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By JJ Gormley
I have noticed an increasing number of my yoga students
telling me that they have Fibromyalgia. I've researched the diagnosis and
treatment of this disease in both the traditional and alternative worlds of
medicine. Based on my growing experience with students suffering from
Fibromyalgia, I've arrived at my own set of conclusions about this disease
and ways of using yoga to help alleviate its symptoms. A caveat is needed
here, however. I am not saying that I've discovered a cure nor even the
reason why people get this disease. What follows are simply some collected
observations from what I've experienced in working with Fibromyalgia
sufferers. I pass them along not only for any specific merit they may have,
but because I think they speak generally about the overall benefits of yoga
in our lives.
Fibromyalgia comes from the Latin fibro, meaning
connective tissue such as tendons and ligaments, myo meaning muscular, and
algia, meaning pain. Sufferers experience chronic pain in their muscles and
joints. Typically, the medical establishment treats this chronic pain most
commonly with anti-inflammatory drugs, tricyclic antidepressants,
acetaminophen, non-narcotic analgesics, and/or anti-anxiety agents. The pain
often leads to depression and chronic fatigue, and inability to function
mentally at work, with all its attendant consequences. Typically, the pain
can leave the sufferer only able to sleep for a couple to a few hours at
night, without the benefits of restorative sleep to ease the mind.
Conventional and alternative treatment therapies
generally have not produced lasting relief for Fibromyalgia sufferers.
Modern Medicine Magazine reports that systematic follow-up studies of
patients using conventional treatments at Fibromyalgia specialty clinics
show no overall improvement over the baseline condition, although different
patients improved and deteriorated in specific areas. Chiropractic
adjustments and acupuncture treatments are sometimes sought to try and
alleviate pain, but from what I've been told by my yoga students, the relief
is only temporary.
Based on my experience with yoga students who suffer from
Fibromyalgia, I've developed a general profile from simple questions asked
during private sessions. Typically, these students are go-getters, with high
energy levels, who give selflessly of their time and energy to others, more
frequently than not putting others' needs before their own. From an
energetic expenditure perspective, the energy these students expend
dramatically exceeds the energy returned, leaving their energetic body
depleted over time until the physical body finally follows. This led me to
conclude that major behavioral shifts must take place to reverse the flow of
energy so a balance is achieved. Because sufferers do not reverse this
energy expenditure on their own, the body forces them to take care of
themselves. The disease's debilitating symptoms alone compel such care. But
permanent behavior shifts need to occur as well. The more debilitating the
illness, the more sufferers need to help themselves, by taking more time for
themselves first before service to others' needs. This is the first step
toward healing - a major and most difficult step for this profile of
student. This is where yoga comes in. Those already taking the time from
their busy schedules to incorporate a yoga class (or two) see the benefits
of treating your body to some fun stretching and strengthening. This time
for yourself in a healing and healthy way is a vital step toward reversing
energy expenditure.
Looking at the physical body of a typical Fibromyalgia
sufferer, I see that the body is obviously out of balance, out of sync with
nature and in need of nurturing. My first instinct is for the person to give
themselves hugging types of poses: child's pose or half-child's pose if the
body is very tight, egg balance and knee-to-chest pose when lying on back.
But more than just nurturing hugs the body needs to experience rhythmic
movements, or cyclical movements such as gentle sun-salutes. 1 always
recommend starting with just one or two rounds of sun-salutes and then
following up with a resting pose or restorative poses such as open butterfly
pose (supta baddhakonasana). This sequence of sun-salutes followed by a
resting pose can be done several times in a row for about a 10 to 20 minute
routine. Four to 5 minutes of inclined rest (savasana), with the eyes kept
open (this is to counter depression setting in and taking the person on a
dive downward) should complete the overall session. For the most part, one
should avoid forward bends because of their downward energy (calming
affect), but backbends can be added into the sequence depending on the
person's ability. Active backbends such as cobra, updog, camel, etc. can be
added during the heating portion of the routine, while lying over a bolster
in a passive backbend can be added during the restive portion.
I have been giving this type of routine to my students over the past
eight years and have had much success with students suffering from not only
Fibromyalgia, but also chronic fatigue and depression. By no means would I
suggest it as a cure-all for those suffering from these illnesses, but it
would certainly be worth a try. Sun and Moon Yoga Studio now offers a class
on Monday at our Arlington location called "Special Needs Yoga." This class
is geared toward students with these types of illnesses. For more
information, call the studio.
JJ Gormley, Founder
Sun & Moon Yoga Studio.
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