Fibromyalgia

by Steven Vazquez, Ph.D.

     Fibromyalgia is characterized by a general pervasive fatigue and physical pain in multiple sites in the body.  Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a similar condition but may not manifest physical pain.  These are controversial medical diagnoses that are not recognized by many conventional physicians, but I believe it is a very real physical condition.  A recent breakthrough has accomplished the consistent, rapid elimination of fatigue and physical pain, as well as resolution of the core causes which results in long-term improvement. 

Is it in the mind or body?

     The distress from fibromyalgia often leads to depression, anxiety and other psychological disorders.  However, this does not mean that the condition is only psychological and not physical in nature.  A hypochondriac is one who imagines that he/she has a physical illness when it does not exist.  A malingerer is one who fakes illness, pain or injury while consciously being aware that he/she does not have real medical symptoms.  A third condition is one in which a person’s psychological distress creates a perceived physical condition such as hysterical blindness in which the medical condition has a psychological origin and function, but no actual physical abnormality.  When a physician claims that a medical condition is “all in their heads,” it suggests the first and third condition, but many physicians assume malingering when they do not understand the condition.

     Another way to understand the mind-body issue is that almost all medical conditions are stress related.  This suggests a fourth explanation in which both mind and body are involved.  Scientific studies in brain development substantiate the idea that during early childhood the attachment issues of the parent-child bond or the emotional environment of the family actually influence the neurobiological development of the brain.  For example, when caregivers are non-responsive, abusive or there are other disruptions in attachment within the family like financial disaster, death or overbearing circumstances, the development of the child’s fragile brain may be affected.  When these types of disruption in attachment lead to the child taking on the burden of responsibility for the distress of the people around them, children can become over-stimulated but without a means to resolve their emotions.  This sensitized brain may then be more vulnerable to life stressors than the brains of other people.  Specific patterns of sensitization may play a role in the emergence in adulthood of certain conditions like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.  Sufferers become saturated with stimuli and are unable to effectively eliminate the effects of over stimulation which results in very real physical symptoms like pain and fatigue.

     When the sensitized brain and nervous system allow the physical body to be harmed, the immune system is often compromised.  This allows opportunistic viruses and bacteria to further impair health.  Many fibromyalgia/CFS sufferers are more susceptible to contagious conditions in one’s environment.  To simply treat viruses and bacteria may be to treat only the effects, not the cause of the problem.

A Breakthrough in Treatment

     Typically people with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are highly sensitive to environmental stimuli such as light, sound, odors, or even the emotional distress of the people around them.  It has been found that through the use of very low level light stimulation administered at specific angles into the eyes, in conjunction with guided mental focus, physical symptoms of fibromyalgia/CFS are usually alleviated within a single session.  This treatment is called Emotional Transformation Therapy™ and literally creates a capacity within the brain to establish environmental and interpersonal boundaries.  Visual brain stimulation can be used to “re-wire” the brain to change these neurobiological patterns.  This results in a capacity to prevent external stimuli from impacting the patient too strongly.  Subsequent sessions and education about how to fortify oneself from potential stressors often allow the patient to become free of the symptoms on a long-term basis.  Other visual brain stimulation techniques are used to complete the treatment.

This approach is a breakthrough in treatment because:

• It is fast – (complete alleviation of symptoms within a few sessions).
• It totally eliminates fatigue and physical pain in most cases.
• It is cost effective – (much less expensive than other methods).
• It uses unobtrusive interventions that do not hurt, are not invasive, or do not require a complete change in lifestyle to accomplish improvement.

     All patients who appear to have fibromyalgia and/or chronic fatigue syndrome are initially referred to an appropriate physician for diagnostic purposes if that has not already taken place.  Then the specialized visual brain stimulation is conducted by the therapist for the purpose of rapid elimination of symptoms.  If other medical conditions have developed from prolonged fibromyalgia/CFS, a physician should evaluate any changes that may have occurred to determine whether further medical treatment is necessary.

     This method quickly reduces the horrible symptoms of these conditions and then pursues resolution of the core causes.  This original method was only discovered in 2004 and may represent a revolution in the alleviation of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue symptoms!  For appointments, call us at 817-268-7050.