Read the full article here: Restless Legs Syndrome, Fibromyalgia Linked in Study

People with fibromyalgia are 11 times more likely to have restless legs syndrome (RLS) than those in the general population, according to a new study.

Fibromyalgia is a condition that can cause significant pain and fatigue. Women account for 80 to 90 percent of patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Its cause is unknown.

The findings suggest that treating RLS — which is characterized by an unpleasant urge to move the legs, usually at night — may improve sleep and quality of life for people with fibromyalgia, the researchers said. RLS is often treated with drugs such as pramipexole or ropinirole.

I found the above article really interesting.  I’ve experiences restless legs for many years and did not know of the connection.  Obviously the findings were from a small group however there is scope for this to be explored further.

Until the next time
Aly
The Geordie Coach

Read the full article here: Restless Legs Syndrome, Fibromyalgia Linked in Study

People with fibromyalgia are 11 times more likely to have restless legs syndrome (RLS) than those in the general population, according to a new study.

Fibromyalgia is a condition that can cause significant pain and fatigue. Women account for 80 to 90 percent of patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Its cause is unknown.

The findings suggest that treating RLS — which is characterized by an unpleasant urge to move the legs, usually at night — may improve sleep and quality of life for people with fibromyalgia, the researchers said. RLS is often treated with drugs such as pramipexole or ropinirole.

I found the above article really interesting.  I’ve experiences restless legs for many years and did not know of the connection.  Obviously the findings were from a small group however there is scope for this to be explored further.

Until the next time
Aly
The Geordie Coach

Read the full article here:  A New Way of Diagnosing Fibromyalgia

A New Way of Diagnosing Fibromyalgia
Pain Index Plus Symptoms, Not Tender Points, Equals Fibromyalgia, New Study Says
By Denise Mann

May 26, 2010 — A new way of diagnosing fibromyalgia, by using a pain index and a measure of key symptoms and severity, may lead to more diagnoses and treatment, a new study says. The findings appear in the May issue of Arthritis Care & Research.

Until now, diagnosing the widespread pain disorder relied mainly on “tender point” exams or tenderness to the touch at 11 or more of 18 specified tender points and widespread pain in all four quadrants of the body for three months.

But this method was not fail-safe, says study author Robert Katz, MD, a rheumatologist and professor of medicine at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. “Doctors just weren’t comfortable with tender point exams, and these points fluctuate over time.

“The trick to fibromyalgia is diagnosing it,” he says. “A lot of people experience widespread pain, but when do you give it the label of fibromyalgia?”

Fibromyalgia is based on symptoms, so X-rays can’t make definitive a diagnosis as they can in other rheumatic diseases.
No More Tender Point Exams

The new criteria avoid tender points and tender point exams. Instead, a widespread pain index coupled with a symptom severity scale is used. The pain index is a 19-item checklist; a person marks the number of body parts where they have experienced pain during the last week. The symptom scale comprises unrefreshing sleep, fatigue, and cognitive issues — three hallmarks of fibromyalgia. Symptoms are rated on an ascending scale of severity from 0 to 3. The diagnosis revolves around the number of painful areas, number of symptoms, and their severity. The American College of Rheumatology gave its stamp of approval to these new criteria.

Using the new set of criteria, “we will be diagnosing more people because we are casting a wider net,” Katz says. Fibromyalgia affects an estimated 10 million people in the U.S. and an estimated 3% to 6% of the population worldwide, according to National Fibromyalgia Association. “The number may double or even triple,” he says.

Fibromyalgia

You look fine to me

Living with fibromyalgia

WINNER OF THE PANDORA ADVOCACY CONTEST 2007 The story of a young girl named Holly Fraser, who has to endure a life with the incurable disease Fibromyalgia. more info can be found at www.diagnosesupport.com http ©2005 elfling productions www.elfling.c…

Diagnosing Fibromyalgia | this time ~ this space

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome involving debilitating pain, sleep disturbance, jaw pain, irritable bowel, headaches, and difficulty with concentration, anxiety.

Publish Date: 06/07/2010 5:33

http://thistimethisspace.com/2010/06/06/diagnosing-fibromyalgia/

Interesting Aspects of Fibromyalgia Symptoms | Help for Depression …

The process of diagnosing fibromyalgia is performed mostly on patients’ reports of fibromyalgia symptoms and careful neurological examinations. However, there are also other ways of diagnosing the disorder. …

Publish Date: 06/13/2010 9:31

http://depressionhelpebooks.com/2010/06/13/interesting-aspects-of-fibromyalgia-symptoms/

Overweight Women May Fall Prey to Fibromyalgia | TopNews New Zealand

According to new research, women who are obese and overweight, especially those who do not exercise at all or exercise for less than an hour a week are more prone to develop the widespread pain disorder fibromyalgia.

The researchers concluded, “Being overweight or obese was associated with an increased risk of fibromyalgia, especially among women who also reported low levels of leisure time physical exercise”.

They further added that Community-based measures which focus at reducing the incident of fibromyalgia should highlight the importance of regular physical exercise and how a normal body weight can be maintained.

About 10 million people are estimated to be affected by fibromyalgia. According to the National Fibromyalgia Association, people suffering from it experience widespread pain and tender points along the body, extreme fatigue, sleep problems, depression, and problems with cognition.

About 380 new cases of fibromyalgia were diagnosed among 15,990 women during the 11 years between the two surveys, according to two studies, HUNT1 and HUNT2. The study showed that exercise tended to offset the fibromyalgia risks posed by obesity.

Obesity, Inactivity Increase Risk of Fibromyalgia |Weight Loss Surgery Channel

Obesity, Inactivity Increase Risk of Fibromyalgia

Obesity in women has been linked to higher rates of fibromyalgia, a condition that causes pain and tenderness throughout the body.

Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have found a link between obesity in women and fibromyalgia, an incurable disease that causes chronic pain. The study found an increased risk for fibromyalgia in women who lead a sedentary lifestyle and have a higher body mass index (BMI).

Fibromyalgia (FM) is diagnosed when a patient suffers from chronic pain that lasts for more than three months, tender joints, headaches, unexplained fatigue and mood disturbances. Although the exact cause of FM is unknown, the risk for developing FM increases with age and is more common in women than in men.

Researchers analyzed data from nearly 16,000 women spanning 11 years. They found that women who exercised four times per week had a 29 percent lower risk of fibromyalgia compared with inactive women. A high BMI was also associated with a lower pain tolerance among patients with FM when compared to sufferers of a normal weight. Study findings were published online last week in the journal Arthritis Care and Research.

The exact connection between FM and obesity is unknown, and researchers are continuing their studies to determine the cause. However, they note that regular physical activity can help lessen the chance of developing the condition and improve overall health.

In a press statement, lead researcher Dr. Paul Mork said, “These findings, together with the current study, indicate that regular physical exercise, and thereby improved physical fitness, may serve as a buffer against the perpetuation of musculoskeletal symptoms that eventually lead to the development of FM.”

Click this link to read the full article:  Fibromyalgia Everyday Activities | Fibromyalgia Pain Exercise | Arthritis Today Magazine.

Short Bursts of Everyday Activities Can Improve Fibromyalgia Symptoms

By Jennifer Davis

4/8/10 A new study suggests that small increases in everyday activities like gardening, housework or even taking stairs instead of an elevator, can improve pain and increase function in people with fibromyalgia.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore split 84 people with fibromyalgia who were inactive to two groups: one that was asked to attend fibromyalgia education classes, and another that was assigned to engage in 30 minutes of what they called ‘lifestyle physical activities’ on five to seven days of the week for 12 weeks.

They defined lifestyle physical activities as everyday activities like vacuuming, walking or scrubbing the shower.

Participants were told the proper intensity level for these activities would cause them to breathe a little heavier but would still allow them to carry on a conversation and that the 30 minutes could be spread throughout the day, rather than accomplished all at once.

Researchers relied on a questionnaire that allowed participants to report their results. At the end of 12 weeks, participants said they did not experience differences in terms of fatigue or depression. But those doing lifestyle activities did perceive that they had less pain and were functioning better than those who were only getting education and support.

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I found the following article really interesting.  I was diagnosed in 2001 with FMS and have poor balance which causes me to tumble at times.  I look forward to seeing how the results come out in longer studies.

Vibration improves balance in fibromyalgia

Vibration improves balance in fibromyalgia

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Tilt platform vibration helps women with fibromyalgia develop better balance, Spanish researchers have found.

Nearly half of fibromyalgia patients have poor balance, the authors note. While whole body vibration has been shown to improve balance, bone mass, and motor capacity in older people, until now there have been no controlled studies of intensive vibration therapy using a tilt platform in people with fibromyalgia.

A research team led by Dr. Narcis Gusi, from the University of Extremadura in Caceres recruited 41 women with fibromyalgia, ages 41 to 65, and randomized 21 to vibration therapy. The 20 women in the control group received usual care with no physical therapy.

The intervention involved 3 sessions per week for 12 weeks, with a tilt platform providing low-frequency (12.5 Hertz) anteroposterior vibration. Each session included a 10-minute warm-up of slow walking followed by six repetitions of vibration for up to 60 seconds each.

In the intervention group, two subjects quit because of scheduling conflicts and one because of acute pain in the legs, while two in the control group dropped out due to lack of interest.

In intent-to-treat analysis, the dynamic balance index improved by 36% in the vibration group but remained unchanged in the control group. Women with the worst balance and heaviest weight at baseline had the greatest improvements (p < 0.001).

In their March 16th online report in Arthritis Care & Research, the researchers say the tilt vibration therapy has the potential “to help reduce bone mass loss and improve strength and speed, which are critical for reacting and preventing stumbles and falls.”

However, longer term studies are needed to see if the results translate into clinical benefits, such as a reduction in falls or changes in pain thresholds.

Arthritis Care Res 2010.

Further reading on Fibromyalgia

Living with Fibromyalgia: new edition by Christine Craggs-Hinton

The Fibromyalgia Handbook: A 7-Step Program to Halt and Even Reverse Fibromyalgia by Harris H. McIlwain and Debra Fulghum Bruce

Fibromyalgia for Dummies by Roland Staud MD and Christine Adamec

Fibromyalgia: Understanding and Getting Relief from Pain That Won’t Go Away by Don L. Goldenberg

The Universal Law of Attraction can be a very effective tool in making you achieve your goals and practically everything else you wan. Desire should always start from within and once you have mastered this the Universe will just obey your thoughts, actions and ideas.

Here are some guidelines on how to get your objectives of attracting the Universe just the way you want.

Step 1: Ask the Universe

According to the Universal Law of Attraction, you need to ask the Universe and it shall be given to you. However, to achieve your goals, you have to truly have an idea about what kind of thing or event you want to happen in your life. There are plenty of things that you can ask from the Universe when applying the Law of Attraction. The most common are superficial things such as money, a new car, a new house, etc. More meaningful items include improved relationships with your friends, family or partner, happiness in your job and life, etc.  All of these can be given to you at the time you want and in the extent you need.

Step 2: The Way You Ask

The way you ask the Universe for what it is that you desire is of importance.  Keep in mind that when you are asking the Law of Attraction to kick in the Universe will immediately hear and respond in the manner you believe in. Your first thought might go, ‘I want a brand new Porsche.’ The world will then respond, ‘Your wish is my command.’

However, your request to the Universe may quickly be followed by negative thoughts such as ‘that probably wont be for at least 10 years until I get promoted / change job / am in my 40′s etc.’ The Universe will just say yes to everything you inject in your thoughts but if your request is followed by negative thinking like in the example above then the Universe will deem this to be a want for the future not for the present time.

The time, extent, severity and other details of your wish is determined by your mind alone. If you have any doubt or disbelief about the power of the Laws of Attraction and for Universe to provide, then it will truly give to you accordingly. Make sure you clean your thoughts thoroughly so that you set your goals straight and allow the Universe to perform the best way.

Step 3: Your Actions

Once you have set your goals and asked for what you desire from the Universe then your mind, thoughts and body will start acting automatically to lead towards the goals and objectives. You will subconsciously accomplish small tasks and open up a wide array of opportunities that are meant to direct you to the ultimate mark. Renew your goals each morning as you wake up and your body will just function immediately towards these.

Work both consciously and subconsciously. Remember that it also requires effort and discipline on your part to receive the best things in life. Do not expect everything to just fall into place. If you want to land that promotion, then you should start going to work early, volunteer for projects and show that you are prepared for bigger responsibilities.

Step 4: Stay Positive

The Universal Law of Attraction helps you achieve your goals, as long as you remain positive. You need to believe that the Universe is capable of providing immediately what it is that you desire and seek to achieve through applying the Universal Laws of Attraction.

Anything can actually happen, in the time you have set.  Seek to always be optimistic in the face of adversary. It is not impossible that you will encounter a few problems along the way, but what’s more important is how you relate to the situation in a positive light. Be conscious about what’s happening and act to alleviate the effects.

Further Reading

The Forgotten Laws

Law of Attraction by Michael Losier

The Key to Living the Law of Attraction: The Secret to Creating the Life of Your Dreams by Jack Canfield

The Attraction Distraction: Why the Law of Attraction Isn’t Working for You and How to Get Results – FINALLY! by Sonia M. Miller

Law of Attraction Handbook: Revealing the Secrets to Manifest Your Desires Instantly to Success by Aiman A. Al-Maimani

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• How to Set and Achieve Your Goals (geordie-coach.com)

believable and achievable. Many people set their goals too high only to fall behind and become disappointed which soon leads to a lack of motivation and increased procrastination.  Check out these tips I have for you.

Be Specific

Goals need to be specific, this enables you to identify milestones and action steps which will keep you focused and on track.  Many people have goals to change career, get promoted, increase their wealth, improve their relationship etc.  These goals whilst typical for many are very vague and your mind may become confused about what you truly want. General descriptions do not have boundaries, so you always leave room for mistakes and compromise. If you want results that you can be proud of, be specific.

To be specific, you need to include the full details. Write down something like, “I want to get £125,000 by 5 October of this year.” or “It is 2 December 2010 and I am the key supervisor of the sales department.” Include the names, the position, the amount, the date and everything else needed to train your mind to start working towards that goal.

Be Measurable

Goals need to be measurable so that you can track your progress. To help record your progress and goals, you should include measurable details. For a career change, you could include details of the number of hours you’re working, the amount you’re earning, the staff you’re handling, etc. For a financial goal include details of the amount you want to have as a whole, the number of companies or businesses you own, your contact persons, etc. Always have things and items to be measured so you can understand how close you are to getting your goals. If your goal is to earn £100,000 a month, then you know you’re halfway there if you’re already bringing in £50,000 a month.

Being Attainable and Realistic

Only set goals that can possibly be achieved. If you set goals that are too high to accomplish, that you are almost setting yourself up to fail.  Ensure you only set objectives that you can reach within a given amount of time, provided the current resources and capabilities you have. Some examples of near impossible goals are doubling your salary overnight, getting a promotion higher than your boss’s position, etc. Some goals can be achieved faster compared to others if you have some strengths and skills to back these up. Always include a strategic plan for big objectives.

Time-Bound

Set deadlines to achieve your goals or you may find yourself procrastinating and not achieving even  your milestones and action steps. Be specific when setting timelines and schedules. For all action steps set the exact time and date you will take action, what you will do and how you will do it.  For long-term goals which may take years to accomplish break them down into smaller achievable goals with deadlines. Finish every step in sequence to finally reach the biggest goal at the end.

FURTHER READING

Goals! How to Get Everything You Want – Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible by Brian Tracy

Maximum Achievement: Strategies and Skills That Will Unlock Your Hidden Powers to Succeed by Brian Tracy

The Ultimate Goals Program: How to Get Everything You Want – Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible by Brian Tracy (Nightingale Conant) by Brian Tracy

The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You are to Where You Want to be by Jack Canfield and Janet Switzer

Blind Spots: Achieve Success by Seeing What You Can’t See by Claudia Shelton

There’s Always a Way: How to Develop a Positive Mindset and Succeed in Business and Life by Tony Little