromyalgia Prevalence) are believed to be affected by fibromyalgia, which is a chronic pain disorder. Fibromyalgia, a complex and often misunderstood condition, presents significant challenges to both patients and medical practitioners. It is characterised by widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and memory issues.
What Is Fibromyalgia?
Pathophysiology of Fibromyalgia:
What are the signs and symptoms of Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterised by widespread musculoskeletal pain. However, it manifests as a set of signs and symptoms that include the following:
- Fatigue
- Sleep disturbances
- Fibro fog (cognitive difficulties, problems in concentration, thinking, and focusing)
- Stiffness of the body muscles
- Depression
- Headaches
- Anxiety
- Numbness and tingling in peripheral body parts
- Face and jaw pain
- Increased sensitivity to pain
- Sensitivity to light, heat, and cold
Living with fibromyalgia can be immensely challenging, as the condition encompasses more than just physical pain. Patients often report a significant toll on their emotional and mental health, with symptoms like anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders further complicating their condition. The unpredictable nature of symptom flare-ups and the invisibility of their suffering can also lead to social isolation and difficulties in obtaining understanding and support from those around them.
Unlike other diseases with clear pathological markers, fibromyalgia is diagnosed primarily through clinical evaluation, relying on patient-reported symptoms and a physical examination.
10 Root Causes of Fibromyalgia:
- Emotional stress
- Physical stress
- Chronic inflammation in nerve pathways
- High levels of cortisol in the body
- Unhealthy lifestyle
- Low levels of antioxidants (glutathione and carnosine)
- Lack of body resources to heal
- Genetic factors
- Environmental factors
- Dehydration
ANF Therapy®️ treatment is evidence-based alternative medicine therapy (working on the principles of frequency medicine) for fibromyalgia that targets these root causes to resolve inflammation at the cellular level and initiates a natural healing response of the body.
What Are The 7 Stages of Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia does not occur immediately. Chronic inflammation (for months and years) results in fibromyalgia. However, the following are the stages of fibromyalgia when symptoms start to appear:
Stage One: Initial Symptoms
The onset of initial symptoms characterises the first stage of fibromyalgia. These symptoms can include widespread pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. Patients may also experience headaches, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and cognitive difficulties.
Stage Two: Developing Symptoms
During the second stage of fibromyalgia, symptoms begin to intensify. Patients may experience increased pain, fatigue, and additional symptoms such as joint stiffness and cognitive dysfunction. Sleep disturbances may also become more severe.
Stage Three: Chronic Widespread Pain
The third stage of fibromyalgia is marked by chronic, widespread pain. Patients may experience pain in all four quadrants of the body and other localised areas. Fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive difficulties may accompany this pain.
Stage Four: Limited Functionality
As fibromyalgia progresses to stage four, patients may experience limited functionality. They may have difficulty performing everyday tasks, such as cleaning, cooking, and caring for themselves. Fatigue and pain can be debilitating, making working or participating in social activities strenuous.
Stage Five: Mitigating Factors
During stage five, patients may identify mitigating factors that exacerbate their symptoms. These may include stress, certain foods, or environmental factors. Identifying and avoiding these triggers can help patients manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.
Stage Six: Severe Symptoms
In the sixth stage of fibromyalgia, symptoms become severe and may be accompanied by depression and anxiety. Patients may require more aggressive treatment to manage their pain and other symptoms.
Stage Seven: Disability
The final stage of fibromyalgia is marked by disability. Patients may be unable to work or perform everyday tasks, and their quality of life may be severely impacted.
How Does ANF Therapy®️ Diagnose and Treat Fibromyalgia?
1-History:
ANF Therapists will ask you a series of questions to understand your symptoms better. These include:
- Do you often feel tired or fatigued?
- Have you experienced any unexplained memory loss?
- Does your pain intensify with changes in the weather?
- Do you suffer from unexplained bloating?
- Do you often feel isolated, depressed, or anxious?
- How is your sleep quality?
- How do you feel upon waking up—refreshed or fatigued?
2-Examination:
ANF therapists thoroughly examine each nerve throughout the body to assess for fibromyalgia, including the occipital and trigeminal nerves, all nerves running through the spine and abdomen, as well as the gluteal, femoral, and popliteal nerves. By palpating these nerves, ANF therapists can distinguish inflamed nerves from normal ones, which aids in evaluating the severity and extent of the inflammation.
3-Application of ANF Devices:
After initial assessment, inspection, and palpation, the ANF Practitioner identifies the key areas of pain, inflammation, or dysfunction and strategically places the devices to target these areas effectively. The therapy is tailored to each individual’s specific symptoms and conditions, with the treatment plan being adjusted as the patient responds to the therapy over time. Initially, low-frequency ANF Devices are used to address inflammation in superficial tissues. Subsequently, high-frequency ANF Devices are used to target deeper tissue layers. This comprehensive approach includes treating all inflamed nerves and creating a “fibro-belt” around the glutes to address the root causes of fibromyalgia effectively.
Initially, Lymphatic Devices are employed to replenish the body’s resources, while Pain and Inflammation Devices are utilised to alleviate discomfort and resolve inflammation. Liver and Antioxidant Devices are then used to enhance liver function and rid the body of toxins. Additionally, Cardiovascular Devices are employed to bolster the cardiovascular system and enhance blood circulation.
4-Maintenance Treatment:
Patients typically begin to feel better after 2-4 changes in their treatment protocol. Following these initial improvements, we transition them into a maintenance phase. This phase uses minimum devices. During treatment for fibromyalgia, we also focus on the emotional and mental health issues that are often exacerbated by the condition. We train ANF practitioners to effectively support patients in enhancing their mental well-being. Our approach extends beyond merely treating symptoms; we aim to treat the mental and psychological health of our patients to help rebuild their confidence and enable them to restart their lives.
5-Follow-Up:
The recommended follow-up for patients with fibromyalgia is 1-2 weeks after the initial consultation. During these follow-up sessions, ANF therapists instruct patients on specific exercises designed to engage muscles that may have become weak or unused due to prolonged chronic inflammation. Given that many individuals with fibromyalgia experience weight gain due to decreased activity, ANF therapists also suggest lifestyle changes to help reduce weight. These recommendations are aimed at strengthening the patients’ self-image and boosting their confidence.
6-Duration of Treatment:
Take Away:
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the worst symptoms of fibromyalgia?
The worst symptoms of fibromyalgia are unexplained but severe musculoskeletal pain, cognitive difficulties or fibro fog, stiffness in the body muscles, and inability to perform daily functions.
What are the 7 signs of fibromyalgia?
Unexplained fatigue, sleep disturbance, stiffness of body muscles, unexplained bloating, feeling of selt isolation, depression, and inability to concentrate or focus are 7 most common signs of fibromyalgia.
What is fibromyalgia caused by?
Fibromyalgia is caused by emotional or physical stress, chronic invisible inflammation (untreated), dehydration, lack of body resources, low levels of antioxidants like glutathione and carnosine, an increase in number of free radicals, and high cortisol levels.
Is fibromyalgia a lifelong condition?
Can fibromyalgia be cured?
Is ANF Therapy®️ effective for fibromyalgia?
About ANF Therapy®️
ANF Therapy®️ uses circular ANF Devices, which are applied directly on the skin after palpation and assessment by a trained ANF Therapist following the ANF Therapy®️ Method, Patented Model no. U202030252, ES1259974.
The ANF Therapy®️ purpose is the alleviation of injury and pain within minutes.
Our aim is that the patient experiences a reduction of pain and swelling, an increase in range of motion, and an improvement in quality of life related to health. Non-transdermal, non-invasive device, NO needles or chemicals are used.
Do you need help with your health issues? Have you been experiencing symptoms of fibromyalgia?
Contact us, and we will explain how we can help you!
