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Fibromyalgia and Acupuncture Dr Robert J Reinhardt email - website Fibromyalgia has become a popular diagnosis over the past 5 years. There is however, alot of confusuion about this condition. I would like to clarify some of the misconceptions, and discuss some of the treatments that seem to be helpful. Perhaps the hallmark of fibromyalgia is that all diagnostic testing is normal or negative. Xrays, MRI, blood tests, CAT scans, Bone scans, Bone density studies,etc. etc. are all normal. Along with this, the condition classically presents with at least a 3 month history of pain in 11 out of 18 pre determined areas. Areas above and below the waist, right and left sides of the body, are frequently involved. Your health care provider can examine you to determine if you have the minimum of 11 of 18 points necessary to make the diagnosis. Patients with fibromyalgia often report these multiple areas of pain, with no apparent reason for the pain to be present. No injury, overexertion, or sprain/strain of the painful area. Likewise, what hurts today may be different tomorrow. Achy, sharp, dull, tight, stiff, sore, crampy, etc. have all been used to describe the pain. The pain seems to wander somewhat, sometimes being more intense on the right side, sometimes left side. Other times more painful in areas above the waist, and at times more painful in the lower part of the body. Once the diagnosis is clear, there are many choices as far as treatment. Many forms of care have been utilized for this condition. Treatment plans have included medication, both prescription and over the counter, exercise, rest, physical therapy, chiropractic, diet and nutritional changes, meditation, massage, bio-feedback, magnets, and others. I would like to talk about another form of care that has received much attention, which is acupuncture.This ancient form of care has shown much promise for the treatment of this very often difficult and painful condition. Having been practicing chiropractic for 28 years, I have seen many patients with this condition.If I had to summarize which of the treatments work best, I would say that they all work sometime. For example, exercise may be the best therapy for one patient, and be the worst for another. This is often the case with all of the other forms of treatment also. This seems to be another of the hallmarks of fibromyalgia. Interestingly, acupuncture seems to have a unique ability to help the symptoms of fibromyalgia far more often than the other forms of care listed previously. Also, in cases where acupuncture may not provide relief, it rarely aggrivates the condition. This is certainly something that the other forms of care may find difficult to claim. The bottom line..... acupuncture is a treatment that anyone with fibromyalgia should not hesitate to try. The potential for relief is very good, and the potential risk is very small.

"TALKING BACK" Acupuncture and Sinus Problems Dr Robert Reinhardt Sinus congestion,irritation,inflammation,pressure,pain, or just plain stuffed. This time of the year, many of us suffer from various forms of sinus problems. Many forms of treatment are recommended for sinus problems.Over the counter medications,vitamins,prescription meds,minerals, herbs, nasal sprays, and more.... all having some benefit, and unfortunately some side effects. Another form of treatment that is getting attention recently is acupuncture. This ancient form of treatment can frequently offer considerable relief of sinus symptoms. Often times significant relief of pain and congestion can be felt with just a few treatments. If you suffer from frequent sinus symptoms, consider trying acupuncture. It may just provide the relief you have been looking for.

"TALKING BACK" Cold Laser Therapy Pain Management Treatment By Alexandra K. Schnee, DC Cold Laser Therapy or Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) is a treatment that utilizes specific wavelengths of light to interact with tissue and is thought to help accelerate the healing process. It can be used on patients who suffer from a variety of acute and chronic conditions in order to help eliminate pain, swelling, reduce spasms and increase functionality. How Cold Lasers Work Cold lasers are handheld devices used by the clinician and are often the size of a flashlight. The laser is placed directly over the injured area for 30 seconds to several minutes, depending on the size of the area being treated and the dose provided by the cold laser unit. During this time, the non-thermal photons of light that are emitted from the laser pass through the skins layers (the dermis, epidermis, and the subcutaneous tissue or tissue fat under the skin). This light has the ability to penetrate 2 to 5 centimeters below the skin at 90mw and 830 nm. Once the light energy passes through the layers of skin and reaches the target area, it is absorbed and interacts with the light sensitive elements in the cell. This process can be compared to photosynthesis in plants - sunlight is absorbed by plants, which is then converted to usable energy so that the plant can grow. When cells absorb this light energy, it initiates a series of events in the cell that is theorized to eventually result in normalizing damaged or injured tissue, a reduction in pain, inflammation, edema and an overall reduction in healing time by increasing intracellular metabolism.1,2 References: Martin R. Laser-Accelerated Inflammation/Pain Reduction and Healing. Practical Pain Management. Nov/Dec 2003 3(6):20-25. Marovino T. Cold Lasers in Pain Management. Practical Pain Management. Sep/Oct 2004. 4(6):37-42.

What Is Your Piriformis Muscle and Why Does It Hurt So Much? By Jeffrey R. McConnell, M.D. Despite its prevalence, piriformis syndrome is widely misunderstood. To help get you up to speed, here is what you need to know about the anatomy of your piriformis muscle and the pain associated with it: What is your piriformis muscle? The first thing you need to know about your piriformis muscle is that it is located in your buttock. More specifically, the muscle starts in your lower spine and passes through your greater sciatic notch. It then attaches to the upper part of each of your femurs (you have a piriformis muscle on either side of your body). Your piriformis muscle runs diagonally, and your large sciatic nerve runs below it. However, for some people all or part of their sciatic nerve runs through their piriformis muscle. Your piriformis muscle has 2 main functions. First, it helps enable your hip to rotate. Second, your piriformis muscle allows your leg and foot to turn outward. Why does it hurt so much? Piriformis syndrome is defined as a condition in which your piriformis muscle spasms and causes pain in your buttock. This spasming may also aggravate a nearby sciatic nerve root, which in turn sends sciatica-like symptoms racing down your large sciatic nerve. There are a number of possible reasons your piriformis muscle may spasm, including: • The irritation of your piriformis muscle or your sacroiliac joint • An injury that causes your piriformis muscle to tighten • An injury that causes your piriformis muscle to swell • Bleeding in the area around your piriformis muscle • A dull pain in your buttock • Increased pain when walking up an incline • Increased pain after sitting for long periods of time • Pain, tingling, or numbness in your thigh, calf, or foot Symptoms felt along your large sciatic nerve are not catergorized as sciatica. This is because your piriformis muscle is not located in your lumbar spine, but rather your buttock. This distinction is important because treatments may differ for piriformis syndrome compared to sciatica (which is caused by a variety of lower back conditions). Part of the diagnosis process for piriformis syndrome is ruling out other possible disorders that can mimic piriformis syndrome symptoms, including sacroiliac joint dysfunction or lumbar disc disease. In light of this, if you suspect you have piriformis syndrome it is important you do not self diagnose, but rather schedule an appointment with your doctor.