Autonomic Nervous System Involvement in FM: Not so Uncommon After All

Suffering from weird heart palpitations, dizziness, low blood-pressure, and almost passing out when you stand up? You're not alone. These are definite issues for me, making it very hard to function when they flare up, and according to Current Rheumatology Reports, December 2008, I'm not alone. Actually, this might address the problems I've been having with feeling like I'm having to remind myself to breathe, too! (It mentions below that the ANS controls respiration as well...)

Autonomic dysfunction in fibromyalgia syndrome: Postural orthostatic tachycardia - Source: Current Rheumatology Reports, Dec 2008
by Roland Staud, MD, FACP, FACR
November 16, 2008

Although fibromyalgia (FM) syndrome is defined by chronic widespread pain and tenderness, additional symptoms, including disabling fatigue and dizziness, are often reported by patients with this chronic illness.

Although nonrestorative sleep may play an important role for chronic fatigue in FM, other mechanisms, including dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), need to be considered.

Many important biological functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, respirations, and bowel function, are tightly regulated by the ANS.

However, dysfunction of the ANS is common in FM and often becomes quite apparent after positional changes from supine to upright.

Although such positional changes sometimes result in syncope, they are more often associated with palpitations and dizziness.

Head-up tilt table testing can be used to evaluate autonomic dysfunction, and is frequently helpful for the work-up of FM complaints, including fatigue, dizziness, and palpitations.

One of the most common events experienced by FM patients during tilt table testing is postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, which is defined as a heart rate increase of more than 30 beats per minute after more than 3 minutes of standing upright.

Source: Current Rheumatology Reports, Dec 2008;10(6):463-466. PMID: 19007537, by Staud R. Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA. [E-mail: staudr@ufl.edu]

The Power of GENTLE Movement, Breath, and Mindfulness: Great for Pain and Tension!

I recently moved and found this DVD I'd forgotten I had, that a friend had sent me. I thought it was great at the time, but I slipped out of the habit of doing it, and soon forgot all about it. I'm sooo bad at sticking to a routine! Maybe that, and the fact that the beginning can be a little challenging for me, especially in the mornings, so maybe forgetting was my subconscious way of worming out of doing it, which goes to show what a mess I am, because the beginning is just breathing exercises! But even that is hard for me in the mornings!

Anyhow, I can't do regular yoga. Even so-called Gentle Yoga leaves me sore and aching the next day. The only classes I've been able to manage are Relaxation Yoga or Yoga for Chronic Health Problems, specifically customized for me.

Still, Chair Yoga sounded a bit silly...But believe me, it's not! You're not seated the whole time, but you do use the chair for support and to modify postures. (Downward dog is one that causes me to pull/strain my hamstrings EVERY time. But the version on this DVD is PERFECT. Stretches, feels good, releases your lower back, and no injury/pain later.

If you listen & follow their instructions, you can literally let go of pain by releasing the tension in muscles. It's really pretty amazing. Not to mention, at the end I'm so relaxed that the modified Child's Pose sends me right into a state of meditation.
I'm thinking of doing this twice a day now!


Off I go!

Check it out:






P.S.~ I've got codes for free Online Rentals, so if you're on a budget but want to check this out, ask me! (I know what it's like to be broke and looking for some relief!)