Diamond, M.D., of One Medical
Group in San Francisco. “In
fibromyalgia, the brain is not
processing pain signals normally.
So fibromyalgia patients can
often benefit from cognitive
behavioral therapy.”
Research published by the
American Academy of Neurology
reported that cognitive behav-
ioral therapy (CBT) and self-help
techniques can help to alleviate
pain, weakness and fatigue. CBT
can help “organize” the brain by
coaching people to replace nega-
tive feedback loops with positive
ones, Diamond says.
New hope
fibromyalgiafor
Emerging treatments
can ease symptoms and
improve quality of life
By Malia Jacobson
THOUGH HER 1994 fibromyal-
gia diagnosis came as a shock,
Costco member Charlene Grisim
of Snoqualmie, Washington, was
hopeful for a good outcome.
Unlike fibromyalgia itself, her
diagnosis was painless—the ill-
between 10 and 15 prescrip-
tions daily. It was a nightmare,”
she says.
treatment, pill or therapy that
can erase all symptoms. “I was
taking different medications for
every symptom, losing track of
what pill was for what symptom—I was confused and overwhelmed,” says Grisim.
Thankfully, new advances in
fibromyalgia treatments mean
that patients have more options
than ever before. Many complementary therapies can help
relieve symptoms, enhance the
benefits of prescription medications and help patients reclaim
their lives.
Cognitive behavioral
therapy
“The brain is just like any
other part of the body—it can
get disorganized,” says Andrew
Sleep therapy
Sleep problems are a hallmark of fibromyalgia, says Costco
member Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D.,
of Kona, Hawaii, medical director
of the Fibromyalgia & Fatigue
Centers and author of From
Fatigued to Fantastic! “Many
people with fibromyalgia can’t
get a good night’s sleep without
taking something,” he says.
Fibromyalgia patients get less
slow-wave sleep, also known as
non-rapid-eye-movement sleep,
so their sleep is less restorative.
Studies show that improving
sleep quality decreases fibromyalgia fatigue and pain—but treating fibromyalgia-related sleep
dysfunction is challenging.
To start, people with fibro-
myalgia need to practice excel-
lent sleep hygiene, says Diamond.
That means making sure the
bedroom is the perfect place to
sleep, going to bed and getting
up at the same time each day and
learning relaxation techniques to
help stop nighttime worrying.
He says, “With the right tools
and techniques, we can be taught
to put ourselves to sleep.”
For some, finding relief for
restless legs may lead to more
restorative rest. New research
published in the Journal of
CONTINUED ON PAGE 64
ness was identified promptly,
and she proceeded quickly to
treatment, aided by the region’s
top doctors.
But treating her fibromyalgia wasn’t nearly as straightforward. “At one point, I was seeing
five different doctors and taking
The Costco Connection
Costco offers many items to help members combat fybromyalgia,
including herbs, vitamins, probiotics, iron- and omega-3-rich foods,
spices, a wide selection of exercise equipment, yoga and exercise
DVDs and music CDs, and sleep items, including pillows, linens,
mattresses and pads.
