Fibromyalgia Relief Requires a Multifaceted Treatment Approach

Q: I very much enjoyed Dr. Kaplan’s explanation [on treating fibromyalgia] in his book. Would you be able to provide your perspective as well regarding treatment? I have found EFT to be extremely helpful.

A: That is wonderful that you have found EFT to be helpful. Emotional Freedom Technique involves tapping acupressure points and utilizing positive affirmations. Acupuncture points have been documented to be helpful for many pain conditions and so often the emotional aspects of life are not addressed in chronic pain.

My approach to fibromyalgia is multifaceted. I look at digestion and diet, sleep, hormone imbalance, injuries (psychological and physical), infections, environmental exposures, genetics, and more.

For example, if you don’t get enough deep delta wave sleep your body can’t recover, and chronic pain can be an issue. (We find that this is common in those with fibromyalgia) Or, if you have leaky gut from a food allergy, then inflammation of the intestinal tract leads to nutritional deficiencies. In addition toxins and large molecules can more easily get absorbed causing autoimmune disorders, and chronic pain. As we ( myself and the patient) work on putting the puzzle pieces together, we also address the neuroinflammation that is often part of the picture as Dr. Gary discusses in his book.

Additional resources:

Consumer Guide: 18 Things You Should Know Before Choosing a Doctor to Treat Your Fibromyalgia