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The name "fibromyalgia" literally means "fibrous, achy muscles", which is an appropriate description
of this condition. Fibromyalgia is characterized by muscle aches and pains that range from
moderate to severe. For those afflicted, this condition can be extremely debilitating, often so severe
they can't even get out of bed. No official cause for fibromyalgia has ever been determined, though
popular theories have ranged from stealth viruses to bacterial, fungal or other infections, to stress and
emotional trauma.
A formal diagnosis of Fibromyalgia requires pain at 11 of the 18 "official" trigger points, shown in the figure
at the right. These trigger points are actually acupuncture points as
defined by Oriental Medicine.
It also requires the sufferer to have had continuous pain on both the left and rignt sides of the
body, above and below the waist, as well as in the spine, AND to have eliminated every other possible
cause of the pain syndrome. While official diagnostic criteria are sometimes
helpful, there are limitations to the official definition. For example, if only 10 of your trigger points
are painful instead
of 11, conventional doctors would declare you to NOT have fibromyalgia, even if
there were no other cause of your sysmptoms and you meet every other criteria.
If your case is milder over all, your pain may not be
continuous, but follow a pattern of periodic relapses.
Fibromyalgia Trigger Points
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Conventional treatment revolves around pain killing drugs, sometimes administered
orally, other times through injection at "trigger points" -- specific highly localized areas on the body
which are extremely sensitive when pressed.
The results of trigger point injection with pain killers
are quite variable and many people obtain little or no long-lasting relief
from conventional treatment. Pain medications are also known to have many side effects which can often
be quite debilitating. Other conventional drugs used are anti-depressants, sometimes to try and
aid sleep, sometimes because the doctors don't know what else to do and they decide that the problem
is mental/emotional.
Acupuncture, sometimes combined with oriental herbs, provides temporary relief for some, though not all,
patients. Other alternative therapies such as massage or other energy healing have been shown to help,
at least temporarily, for some patients.
OUR HOLISTIC TREATMENT APPROACH
Of the Fibromyalgia cases he has seen, Dr. Cage has found that 100% have heavy metal toxicities. They may
have elevated levels of lead, mercury, aluminum, or sometimes other heavy metals in their bodies, and
usually have several. In fact, Dr. Cage is of the opinion that Fibromyalgia is heavy metal
poisoning until proven otherwise.
When you come to South Bay Total Health for Fibromyalgia, one of the first things you will receive is
a provoked urine test for heavy metals
(see our lab testing page).
You will also undergo our complete health history process and holistic analysis, to identify any
other aggravating factors in your case. Hair analysis and blood testing will not be able to identify
the heavy metals stored in your body. It is these deep tissue stores of metals that are the true
cause of Fibromyalgia.
The approach that Dr. Cage has found to work in virtually every case is to combine the following
therapies:
(1) Intravenous Micronutrient Therapy,
(IVMT) or the Myers Cocktail, which uses intravenous administration of vitamins and minerals. These work
to help the liver's detoxification system and promote cellular health in general. IVMT therapy is usually
administered once weekly for 6-8 weeks, then tapering to monthly as your total toxic load diminishes.
(2) Oral Chelation for Heavy Metals. The only practical method of pulling heavy metals from the body
is the use of chelation medications such as EDTA, DMPS or DMSA. Dr. Cage has found oral chelation to be
nearly as effective as intravenous chelation, and is far less invasive. While other heavy metal products
based strictly on herbs (such as cilantro) also claim to be effective, the scientific literature does not
tend to support their ability to detoxify heavy metals efficiently, and Dr. Cage has not seen them to work
well in clinical practice when used alone. The oral chelation products are
combined with other herbs and supplements to support the liver, digestive system and kidneys
as they eliminate the heavy metals.
(3) Constitutional Hydrotherapy.
(
Click here for more about Constitutional Hydrotherapy ). This treatment method enhances the body's
parasympathetic nervous system responsible for healing and has been shown to accelerate the body's ability
to detoxify.
(4) Trigger Point Injections using vitamins, minerals or homeopathic medicines. The homeopathic
trigger point injections are especially effective at quickly alleviating symptoms during the heavy
metal detoxification process.
(5) Castor Oil Packs. A traditional Naturopathic therapy involving the use of flannel
packs soaked in castor oil, applied to different areas of the body. These are used to both
help the detoxification of heavy metals, as well as nourish and heal painful muscles.
The exact duration of your treatment will depend on your individual response, which in turn
is significantly affected by the amount of toxins you have in your body that need to be cleared.
Other conditions you may have, such as hormonal problems, menstrual disorders, digestive problems, etc,
that need to be treated at the same time as your fibromyalgia will also affect how long you need to
be treated.
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What Successful Patients are Saying...
"I’m living proof that it’s possible to beat fibromyalgia. The relentless aches and stabbing pains;
the life-numbing exhaustion; the teary, stressful insomnia; the oppressive brain fog; the raging headaches;
the crazy dizzy spells; the scary heart palpitations – they’re all gone. Conventional wisdom says there is no “cure”
for this condition; I no longer believe it. But recovery from fibromyalgia shouldn’t be a surprise –
it should be a normal path for everyone living with this condition.
"I’m glad I found Dr. Cage because he looked at me as completely unique, and went far beyond the conventional
treatments out there that would have only smothered my symptoms. He spent a lot of time and got to the bottom
of the real reasons why I was so sick. And this was after multiple visits to a bunch of allopathic
specialists, including one who kindly told me there was nothing else he could do to help me, and offered to sign my
permanent disability papers!
Along the way, I also had to evaluate and change almost every aspect of how I was living and (not!) taking care of
myself, but it was totally worth it. I now take care of myself in ways that are really simple, basic and
compatible with the laws of nature. I’m back out here living my life every day as a healthy, energetic person and
intend to keep doing so – with gratitude - for another 50 years."
- - Mary Anne, age 54
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