The role of mind in autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune diseases remain a mystery to science. So far their symptoms and their development are known but ignored what produces them and most of them can be treated, but not cured.

There are hypotheses about this, but none of them is fully tested. What is known is that the mind plays an important role in these pathologies.

There are relatively well-known autoimmune diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis, 

Fibromyalgia, Type 1 Diabetes, Autoimmune Thyroiditis, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, and others are a little less recurrent Guillaime-Barré Syndrome, among others.

• "There is nothing in the mind that has not been in the senses before."

Aristotle-

What is unique about autoimmune diseases is the fact they are the result of a body attack on itself. The organism behaves as if the antigens themselves were invading viruses and attacks them. In other words, the recognition system fails to recognize among self and foreign elements. This happens in people who are perfectly healthy and "science" still does not know why.

AUTOMATIC DISEASES AND PSYCHOSOMATIC MECHANISMS

Science points out that autoimmune diseases are the result of multiple factors, within which genetics play an important role. 

However, so far there is no compelling evidence that this is so. 

On the other hand, it has been proved that the mind has a decisive role in such pathologies, especially in what is the subjective experience that produces the disease.

Currently autoimmune diseases are approached by most professionals as psychosomatic diseases. This means that these are evils that have their origin in the mind and that take shape through the body.

There are different approaches to this. "Some argue that it is an essential inability to verbalize emotions." Others indicate that it is a response that expresses an emotional imbalance. It is also addressed as a "bodily delirium," whose antecedent is depression, or as a response to an insoluble conflict. Illness is an alibi to escape from outstanding problems. Where the sick is his own executioner !!

Whatever the approach, the truth is that the common point is the verification that there are realities that exist in the minds of people and that find a way of manifestation through disease in the body.

AFFECTS ON AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES

Autoimmune diseases set in motion a mechanism of self-destruction. 

It is the body itself that stops recognizing the antigens that belong to it and begins to self-attack, as if what it carries within itself is threatening or dangerous.

The mind is so important in these processes, that even a new discipline has arisen to treat these evils, which is known as psychoneuroimmunology.

Thus, the truth is that autoimmune diseases are not only chronic, they are also incapacitating and can lead a person to death, that happens if the person, instead of rejecting the symptom or disease, heed it. 

Which means ... The symptom is "a visible expression" of an "invisible process" ... it is a signal that makes us stop to make an inquiry. An internal inquiry

What we must eliminate is not the symptom, but the cause .... Therefore, if we want to discover that it points to the symptom, we must not focus on it, but look beyond. 

If man understood the greatness and dignity of disease and death, he would see the ridiculousness of combating it. 

The disease indicates that the individual Has ceased to be in equilibrium, his mind or consciousness in order or harmony, ... this loss of internal balance 

The symptom tells us that something fails ... 

The symptom is how the teacher helps us to understand our knowledge, a teacher who It will get harsh if we refuse to learn the hardest lessons ...

Studies suggest that people with this type of illness usually have a high level of depression, but this is not always obvious. In other words, it may even be someone who is smiling and vital, but deep down there is a great dissatisfaction that, generally, he himself does not recognize.

Another of the frequent features is a certain inability to recognize one's own emotions. Either because of an excessive intellectualization or rationalization of the situations or because they are people who want to have everything under control and experience the affections as threats to their autonomy.

Autoimmune diseases are insidious and noticeably impair quality to life. They are often painful, difficult to assimilate and unpromising. The worst thing is that those who suffer from it go to the doctor for answers and, in general, only find silence and palliative, not always effective, for their suffering. 

Medicine avoids the "interpretation" of the symptom and with it the "signal" what it means ...

Although this has been rethinking, the West has imposed the idea that mind and body are disconnected and sometimes even conflicting realities. However, it is increasingly clear that health and well-being are integral concepts, in which the physical plane as much as the mental plane is as important.

The way out for a person with an autoimmune disease is precisely to stop believing that it is a pill, a vitamin or some miracle doctor that will restore their health.

It is not that you should not go to these solutions, but that your basic treatment must have the intervention of a mental health professional.

All diseases have an emotional and mental component involved, but in autoimmune this factor is absolutely decisive.

Resistance to treating their illness as a psyche is surely the fundamental reason why they find no relief for their physical suffering and even cure themselves.

A resistance that is born of the mistaken idea that the one who suffers a disease with a mental base is because it is not strong enough and is based on an even more misleading idea: this pain is an invention of the patient.

EXAMPLE OF THE AUTO: if we are driving a car and it turns on a light that the car is raising the temperature ... what we do .. ??? We do not give importance ... because the car will end up being destroyed .... The logical thing is that we stop, and observe what is happening ... so that it is not destroyed ...

The symptom or illness is a light .. that must stop us to observe beyond what we see.

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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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