Greetings
I had more for you this week than appears below, but sadly my computer closed down before I had saved it, so some of it got lost. There’s quite a bit left though so I’m glad all is not lost! So make the most of what there is.
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WORDz FOR THE WEEK
64. A mistake is only a mistake when you don’t learn from it. Otherwise, it’s considered a lesson.
I learnt a lesson – save more often!!
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Brain scans detect fibromyalgia!
Yes!! Finally a physical finding to say that fibromyalgia is a disease that’s not psychosomatic.
The Dr. Oz show that was aired on 3/12/12 showed a picture of a brain scan of someone with fibromyalgia. That scan showed an area down the center of the brain and across the top of the frontal cortex in a bright blue. It was explained that this area of the brain had a very low blood supply. It was also explained that this was the area of the brain that was directly connected to pain processing and emotional responses to pain. No wonder the brain doesn’t know when to shut off its pain sensors, it’s not nourished. The scan that detects these changes in brain function is called a photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scan. It’s nice to know that brain scans detect fibromyalgia.
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New York Times – Fibromyalgia overview
Fibromyalgia is a common syndrome in which a person has long-term, body-wide pain and tenderness in the joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues.
Fibromyalgia has also been linked to fatigue, sleep problems, headaches, depression, and anxiety.
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What You Need To Know About Sleeping Pills
When your having trouble sleeping it’s tempting to reach for a sleeping pill my doctor prescribed, but is it really a good idea? The biggest problem with sleeping aids, both over-the-counter and prescription medications, is they won’t uncover the cause of sleeplessness. In fact, research shows taking both OTC and prescribed sleeping aids may make the problem worse. Here’s why:
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Sleep disorders overview
Sleep problems, including snoring, sleep apnoea, insomnia, sleep deprivation and restless legs syndrome, affect millions of people in the UK. It's important to understand why sleep is necessary for optimal health, how the natural hormone melatonin affects sleep and wakefulness, and how the different states and stages of sleep impact our sleep quality, quantity and dreams.
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Living with Pain: Helpful versus Unhelpful Social Support
All of us need social support. Your chronic pain may make you feel more needy. You may believe that you need more than your share of support… or more than your family, friends, or co-workers have to offer. At the same time, you may feel that the support that you receive isn’t always what you need, or that it makes you feel worse.
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Changing the Conversation About Pain Survey
APF is committed to you. Help us gather more information that will allow APF to better serve you and provide information that is targeted to meet your needs.
Would you be willing to participate in an interactive website that provides more information about access to pain care, finding support in your community, proposed or existing policies that affect pain care as well as stories about you and fellow APF members?
If you are living with pain, please complete this survey by April 6, 2012.
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10 Spring Stress Beaters
"This is the time when birds and butterflies are migrating northward, the days are growing longer and warmer, the trees are budding, the crocuses are in bloom, and our spirits somehow feel lighter. Here, to help you celebrate, we offer 10 timely tips for embracing a less stressful lifestyle.
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Next weekend I will be at the FMS conference in Chichester so I will not promise an eNews for Easter. If I have time I will send out something on Thursday, or Friday morning before I leave. I will take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Easter, just in case!. If you have been knitting squares and if you are going to be at the conference, please bring them with you and give them to me there. I look forward to meeting up with any of you who will be attending.
Best regards
Stella
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N.B. I would like to point out to you all that the information in my eNewsletters does not necessarily infer endorsement by the charity Fibromyalgia Support for Surrey & Sussex. Any advice or recommendation of a medical or legal nature must always be discussed with a qualified professional. The charity cannot be held responsible for omissions and/or errors.
Sites I refer you to are for information only. They might conflict in their opinions, they might not even be medically sound, but I merely offer them for you to peruse and make your own judgements, accept or reject as you will. Only by reading widely can we get an overall picture of fibromyalgia syndrome and how we can deal with its symptoms, learn to cope with them and still have a life.
I also include various awareness and local issues as well as general health considerations. Anyone wishing to reproduce any of the above items in printed form should seek permission from the originators.
Wordz for the Week are from ‘Wordz for the Day’ by Donnie Kuhn, Sr.
Past issues of FMSSAS eNews can be found at www.fms-sas.co.uk/fmseNews.html and on a blog at http://fmssas-enews.blogspot.com/
