Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a complex condition that causes widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and other symptoms.
What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a complex condition that causes widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and other symptoms. While the exact cause remains unknown, conventional medicine often focuses on managing symptoms rather than addressing the root cause.
At Hassan Khan Nutritional Medicine, we believe in a holistic approach to fibromyalgia that considers the whole person, not just their symptoms. We combine nutritional therapy, functional medicine techniques, and lifestyle modifications to create personalised treatment plans that aim to improve your overall well-being and manage your fibromyalgia effectively.
What are the causes of Fibromyalgia?
The exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but several factors may contribute, including some of these more obvious root causes:
Genetics: Some individuals may be genetically predisposed to developing fibromyalgia.
Stress: Physical or emotional stress can trigger or worsen symptoms.
Hormonal imbalances: Fluctuations in hormones, especially oestrogen, may play a role.
Gut health: Imbalances in gut bacteria have been linked to fibromyalgia.
Nutritional deficiencies: Deficiencies in certain vitamins and minerals can contribute to symptoms.
One of the causes of that is often overlooked when discussing chronic illnesses and conditions such as Fibromyalgia is trauma.
Inherited and Developmental Trauma: Studies suggest that these factors can play a significant role in complex chronic illnesses. At Hassan Khan Nutritional Medicine we utilise techniques like Internal Family Systems (IFS) to help patients explore these underlying issues. As Gabor Maté famously stated, “your biology is influenced by your biography.”
At Hassan Khan Nutritional Medicine, work with you to understand which of the above is most likely behind your Fibromyalgia and how we can work with you to reduce its impact on your life.
What are the most common causes of fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia can manifest in various ways, but some of the most common symptoms include:
- Widespread pain: This is often described as a dull ache, burning, or tenderness throughout the body, particularly in areas like the neck, back, shoulders, hips, and legs.
- Fatigue: Feeling excessively tired and drained, even after getting enough sleep.
- Sleep disturbances: Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing unrefreshing sleep.
- Cognitive difficulties: Problems with memory, concentration, and focus, often referred to as “fibro-fog.”
- Stiffness: Feeling stiff and achy, especially in the mornings or after periods of inactivity.
- Headaches: Frequent headaches, including migraines.
- Mood swings: Experiencing anxiety, depression, or other emotional changes.
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): Digestive issues like bloating, constipation, or diarrhoea.
- Numbness or tingling: Tingling or prickling sensations in the hands and feet.
It’s important to note that not everyone with fibromyalgia will experience all of these symptoms, and the severity can vary significantly from person to person.
How do we test for fibromyalgia?
We investigate all possible root causes during your initial consultation. With this approach, our we look closely at the myriad of interactions among genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that can influence long-term health and complex, chronic disease.
As part of our discovery we’ll look at possible causes and also how these might be creating the symptoms that are affecting you every day for example, identifying and addressing toxins (environmental toxins like heavy metals and mycotoxins) and latent infections (including parasites, bacteria, and viruses) will highlight what’s contributing to inflammation and pain.
We have built a reputation for our expertise in functional medicine. We combine industry-leading nutritional practices, alongside the latest in-house testing, so we can attend to all your health needs in one trip.
How can I live better with fibromyalgia?
Living with fibromyalgia requires a multifaceted approach. Here are some key strategies:
- Dietary changes: Implementing an anti-inflammatory diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein can help reduce inflammation and improve gut health.
- Stress management: Techniques like yoga, meditation, and deep breathing can help manage stress and improve sleep quality.
- Regular exercise: Gentle exercises like walking, swimming, and yoga can improve flexibility, reduce pain, and boost mood.
- Nutritional supplementation: Addressing potential deficiencies in vitamins and minerals like magnesium can support overall health and well-being.
How do we support Fibromyalgia at Hassan Khan Nutritional Medicine?
We go beyond just managing symptoms and focus on identifying and addressing potential underlying causes that may be contributing to your condition.
Our consultations are centred around you as an individual. We take the time to understand your unique set of health concerns and goals. This holistic approach allows us to identify factors that may be impacting your overall health and develop a personalised plan tailored to your specific needs.
Here’s how we can help:
- Address Underlying Causes: As discussed earlier, we emphasise exploring potential contributors to Fibromyalgia, such as:
Inherited and developmental trauma using techniques like Internal Family Systems (IFS).Toxins and latent infections through targeted testing and potential detoxification protocols.
- Optimise Your Body’s Functioning: We aim to create an individualised plan that focuses on:
- Strengthening the immune system: A strong immune system can better fight off potential infections that may contribute to inflammation.
- Decreasing toxicity: Reducing exposure to and eliminating existing toxins in the body can help reduce inflammation and improve overall health.
- Normalising inflammatory function: Chronic inflammation is a hallmark of Fibromyalgia. We aim to identify and address the root causes of inflammation and support a healthy inflammatory response.=
- Optimising metabolic function: Proper metabolic function ensures your body can utilise nutrients efficiently and generate energy effectively.
- Balancing regulatory systems: The body’s various systems need to be in balance for optimal health. We can help identify and address any imbalances that may be contributing to your symptoms.
- Enhancing regeneration: Supporting your body’s natural healing and repair processes can be crucial for managing Fibromyalgia symptoms.
The specific approach will be unique to you, but this list provides an indication of some of the strategies that have been successful for many individuals with Fibromyalgia.