Treat fibromyalgia with acupuncture

Fibromyalgia is a common disease, affecting from three to six percent of all people.

by Dr. Simon Shim and Paul Shim — 

“Chest out and stand up straight!” That is what I always tell people who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia (FM) because, in spite of modern treatment, the patient experiences widespread pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons. The area of pain is where muscles connect to bones. FM also causes people to have trouble sleeping and to be fatigued all the time.

Fibromyalgia is a common disease, affecting from three to six percent of all people. Women are much more likely to develop FM than men, and the possibility of getting it increases with age, as it is most common in women 50 years of age or older.

Usually FM is connected to posture. Most people with FM hunch their backs, which switches the joints, especially the hip joint. When the hip joint is in an incorrect posture, it automatically causes a twist in the spinal cord, neck and shoulders. Brain damage can also occur from a twisted cervical spine.

Common symptoms of FM include pain and swelling in many joints or soft tissues. As a result of the pain, people may have trouble sleeping, be extremely fatigued and feel weak throughout the day. Memory may be poor, and many have trouble concentrating. Some people feel stiff in the morning, while others experience numbness in the joints and muscles. They may also experience depression, tension and migraine headaches, irritable bowel and bladder, and even dry eyes.

The exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, and there is no cure. The goal of treatment in Western medicine is to help in the management of pain and other symptoms. Acupuncture, however, can align the hip joint, spinal cord, shoulder and knee joints into the correct position — which cures 70 percent of the associated pain. Depression, anxiety and chronic fatigue can be treated by a prescription of natural herbs.

Simon Shim, Ph.D., has 25 years experience as a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist. He is a NAET allergy practitioner, JMT arthritis practitioner and a cosmetic acupuncturist in Chandler, Ariz. Paul Shim is a licensed acupuncturist, herbalist and weight-loss specialist. 480-821-6020.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 27, Number 5, October/November 2008.