Saturday, September 5, 2009
Eliminate or Reduce Caffeine Intake
Caffeine is one of the few food products that can induce a stress response. Too much caffeine can greatly increase nervousness, anxiety, and insomnia. As you make plans to de-stress your life, try limiting the amount of caffeine you take in. And remember, coffee is not the only source of caffeine. Tea and chocolate drinks also contain caffeine. Plus they contain ingredients like theophylline and theobromine, which also can stimulate the heart and central nervous system.
Waon Therapy
Medical progress in the 20th century has been striking, and the advancement of the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases has greatly contributed toward prolonging life expectancy. However, for patients who receive treatment for diseases, this being not limited to cardiovascular diseases, there is no way of determining the gravity of internal suffering and conflict. Patients accept any examination and treatment that can help them to recover from diseases, even when it may involve pain. All surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and transplant therapy are therapies that inflict considerable pain and long term suffering on patients, mentally and physically. Patients still accept such therapy, because they expect it to help them recover from their disease.
Without suffering from the diseases, it is impossible to understand the extent of pain, tension, and stress that are imposed on patients with the purpose of saving life. Even if the suffering of patients arising from various intractable diseases can be treated with inpatient hospital care at a large hospital combined with state-of-the-art medical facilities, patients have no opportunity, during the course of treatment, to experience a feeling of comfort and a pleasant state of mind arising from refreshing perspiration.
The treatment modality “thermal therapy” that I have worked on since 1989 is a warming therapy for soothing the mind and body equally, with 60°C dry far-infrared sauna bathing. Therefore, if “thermal therapy” is referred to as “Waon therapy,” it is easy to understand the true meaning as distinguished from, for example, “local high-heat therapy for cancer.” “Soothing warmth: Waon” is a word I have coined, and “Waon” can be understood in Japanese as “soothing warmth,” meaning “warmth that comfortably refreshes the mind and body.” In other words, “Waon” is the essence of the “thermal therapy” that I have been improving and refining for eighteen years. Therefore, to obtain a correct understanding of my “thermal therapy” modality, I would like to refer to it as “Waon therapy: soothing warmth therapy” and I would like to familiarize readers further with the idea.
“Waon therapy” is defined as “therapy in which the entire body is warmed in an evenly heated chamber (device) for 15 minutes at a temperature that soothes the mind and body, and after the deep-body temperature has increased by approximately 1.0～1.2°C, the soothing warmth effects are sustained by maintaining the warmth at rest for an additional 30 minutes, with fluids corresponding to perspiration being supplied at the end.”
There are various clinical applications 1-11) of “Waon therapy,” and the effects are dramatic. In particular, a drastic recovery is often seen in intractable diseases that are resistant to drug therapy such as severe heart failure 1), which is an indication of the need for a heart transplant, peripheral artery disease with intractable ulcer 6), severe fibromyalgia syndrome 9), chronic fatigue syndrome 8), and salivary secretion failure caused by Sjogren’s syndrome 10). The effects are remarkable, and “Waon therapy” is not simply therapy for organs and local sites. It also improves the systemic vascular function, corrects central and peripheral autonomic nerves and neurohumoral factors (hormonal activity), and activates autoimmunity and the bio-defense mechanism.
If “Waon therapy” is performed once a day for 3～5 days a week over the course of a 2～6-week period (10 weeks for peripheral artery disease) a clearly positive effect on the intractable diseases mentioned above can be obtained. Furthermore, with subsequent continuation for 2～3 days a week, the effects of “Waon therapy” can also be steadily maintained.
To demonstrate the effectiveness of “Waon therapy” as a comprehensive therapy, the effects on chronic heart failure are briefly described in the following example. “Waon therapy” improves the clinical conditions, cardiac function, and vascular function of patients with chronic heart failure and corrects abnormal autonomic nervous response and neurohumoral factors 3). It dilates systemic arteries and veins to reduce the preload and afterload on the heart and significantly increase cardiac output 1). Arrhythmia caused by chronic heart failure is significantly decreased 4). In addition, “Waon therapy” considerably improves a depressive state, insomnia, anorexia, and ill feelings of patients with heart failure 3). If “Waon therapy” is performed once a day for 5 days a week over the course of a 2-week period (10 times in total), cardiomegaly is significantly reduced, the cardiac function is improved, and ANP and BNP can be significantly decreased 3). If “Waon therapy” is subsequently continued even furth er, then the prognosis of patients with chronic heart failure tends to significantly improve. In an investigation using a heart failure model (TO-2 hamsters), it was verified that the group for which “Waon therapy” was continually repeated once a day had a 35% improved survival rate compared to the group without this therapy 12).
“Waon therapy” significantly improves the endothelium-dependent vasodilatory potency of patients with heart failure. In an experiment using heart failure model hamsters, “Waon therapy” considerably increased the expression of mRNA of vascular endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in vascular endothelial and intensified the expression of eNOS protein13,14). A remarkable expression of mRNA and protein of eNOS was also observed in an experiment with peripheral arterial disease models 15). Specifically, after an apolipoprotein E-knockout mouse has a femoral artery removed, if “Waon therapy” is continually repeated once a day for 35 days, the expression of mRNA and the protein level of eNOS also considerably increases, while the number of blood capillaries increases, the blood flow remarkably improves in the ischemic limbs, and angiogenesis can be achieved. In other words, “Waon therapy” is deeply involved in the production of effects on genetic, molecular, and cellular levels, and this treatment modality therefore plays an important role in the recovery of the living body.
“Waon therapy” is safe and highly cost-efficient, and is also a gentle comprehensive therapy that soothes patients and encourages refreshing perspiration, unlike conventional therapy, which often requires the patient’s endurance. I sincerely hope that “Waon therapy” will be approved for coverage by medical insurance as soon as possible, as a new therapy for the 21st century. Such approval would be very good news for our patients.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Naltrexone May Ease Fibromyalgia Symptoms
Preliminary Study Shows That Low-Dose Naltrexone May Be an Effective, Low-Cost Treatment for Fibromyalgia
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
April 17, 2009 -- An inexpensive drug called naltrexone may make a good treatment for fibromyalgia, report researchers at Stanford University.
Naltrexone isn't a new drug; it's been around for more than 30 years and is used to treat opioid addiction.
Stanford's Jarred Younger, PhD, and Sean Mackey, MD, PhD, tested a low dose of naltrexone as a fibromyalgia treatment in 10 women who had had fibromyalgia for about 10 years, on average.
First, the women spent two weeks recording the severity of their fibromyalgia symptoms every day using a handheld computer. And they took lab tests to gauge their fibromyalgia pain and sensitivity to heat and cold.
After that, the women took a placebo pill every day for two weeks, but they didn't know it was a placebo pill. At the end of the placebo period, the women took a naltrexone pill once a day for eight weeks. Finally, they spent the last two weeks of the study not taking naltrexone or the placebo.
All along, the women continued to rate their fibromyalgia symptoms every day, and they repeated their lab tests every two weeks.
While taking the placebo, the women reported a 2.3% drop in the severity of their fibromyalgia symptoms, compared to their symptom ratings at the start of the study.
When they switched from the placebo to naltrexone, they reported an additional 30% drop in their fibromyalgia symptom severity.
The women also showed greater tolerance for pain and for hot (but not cold) temperatures while taking naltrexone.
Most of the women -- six out of 10 -- responded to naltrexone.
Side effects were mild and brief.
Two women reported having more vivid dreams during the study, and one woman reported transient nausea and insomnia during the first few nights of taking the pills, note Younger and Mackey.
The study, which appears online in Pain Medicine, was a small, preliminary project to see if low-dose naltrexone showed promise. It did, so Younger and Mackey are already working on a new study that will test low-dose naltrexone in 30 fibromyalgia patients for 16 weeks.
Make Time For You Each Day
Work for an overall lifestyle balance. Make time to do the things you "want" to do as well as the things you "have" to do. People with fibromyalgia are faced with special demands that other healthy people do not have. The task of coping with pain and fatigue each day makes it necessary to keep your priorities in order so you have the energy to reach your daily goals.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Foods That Help You Sleep
Maybe a rich, hearty dinner, topped off with a big slice of chocolate cake might seem like the perfect way to end the day, but it’s wise not to eat a large meal within two hours of bed. Try to make dinnertime earlier in the evening, and avoid heavy, rich foods as bedtime snacks.
However, a light snack before bed, especially one which contains the amino acid tryptophan, can help promote sleep. When you pair tryptophan-containing foods with carbohydrates, it helps calm the brain and allow you to sleep better. For even better sleep, add some calcium to your dinner or nighttime snack. Calcium helps the brain use and process tryptophan. On the other hand, you might want to avoid eating too much protein before bedtime - protein-rich foods contain tyrosine, an amino acid that stimulates brain activity. Experiment with your food habits to determine your optimum evening meals and snacks.
Some bedtime snacks to help you sleep:
Glass of warm milk and half a turkey or peanut butter sandwich
Whole-grain, low-sugar cereal or granola with low-fat milk or yogurt
A banana and a cup of hot chamomile tea
Finding Dr. Right for Your Fibromyalgia
Do you need a specialist?
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
Not every doctor understands fibromyalgia well -- yet it's critical to find one who is up to date on the latest fibromyalgia treatment and research. Wherever you live, you'll have to do some research to find a health care provider who is the best fit for you.
Here's the good news: "It's easier now to find someone to treat fibromyalgia," says Kim Jones, PhD, associate professor at Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing and Medicine in Portland.
"Fibromyalgia has come a long way in gaining acceptance in the medical community -- now that we understand the mechanisms of this disease and have treatments proven to help."
Traditionally, fibromyalgia falls under the scope of rheumatologists. But today, primary care doctors, podiatrists, osteopaths, psychiatrists, neurologists -- plus nurse practitioners -- are overseeing long-term fibromyalgia treatment. "People in primary care are learning more about diagnosis and management of fibromyalgia," Jones tells WebMD.
Wanted: Fibromyalgia Provider
In small communities, finding a doctor willing to handle fibromyalgia treatment has been difficult. In large urban areas, specialists may be easier to find -- but may not take new patients.
Support groups: "Find out who in your town has fibromyalgia and who is taking care of them," Jones says. "Call local hospitals. Ask about support groups for fibromyalgia, lupus, chronic fatigue. People in those groups will know which health care providers treat fibromyalgia."
Don't limit your search to rheumatologists: Many rheumatologists have big, demanding patient loads. Some prefer to treat only autoimmune disorders like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, Jones says.
Consider the team approach: Ideally, you would like to have one provider take care of you. If you can't get that, the next best option is a treatment team -- a provider who manages your long-term fibromyalgia treatment, plus therapists who address special problems.
For Long-term fibromyalgia treatment: Talk to doctors of osteopathy (DO), primary care physicians, nurse practitioners. If you're seeing a podiatrist, psychiatrist, or neurologist, talk to them about your overall condition. "Very often, patients go to these specialists for treatment of symptoms -- like plantar fasciitis, depression, sleep problems, headaches. They may be open to managing your overall fibromyalgia treatment long-term," Jones says.
"Even if they don't have a great deal of experience treating fibromyalgia, willingness to treat it certainly counts," she tells WebMD. "It makes less difference how many patients they're treating with fibromyalgia, if they're open-minded."
For short-term fibromyalgia therapy: You will likely need physical, occupational, speech, and cognitive therapists who can treat certain aspects of your illness. You won't see them long-term, just for awhile to get exercises you can do on your own. "They can really help with quality of life -- make a big improvement," Jones says.
Physical therapists can treat plantar fasciitis, posture, and other conditions related to fibromyalgia. "It's very important to find someone who is not just focused on sports medicine," she adds. Occupational therapists can make suggestions to minimize stress on certain parts of your body.
Speech therapists who treat head trauma and stroke patients can help fibromyalgia patients with 'fibro fog.' "The therapies they utilize can help with cognitive problems -- memory and thinking difficulties," Jones says. "It's a big quality of life improvement for these patients. There's nothing more distressing than having trouble thinking." If therapists in the past haven't helped you, don't give up, Jones advises. "Find someone who knows fibromyalgia -- or who at least works with older people. That's a bitter pill to swallow if you're 40 years old, but the exercises they prescribe will be similar." Check with pain clinics. Some treat chronic fatigue, but not fibromyalgia. Ask if they treat fibromyalgia. How many patients have that diagnosis? Ask if one of the fibromyalgia patients could call you to discuss their experience with the pain clinic. "Pain clinics can be hit-and-miss, whether they treat fibromyalgia or not," Jones says. Schedule a no-cost interview with each provider who interests you. Make it clear to the receptionist or nurse scheduling appointments that this is not a medical exam -- just an interview. At your interview, provide a short list of your medical problems or symptoms. Be brief. Keep the interview to 10 or 15 minutes. The National Fibromyalgia Association suggests this list of questions: After the interview, jot down your impressions. Did this person believe in fibromyalgia? Were your questions answered? Is this a person you feel will listen to you? Trust your gut instinct. Finding the right person to treat your fibromyalgia is important. Don't give up. Even if you've had bad experiences in the past, things are improving in fibromyalgia treatment. There's a medical professional out there who is just right for you.Interviewing Your Potential Health Care Providers
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Fibromyalgia a ‘Real Disease,’ Study Shows
Researchers Say People With Fibromyalgia Have Abnormalities of Blood Flow in the Brain
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
Nov. 3, 2008 -- A new brain scan study concludes that fibromyalgia is related to abnormalities of blood flow in the brain.
"Fibromyalgia may be related to a global dysfunction of cerebral pain-processing," study author Eric Guedj, MD, of Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire de la Timone, in Marseille, France, says in a news release. "This study demonstrates that these patients exhibit modifications of brain perfusion not found in healthy subjects and reinforces the idea that fibromyalgia is a 'real disease/disorder.'"
Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread muscle pain andfatigue. It affects 2%-4% of people, mostly women. It has been called the "invisible syndrome" because it can't be diagnosed based on a lab test or X-ray.
For this study, researchers took brain scans on 20 women with fibromyalgia and 10 women without the condition. Participants also answered questions to assess measures of pain, disability, anxiety, and depression.
The brain imaging technique, called single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), is able to detect functional abnormalities in the brain.
Past imaging studies of patients with fibromyalgia had shown abnormalities in cerebral blood flow, also called brain perfusion. In some areas of the brain, blood flow was below normal, and in some areas, it was above normal. In this study, by using whole-brain scans on the participants, researchers were able to analyze how perfusion in each area of the brain related to measures of pain, disability, anxiety, and depression.
Researchers confirmed that patients with fibromyalgia exhibited brain perfusion abnormalities in comparison to the healthy participants. These abnormalities corresponded with the severity of the disease. An increase in blood flow was found in areas of the brain involved in sensing pain and a decrease was found within an area thought to be involved in emotional responses to pain.
There seemed to be no relationship between these abnormalities and presence of depression or anxiety. "We found that these functional abnormalities were independent of anxiety and depression status," Guedj says in a news release.
Consider Joining a Fibromyalgia Support Group
Support groups are geared toward meeting the needs of people with fibromyalgia. Support groups, which are often educational, are not psychotherapy groups. But they do provide patients and their families with a safe and accepting environment where they can vent their frustrations, share their personal stories, and receive comfort and encouragement from others. Ask your physician for some recommendations. or check with the Arthritis Foundation for support groups in your area.
Fibromyalgia lecture scheduled for Sept. 8
The Wellness Education Foundation, East Brunswick, will present a free community lecture titled "Fibromyalgia … The Mysterious Syndrome" 7:30 p.m. Sept. 8 at the South River Public Library, 55 Appleby Ave.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic, widespread musculoskeletal pain-and-fatigue disorder affecting up to 6 percent of the U.S. population. In addition to pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons, other symptoms may include irritable bowel, chronic headaches, morning stiffness, memory impairment, reduced coordination and decreased endurance.
To register for the lecture, call the foundation at 732-238-2944. Attendance is limited to the first 25 callers.
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