Study: Do people with fibromyalgia have a different brain structure?

Fibromyalgia is an intriguing disease and its causes are unknown. A recent study shows that the patients who have it have a different brain structure.

The Fibromyalgia Syndrome is characterized by chronic widespread pain and symptoms such as severe fatigue, restless sleep and cognitive disorders.This pathology affects a large number of people estimated between 2% and 4% of the population, mostly women, and despite this, the cause is still unknown. Many scientists have focused on how the nervous system of these patients is trying to explain why this chronic pain and other problems such as difficulties with concentration , so frequent in patients.

A recent publication of Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism (2016) reviews studies conducted between 2000 and 2015 on how the brain in patients with fibromyalgia. HaiCun Shi and colleagues analyzed the brain imaging results of a total of 180 patients compared to 126 healthy individuals comparable in age and gender.

The results of the meta-analysis conducted by the authors seem unquestionable and point to the idea that fibromyalgia patients have a different brain . Specifically it was found that one of the clearest findings was a lower density of the gray matter areas of the medial / cingulate prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate and also various areas of the hippocampus . Moreover, they were found significant increases in cerebral gray matter on the left side of the cerebellum .

After 15 years of research, these data may help explain the fact that these patients find problems in their ability to concentrate or resist interference from distractors when they are performing activities such as reading, cooking or having conversations. The interesting thing from these findings will study how to help those affected, for example by analyzing the role of cognitive skills training. Hopefully all these research and efforts will serve to promote a higher quality of life for people suffering from fibromyalgia.

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Fibromyalgia: What I have learnt from my journey of pain

I was recently asked, "What has fibromyalgia and/or chronic pain taught you about yourself".

Here is my answer to this question.

I have learned so much and continue to learn about myself through this journey of pain. If there is one quote that sums it up for me, it is, "My pain birthed my purpose". - Trent Shelton.

Fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions do not have to define us. They become a part of our lives, but they do not DESERVE to encompass our lives. I've learned that I am courageous, strong, powerful, driven and empathetic. I deserve happiness and health. My life is important and meaningful. I've learned that even in the face of adversity, I can conquer anything.

I love when people ask for positive fibro stories. Most of the time all you hear about is the negative ones. Here is mine. I hope it empowers and inspires at least one person.

I have always known that I was meant to help others, but I never knew in what capacity. I have had medical problems most of my life (mainly migraine headaches and girl problems) and have just learned to manage them, but in 2007 when I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Reynaud's Syndrome, my whole world changed. I could no longer work, I was constantly drugged up on pharmaceuticals, got kicked out of my apartment, car repossessed, lost friends, moved in with my mother.

At age 27, my so far successful life was spiraling out of control. Then, along came cannabis. I couldn't believe how much it helped me. Living in California, I had the opportunity to grow my own medicine, so I did. I was slowly beginning to pick up my life. I started using cannabis daily, exercised, changed my diet, started meditating, and really started to concentrate on what my body was telling me and trying options rather than the "magic pill" I thought would take it all away. I started working (my body could only handle about 30 hour a week, but I went), moved in to a new place, bought a car, and started picking up the pieces.

During this process, I realized I couldn't exactly go back to my corporate recruiting job and toke up in the lobby of the high rise, plus smoking gave me a high that made it hard to focus. I had to find other ways to use this plant. I decided to try to infuse some oil using the cannabis flowers I had grown. After rubbing it on my painful spots for the first time, I knew I had found what I needed.

This was perfect because I was about to be hired to a great company supporting the president and I needed to be clear headed and able to manage my pain throughout the day. I could add a few essential oils and nobody would even know I was using my medication at work, and I was focused since topical do not typically provide a psychoactive response.

In my off time, I started working on a concept for my new company, Therapy in a Bottle. I slowly developed a line of cannabis topical products that sold in several California dispensaries. Through that experience, I learned that a lot of the people that I needed to reach with these products, were not going in to dispensaries, and I also couldn't reach out to anyone outside of California due to federal law.

I sat down with some of my herbalist friends, did some research and found a group of botanicals that were proven to be very helpful in reducing inflammation when used topically. The decision to create a second line of products was an easy one to make. I worked very hard to come up with a formula that offered the same therapeutic value and level of efficacy as the cannabis would. It's a well-balanced synergistic botanical blend.

When I lost my corporate job last year due to layoffs, I decided to try my hardest to work on Therapy in a Bottle full time. I completed the development of the non-cannabis line and reformulated the cannabis line to include all of these other wonderful botanicals that were working so well for pain. Now, my company makes enough to pay the bills and overhead costs, and we are continuing to grow organically.

I love the opportunities I have to go in to senior communities and veteran halls to talk about botanical therapies and let them try samples of the products (only non-cannabis) to see for themselves the miracle of nature. It makes me happy to help others see the alternative options that are inexpensive and readily available to them. When I get an email or phone call from someone saying that they have gone off of their pain meds by using our salve or they avoided surgery after trying our products, it melts my heart.

Those personal testimonies are like gold to me. Knowing that my grandmother can get relief from her arthritis by just soaking her hands in our soak and rubbing the salve on makes me feel like I have given her a wonderful gift.

I still struggle sometimes to manage my pain, but I have built an amazing box of tools to help me conquer that daily challenge. On the days that I feel like giving up, I make sure to re-read the testimonies and keep moving forward.

So now you can see why the quote makes sense. My pain really did birth my purpose.

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Music therapy, an effective pain reliever for fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia, remains difficult to treat. To listen to music in a medical setting, what is called music therapy, helps to relieve those who suffer from it. An effective painkiller with no side effects!

Music does not soften the morals. According to several recent studies, it improves the lives of people who suffer from fibromyalgia , whatever is their age and length of their illness. This chronic syndrome results in symptoms throughout the body, often disabling and difficult to soothe, associated with sleep disorders and a great fatigue.

Pain results from the first session of music therapy

Several clinical trials reported that listening to music for 20 minutes in a medical setting, surrounded by psychologists, has a painkiller effect from the first day, an effect that increases with each session. Explanation: Fibromyalgia is a sort of hypersensitivity to pain and music therapy, part of the disciplines of art therapy, could balance the neurological circuits involved.

Although the mechanism is not yet fully deciphered, the music seems to induce a decline of sensitivity to pain (analgesia). Neuroscientists have even observed by MRI that five minutes of listening are enough to have an impact on the brain! " Music comes counteract the pain message . It also reduces stress and anxiety, two emotions that amplify pain, "says Stéphane Guétin, psychologist music therapist, and one of the first to have validated this therapy with fibromyalgia patients.

The relaxation induced helps relax tension and muscle contractures. "As it is less harmful, the person can slowly start moving and regain a normal life," the specialist adds.

Listen to music in peace

The choice of the pieces differs according to the studies. Some teams of psychologists and rheumatologists choose water sounds or "noise" corresponding to specific sound frequencies. Others let the fibromyalgic people choose the music they like as long as they find them relaxing. Still others prefer to select music that patients know little so as not to cause emotions eventually disturbing.

So, what do you prefer? "Contrary to what we thought, we observed that fibromyalgia pain and fatigue decrease in the same way, that patients listen to sounds or pieces. What is important is their rhythm and how to listen to them: with the helmet, lying down, in a quiet environment, "says Stéphane Guétin.

A tailor-made play list to relieve fibromyalgia

In France, a protocol was validated by the teams of Stéphane Guétin and Pr Jacques Touchon, a neurologist in Montpellier. So Music care is to achieve a musical montage that follows a certain progression (called "U"). This application developed for healthcare professionals can then be used at home, once the patient "trained" for its use by the medical team.

"We start by taking a thorough assessment of the person, his psychological state, his problems, and the music he loves, practice or listen," says music therapist Céline Masmonteil. The first pieces are very rhythmic to reason with the stress and anxiety of the patient , it may be of rock or even metal! Then the music slows down. Thus, the heart rate and the mental state follow its tempo. 

When the patient is relaxed, a more and more rhythmic music allows him to get back into reality. The various studies on the subject have established that a daily session should last 20 minutes, for two months. In practice, it is difficult to visit a music therapist every day, or even five times a week. "Patients come at least once a week and then on demand," says Céline Masmonteil.

Ideally, you could reproduce the experience at home, but not all therapists allow their patients to take the recording home. Nevertheless, it is always possible to calm down by listening to "simply" music. Last year, German and British psychologists have found that people with fibromyalgia and had a better pain control . "Music in itself is already beneficial," says Stéphane Guétin. It is necessary to put yourself in good conditions, lying down, with a helmet, even a mask of night on the eyes, and make sure not to be disturbed. "

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Modifications to your daily motions can provide you relief from fibromyalgia pain

For people living with fibromyalgia, the everyday motions so many of us take for granted, such as typing or vacuuming, can be excruciating.

Why there is more pain in fibromyalgia?

“In fibromyalgia, pain is a relative term — when someone with fibromyalgia experiences a flare-up, any activity is painful,” says Renee Taylor, PhD, a professor of occupational therapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago who treats people with fibromyalgia. And when someone living with fibromyalgia goes through the same motion over and over again throughout the day, the fibromyalgia pain gets repeated as well.

The reason you feel more pain than people without fibromyalgia has to do with your brain chemistry. “In fibromyalgia, the neurotransmitters in the brain are out of balance, which makes the whole body hypersensitive — people with fibromyalgia pick up pain signals they normally would not be picking up,” says Jeanne L. Melvin, MS, OTR, an occupational therapist who works with fibromyalgia patients in Santa Monica, Calif. So something that may cause a minor discomfort to someone else, such as a piece of clothing rubbing against skin or a slightly tight tendon, may scream at you, she says.

To Help Fibromyalgia, Take It Easy

Part of the issue with fibromyalgia pain associated with repetitive motion is speed. “We tend to tackle repetitive tasks, such as wiping off a counter top, relatively quickly to get them finished, [but] this fast action is more demanding to a person with fibromyalgia than non-repetitive action,” Melvin says. If you wiped down the counter slowly, with broad strokes, it would be less taxing.

Melvin adds that repetitive motions that involve pushing and gripping at the same time, such as pushing a shopping cart or vacuuming, are particularly painful when you have fibromyalgia. “These motions cause a flexion force on one side of a joint and an extension force on the other, which creates a double-bind,” she explains. 

“In addition, activities that involve reaching in front or to the side increase the stress force on the elbow and shoulder.”

Fibromyalgia Pain Relievers: How to Modify Your Movements

Once you’re aware of the association between repetitive motion and fibromyalgia pain, the next step is to make needed adjustments to help yourself feel better. 

The more you do to take control of your fibromyalgia symptoms, the better.

“The best advice I can offer my clients living with fibromyalgia is to practice correct ergonomics and use energy-conservation strategies, particularly during a flare-up,” Taylor says. “Avoid some of the more repetitive motions during a fibromyalgia flare if you can, and use assistive devices, such as voice-activated typing software, as much as you can. To help ease fibromyalgia pain, the best movement is gentle movement — move in a heated swimming pool or walk slowly on a soft but firm surface, such as a treadmill.”

Actions to control pain
Here are specific actions you can take to ease fibromyalgia symptoms related to repetitive motion:

Keep your elbows close to your body. “Almost everyone with fibromyalgia experiences neck and shoulder pain, and when they clean a window, type, or wash dishes, this pain is at its worst,” Melvin says. To ease the discomfort, Melvin recommends standing closer to the sink, desk, or table where you are working so your elbows are closer to your sides and you aren’t reaching as far. “Same thing goes for when you are pushing a mop or vacuum — stand as close to it as possible, and try to keep your elbow close to your side,” she says.

Stretch twice a day. “If you have fibromyalgia, you should engage in a full-body stretching program two times a day,” Melvin says. Why? “When you feel discomfort from fibromyalgia, you tend to avoid using your muscles because they hurt," she says. "As a result, those muscles get stiff and tight and don’t process oxygen well." However, because muscles require sufficient oxygen to do their job, stretching a muscle to its full length will bring necessary blood and oxygen into muscle cells, she explains. To get the best instruction on how to properly stretch at home, without increasing pain or causing a flare, Melvin suggests consulting with a physical therapist.

Strike the right movement balance. “People have very different reactions to fibromyalgia pain — some become very fearful of pain and injury and avoid any movements that hurt, and others will push themselves too hard by staying out late with friends or shopping all day at the mall,” Melvin says, noting that neither extreme is healthy when living with fibromyalgia. The key is to stay active and exercise regularly, yet recognize and respect your limits. “If you know you will be in bed for two days after doing something, don’t do it,” she says.

Get help for sleep issues. Because of the neurotransmitter imbalance associated with the condition, many people living with fibromyalgia have trouble sleeping or getting restorative sleep, which can worsen fibromyalgia pain. “You can sleep 8 hours, but if you are not getting restorative sleep, your pain level won’t change,” Melvin says. She admits that there are no easy solutions for fibromyalgia-related sleep problems, but the answer shouldn’t involve sleeping pills. “They don’t provide deep sleep, and they can cause daytime fatigue and cognitive impairment,” she explains. Instead, talk with your health care professional about natural sleep remedies that may work for you.

Create the right workspace. If you sit for 8 hours behind a desk most days, you’ll want to be sure your sitting position is as comfortable as possible. Melvin says that one way to do this is with a desk chair with adjustable arms. “The concept is that, in between typing, you will be able to rest your arms and relax your neck and shoulder muscles that may be sore and tired from fibromyalgia,” she says. “If your chair doesn’t have arms, you will have tension in your neck muscles all the way through the sitting process.”

Keep things at eye level. “If your neck is sore, propping up reading materials so your neck is at a neutral position will help ease stress on the neck and shoulders and resulting fibromyalgia pain,” Melvin says.

Finally, remember that no two people living with fibromyalgia are alike. Part of the key to easing fibromyalgia pain associated with repetitive motion and fibromyalgia pain in general is to remain as flexible as possible, both physically and mentally.

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Vitamin D Reduces Pain in People with Fibromyalgia

Taking vitamin D supplements may alleviate chronic pain in people with fibromyalgia who have low levels of the vitamin, according to a new study from Austria.

Patients with fibromyalgia syndrome suffer from chronic, body-wide muscle and joint pain, and fatigue. Previous studies have pointed to the possible role of vitamin D in the perception of chronic pain.

In the new study, researchers studied whether raising patients' vitamin D levels to the recommended range would help with some of their symptoms. Thirty patients with fibromyalgia who also had low levels of vitamin D in their blood (below 32 nanograms per milliliter) were randomly assigned to take either oral vitamin D supplements, or a placebo, for 20 weeks.

Weeks after the treatment ended, patients who took the supplements were still experiencing reduced pain, while people who had taken placebo didn't see a change in their pain level, according to the study, published today (Jan. 17) in the journal Pain.

"Vitamin D supplementation may be regarded as a relatively safe and economical treatment" for people with fibromyalgia," said study researcher Dr. Florian Wepner, an orthopedist at the Orthopaedic Hospital Speising in Vienna.

However, the vitamin is not a cure for the condition, Wepner said. Fibromyalgia "cannot be explained by a vitamin D deficiency alone," he said. And although the patients who took vitamin D saw reductions in their pain, there were no significant changes in their depression or anxiety symptoms.

Fibromyalgia affects about 2 percent of the U.S. population, and is more common in women than in men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No treatments are available that address all symptoms of the condition, but some symptoms may be alleviated by physical therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and temporary drug therapy.

Vitamin D is present in very few foods, but is produced by the skin after exposure to ultraviolet rays from sunlight. It can be found in fortified foods, such as milk, orange juice and cereals as well. Too much vitamin D has its risks, too — it can cause damage to the heart and kidneys.

Low levels of vitamin D are especially common in patients with severe pain and fibromyalgia, the researchers said.

"Vitamin D levels should be monitored regularly in fibromyalgia patients, especially in the winter season, and raised appropriately," Wepner said.

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Fibromyalgia: How to get rid of negative thinking

Since my 2008 diagnosis, I have experienced a list of grievances so long, I could complain about them every minute of every day, month after month and so on. My hands ache and my feet feel like you put them between two blocks, hit them with a hammer and then set them on fire. I’m mad. I’m sad. I feel helpless. Obviously I’m entitled to complain, right?

It is so easy to fall into a negative state of mind but would you reconsider going down that rabbit hole if I told you that negativity actually causes us to feel more pain? This post notes the effects of negative thinking on people with Chronic Pain and gives steps to take to think responsibly.

What You Seek Is Seeking You

We can literally think more pain into reality. “What you think about your pain and how you anticipate pain in the future may actually create more of what you don’t want.”

“The more you complain, the more you summon your creative energies to attract the very thing you complain about.” In turn, if the complaint is about pain, more pain will follow. Misery loves company, right?

Luckily, the opposite is true as well: positive thinking breeds positivity. So how can we shift our thoughts to a positive majority?

“Chronic pain changes the brain functionally, structurally, and chemically.” It’s going to take focus and effort to create a positive mindset. Here are a few tips:

Think Responsibly

Break the Habit

Keep track of how many negative thoughts come up in just one day. Once you become aware of them, you can shut them down and begin to replace harmful thoughts with healthy thoughts.

Find a Distraction 

A study found that if we focus on something other than our pain, our body’s response to pain signals is inhibited.

Find the Positive

It sounds funny but there has never been a better time to have Chronic Pain. Just think, Fibromyalgia wasn’t even recognized as a real condition until 2015! Studies and research are on the rise and there have never been more cute and comfy pajamas to choose from!

Record your Gratitude 

“Those who engage in gratitude practices have been shown to feel less pain.” Whether it’s related to your condition or not, jotting down a list of just three things you’re grateful for every morning can set a positive tone for the rest of your day.

Surrender to the Pain 

Although it sounds like a negative choice, consider if you accepted your situation instead of constantly resisting it. Resisting what IS is exhausting and futile. If you can own your pain, you can own it’s power.

Don’t Give Up 

New research shows that it takes about 66 days to form a new habit. If you fall off the Gratitude Train, keep jumping back on. Your hard work will pay off, keep thinking responsibly! 

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Yo no se disculpará por enfermos crónicos mientras se divierten

Cuando tenía seis años, que fue hospitalizado con fiebre maculosa de las Montañas Rocosas. En el hospital, me animaron a salir de la cama, vestirse y pasar tanto tiempo como sea posible, en la sala de juegos. I brought revistas y libros de vuelta a mi habitación a leer y jugaba con los niños demás Quiénes eran y por el suelo pediátrica.

Había una chica en la habitación contigua con leucemia, y nos hizo caras y agitó el uno al otro a través de nuestra ventana compartida. El hecho de que yo era ble juego ¿No quiere decir que no era lo suficientemente enfermo como para ser hospitalizados. Esto significaba que a pesar de mi enfermedad, yo era un niño con las necesidades y deseos que los niños sami demás.

Sin embargo, con los adultos, el concepto saami No SCCM para ser verdad. Siempre que las personas con enfermedades hacen - bueno, cualquier cosa - se toma como "prueba" de que estamos fanfarroneando acerca de nuestra condición. Muchos de nosotros se enfrentan a extraños completas fueron regularmente Cuando vamos a cabo en público, sobre todo, desde armarios para el uso del carro solicitando alojamiento ADA en eventos. Estamos más desafiada por las personas que conozco, que deberías realmente saben mejor.

Después de que est devenu enfermo, decidí ir a mi parque de atracciones favorito un día. No hice mucho; Fue una experiencia muy sedentaria. He publicado una foto de mí mismo en una de las líneas en Facebook con mi máscara de germen de atrás, dormido durante días para recuperarse de mi aventura, y no creo que gran parte de ella. Unos días más tarde, mi mamá me llamó Fuera de plazo al respecto. Un "amigo de la familia" había visto la imagen y se puso furioso al respecto. Al parecer, se había quejado a varias personas que si era en un parque temático, que era obviamente lo suficientemente bien para poder trabajar y tirando de algún tipo de estafa. Si se hubiera puesto en contacto con mi madre.

Me aussitôt sin amigos y bloqueó la persona, con fines Sus acciones se quedaron conmigo. Para la mayor parte del próximo año o así, cada vez que voy a publicado una foto de mí mismo hacer nada divertido, miraba por encima del hombro. Siempre he hecho un punto de Describiendo lo enferma que estaba y cómo había necesitaba descansar, y lo cansada que estaba después. Sentí la necesidad de calificar lo que estaba haciendo; para verificar que yo era aún malo, y para recordar a todo el mundo que había más a la verdad que lo que se ve en la foto. la ignorancia de alguien y juicios hirientes me había hecho sentir culpable por disfrutar de mi vida al máximo de mis facultades y molestar a mi madre, y eso era inconcebible.

A menudo parece que no hay forma real para las personas con enfermedades crónicas para ganar esta batalla. Los individuos hostiles Que no quieren creer que estás realmente enfermo será encontrar ningún fallo con cualquier cosa que haga. No hay manera de apaciguar a ellos, independientemente de la forma en que vive su vida.

Algunas personas con enfermedades crónicas al ejercicio son fiables, algunos no lo son. Algunos de nosotros les anima a ser físicamente activo de alguna manera para ayudarnos a mantener la función (tengo una serie de ejercicios de fisioterapia para hacer todos los días para ayudar con ortopédicos Algunos temas específicos, por ejemplo). Sin embargo, si te ven ser físicamente activo en modo alguno, se toma como una señal de que no está enfermo después de todo. La sociedad le gusta a aplaudir a los atletas olímpicos los que Su lucha por enfermedad o incapacidad para competir. Si luchas a través de su enfermedad o incapacidad para hacer algo físico a veces, como una carrera de 5 km o espectáculo de danza, puede ser vista como una prueba de que eres un fraude.

Está ampliamente aceptado que tener una fuerte red, de apoyo de amigos y familiares es útil para aquellos que tienen-enfermedad crónica. Se nos dice que para nuestro propio bienestar, que deberías salir de la casa de vez en cuando. Sin embargo, si nos atrevemos a salir a la calle con los amigos o hacer algo divertido de vez en cuando, una vez más, algunos creen que no estamos enfermos. Y si pasamos una tarde en el cine de vez en cuando, que equivale a ser algún modo ble que pasar 40 horas a la semana, 50 semanas al año, en el trabajo.

Si viven solos o no-tener mucho apoyo, que-tiene que todavía cuidar de las tareas diarias, tiene como objetivo algo tan fácil como comprar sus propios alimentos en realidad podría ser visto como prueba de que usted es capaz de cuerpo.

Si está demasiado agotado o herir demasiado a la ducha, hacer su pelo o se visten has dejas llevar; si sales con maquillaje y el cabello peinado, bueno, ya no está enfermo Obviamente porque no ves enfermo.

En caso de publicar las imágenes en los medios de comunicación social donde está buscando así la gente pensará que no está enfermo; si publica fotos de sí mismo Someterse a tratamiento, podrás acusan de ser el año buscador de la atención.

Si le dice a alguien sobre el curso progresivo de la enfermedad, que está fingiendo Debido a que su tía Edna su sobrina ha tenido la Sami siempre y ella está bien ahora.

Fotos y comentarios de las personas con enfermedades crónicas y mirando sonriente "normal" o haciendo los mandados de medios sociales, incluso-han-han utilizado para denegar o retirar las prestaciones de invalidez, qui est muy posiblemente lo más preocupante de todo. Es difícil de entender que la determinación de la discapacidad especialistas, los médicos y las prestaciones públicas de los administradores - Las personas que supuestamente conocen una amplia gama de condiciones de salud - no aceptan los conceptos de días buenos, recuperación de la inversión y las enfermedades invisibles que no siempre tienen trayectorias lineales.

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Fibromyalgia: What I have learnt from my journey of pain

I was recently asked, "What has fibromyalgia and/or chronic pain taught you about yourself".

Here is my answer to this question.

I have learned so much and continue to learn about myself through this journey of pain. If there is one quote that sums it up for me, it is, "My pain birthed my purpose". - Trent Shelton.

Fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions do not have to define us. They become a part of our lives, but they do not DESERVE to encompass our lives. I've learned that I am courageous, strong, powerful, driven and empathetic. I deserve happiness and health. My life is important and meaningful. I've learned that even in the face of adversity, I can conquer anything.

I love when people ask for positive fibro stories. Most of the time all you hear about is the negative ones. Here is mine. I hope it empowers and inspires at least one person.

I have always known that I was meant to help others, but I never knew in what capacity. I have had medical problems most of my life (mainly migraine headaches and girl problems) and have just learned to manage them, but in 2007 when I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Reynaud's Syndrome, my whole world changed. I could no longer work, I was constantly drugged up on pharmaceuticals, got kicked out of my apartment, car repossessed, lost friends, moved in with my mother.

At age 27, my so far successful life was spiraling out of control. Then, along came cannabis. I couldn't believe how much it helped me. Living in California, I had the opportunity to grow my own medicine, so I did. I was slowly beginning to pick up my life. I started using cannabis daily, exercised, changed my diet, started meditating, and really started to concentrate on what my body was telling me and trying options rather than the "magic pill" I thought would take it all away. I started working (my body could only handle about 30 hour a week, but I went), moved in to a new place, bought a car, and started picking up the pieces.

During this process, I realized I couldn't exactly go back to my corporate recruiting job and toke up in the lobby of the high rise, plus smoking gave me a high that made it hard to focus. I had to find other ways to use this plant. I decided to try to infuse some oil using the cannabis flowers I had grown. After rubbing it on my painful spots for the first time, I knew I had found what I needed.

This was perfect because I was about to be hired to a great company supporting the president and I needed to be clear headed and able to manage my pain throughout the day. I could add a few essential oils and nobody would even know I was using my medication at work, and I was focused since topical do not typically provide a psychoactive response.

In my off time, I started working on a concept for my new company, Therapy in a Bottle. I slowly developed a line of cannabis topical products that sold in several California dispensaries. Through that experience, I learned that a lot of the people that I needed to reach with these products, were not going in to dispensaries, and I also couldn't reach out to anyone outside of California due to federal law.

I sat down with some of my herbalist friends, did some research and found a group of botanicals that were proven to be very helpful in reducing inflammation when used topically. The decision to create a second line of products was an easy one to make. I worked very hard to come up with a formula that offered the same therapeutic value and level of efficacy as the cannabis would. It's a well-balanced synergistic botanical blend.

When I lost my corporate job last year due to layoffs, I decided to try my hardest to work on Therapy in a Bottle full time. I completed the development of the non-cannabis line and reformulated the cannabis line to include all of these other wonderful botanicals that were working so well for pain. Now, my company makes enough to pay the bills and overhead costs, and we are continuing to grow organically.

I love the opportunities I have to go in to senior communities and veteran halls to talk about botanical therapies and let them try samples of the products (only non-cannabis) to see for themselves the miracle of nature. It makes me happy to help others see the alternative options that are inexpensive and readily available to them. When I get an email or phone call from someone saying that they have gone off of their pain meds by using our salve or they avoided surgery after trying our products, it melts my heart.

Those personal testimonies are like gold to me. Knowing that my grandmother can get relief from her arthritis by just soaking her hands in our soak and rubbing the salve on makes me feel like I have given her a wonderful gift.

I still struggle sometimes to manage my pain, but I have built an amazing box of tools to help me conquer that daily challenge. On the days that I feel like giving up, I make sure to re-read the testimonies and keep moving forward.

So now you can see why the quote makes sense. My pain really did birth my purpose.

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