Fibromyalgia Care

Fibromyalgia is a long-term illness that causes widespread pain and extreme tiredness.  People who have fibromyalgia often experience extreme fatigue. 

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Since 2010, The American College of Rheumatology has classified Fibromyalgia as a syndrome with many similar symptoms as CFS/ME with widespread pain in all four quardants of the body.

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Like ME/CFS, fibromyalgia has the same root cause. The neurolymphatic system has been compromised and there is a backflow of toxins affecting areas of the brain that controls pain perception. Toxins can affect the production and action of neurochemicals such as GABA and also substance P which both centrally affect a persons pain threshold which as affected in fibromyalgia as well as ME/CFS. Activation of these receptors together with the abnormal levels of substance P greatly enhances the intensity of the pain signal transmitted.

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These alterations in the nerve pathways involved in the transmission of pain lead to a state of hypersensitisation where pain is felt at a much lower threshold referred as central sensitistion. 

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What are the symptoms of CFS/ME? 

 

• Widespread pain

• Physical fatigue

• Cognitive symptoms

• Waking unrefreshed 

• "Muzziness" in the head/ brain fog

• Body pain 

• General muscle pain 

• Post-exertion malaise

• Fluctuations in temperature

• Nausea

• Sore throats

• Cold extremities

• Light & noise sensitivity

• Gut disturbances eg. bladder spasms.

• Easy bruising

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What treatment will be given?

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An adapted form of The Perrin Technique is helpful in the treatment of Fibromyalgia syndome (FMS). Dr Perrin believes FMS is caused by the same biomechanical problems as ME/CFS with the toxins in these patients targetting the pain control centres in the brain leading to widespread severe myalgia (muscle pain) in all parts of the body and many of the symptoms of ME.  

 

Dr Perrin‘s method is an advanced massage & osteopathic technique using gentle articulations, manipulation, massage and cranial techniques to guide the toxins out of the central nervous system into the lymphatic system, also referred to as "neuro- lymphatic drainage" or "the glymphatic system". Simply since it has been shown to drain toxins from the cells known as the "glia" of the brain to the lymphatics. 

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Fibromyalgia does not just affect you but your whole family, and thus I encourage spouses, partners or parents to come fortthe first appointment so that they fully understand the complexities of the disorder and also add relevant information that may help me build up a better picture of your life before and during the illness. 

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The Technique was developed in 1989 by British Osteopath and neuroscientist Dr Raymond Perrin DO Ph.D. Dr Perrin's research into ME/CFS has expanded our knowledge of diagnosis and treatment of neurological physiological problems. In July 2005 he was awarded a doctorate by the University of Salford, UK for his thesis on the involvement of cerebrospinal fluid and lymphatic drainage in CFS/ME. 

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In a study between 2015-16 he was instrumental to a research project published in October 2017 in the online British Medica Journal which demonstrated proof of concept of the Perrin Technique. (Hives L, Bradley A, et al.Can physical assessment techniques aid diagnosis in people with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis? A diagnostic accuracy study. BMJ Open 2017;O:e017521.

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He has since published paper in other major medical journals and his bestselling book, The Perrin Technique:How to beat CFS/ME was published by Hammersmith Press. 

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His journey continues to excel traveling abroad in Europe, USA and the Middle East. He held a IACFS/ME Conference talking through his major breakthough regarding a potenial new function of the lymphatic system. An international team of scientists, headed by Professor Natasha Harvey from the University of South Australia's Centre for Cancer found lymphoedema is caused by blocked lymphatic vessels producing both red and white blood cells. This finding overturns longstanding belief about where our body gets its blood cells; instead of deriving them solely from stem cells,an insight uncovers a potential that the lymphatic system also produces blood. Kazenwadel J, Venugopal P, Harvey N et al. A Prox1 enhancer represses haematopoiesis in the lymphatic vasculature. Nature 2023; 614; 343-348

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Dr Perrin will be publishing his new book on Long Covid, Through the looking Glass; The perrin technique of Long Covid very soon. 

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