‘The other main symptom that is nearly universal in fibromyalgia is fatigue.
People feel like their plug has been pulled from the wall.’

I’ve included the link so that you can listen to the podcast or read the transcript with the following in mind:
There are many articles, recordings and opinions available from websites and in publications. You should verify the accuracy and appropriateness of any information for your individual circumstances.

More on fibromyalgia soon.

Experiences of chronic back pain in adults and

the Feldenkrais Method

Participants required

Jodie Krantz, Project advisor, Australian Feldenkrais Guild WA Inc., and
Dr Judith Pugh, Chief investigator, Research associate, School of nursing, midwifery and postgraduate medicine, Edith Cowan University, are asking:

‘What is the experience of chronic back pain for adults learning Awareness Through Movement (ATM) in the Feldenkrais Method?’

Dr Pugh is recruiting participants for this phenomenological project and can be contacted:

by phone on 08 6304 3473
by email at j.pugh@ecu.edu.au

Please contact Dr Pugh if you are interested in participating or have any questions regarding this research project.

fibro means fibre

my means muscle

algia means pain

So fibromyalgia is pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons.

People with fibromyalgia tend to have chronic or prolonged pain, are abnormally sensitive to touch and have super-sensitive ‘tender-points’ in their muscles.

In Julia’s story she says

“I was a sufferer of Fibromyaliga, a condition made up of chronic pain and chronic fatigue. I sought relief through [Feldenkrais] and found this method to be one of the only forms of treatment effective at reducing my pain.

My sessions gave me not only pain relief, but reduced tension, greater clarity and ease of movement, heightened awareness, easier breathing and reduced anxiety/stress levels.”

Read Julia’s story

The chronic fatigue Julia mentions can be caused by poor or disturbed sleep.

Clients with fibromyalgia often say ‘I wake up feeling more tired than when I went to bed’.

Living with pain and other symptoms can also be wearing and a cause fatigue in themselves.

Other symptoms can be:

• stiffness
• headache
• nausea
• anxiety
• depression
• difficulty concentrating
• poor memory
• irritable bowel and/or bladder
• numbness or tingling in the hands and/or feet
• facial pain
• jaw pain
• restless legs

Many people with fibromyalgia have mild symptoms which may be reversible.

The symptoms present, how bad they are, and the interaction between them, can differ between people and even in the same person over time.

More on fibromyalgia soon.

It can seem that nothing can make a real difference.

A process or approach that improves understanding of what drives the pain and allows resilience to develop can empower the person.

I find that it helps to demystify pain, by explaining how pain is felt in our bodies and working out with each client how to best manage their pain.

Understanding that all pain is real and the reasons why things hurt can really help. For example, learning about:

• what movements or situations increase or decrease pain
• how pain is produced by the brain
• how body systems respond to injury and what happens after the injury
• how this contributes to the ongoing experience of pain
• why pain can persist after an injury when there has been heaps of time to heal

Understanding pain can give people the power to challenge pain and to find new ways of seeing and experiencing it.

This can lead to management strategies that significantly improve quality of life and ability to engage with pleasurable or meaningful activities.

And of course reduce or eliminate the pain problem.