Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Information
Below are some recent articles written by Meryle Richman, MS, PT, Director of Physical Therapy at Briarcliff & Jefferson Valley, P.C., on Fibromyalgia and chronic pain. There is a monthly Fibromyalgia support group held in our offices on varying topics and with guest speakers. Please see our Fibromyalgia Support Group for more information.

Arthritis Foundation Living Well With Fibromyalgia by: Meryle Richman, PT,DPT,MS To see this presentation , made on March 27, 2012 on behalf of the Arthritis Foundation, click the link below: Living Well With Fibromyalgia This content requires the latest Flash Player. Click Here to Get Flash   Power Over Pain Building an exercise program for patients with fibromyalgia Building an exercise program for patients with fibromyalgia This article identifies an exercise program appropriate for patients with fibromyalgia. The goal of the exercise program is to improve sleep patterns, enhance overall fitness to combat fatigue, contribute to improved body mechanics and posture, and increase feelings of well-being and confidence.

Fibromyalgia and Skeletal Malalignment By learning to use sensory feedback, you can learn to correct poor body use and malalignment This article focuses specifically on techniques for addressing the skeletal malalignment that generally accompanies fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia and the Sympathetic Nervous System Fibromyalgia as a systemic response to autonomic nervous system imbalance This article elaborates on how hyper-arousal of the sympathetic nervous system caused by mental and emotional stress, and biochemical changes that accompany this activation of the sympathetic nervous system, can result in symptoms typical of fibromyalgia.

Waiting to Inhale Breathing and movement awareness are keys to regaining health Since typical signs of hyperarousal include restricted breathing and tightened muscles, a primary goal of a fibromyalgia empowerment program might be to teach patients how to consciously a) maintain full, deep breathing and b) use minimum muscular effort required for optimum results in all activities.

Fibromyalgia A new paradigm for its origins and treatment Ever since the term fibromyalgia formally entered the medical lexicon in 1990, the exact nature, etiology and cure for this syndrome have remained elusive. In the year 2000, nearly six million people were said to be suffering from fibromyalgia, and since 1997 it is the second most commonly diagnosed muskuloskeletal disorder.   When Traditional Physical Therapy Isn’t Enough Using Complementary Therapies to Treat Patients with Chronic Pain As the use of and demand for complementary medicine continues to rise, PTPN member Meryle Richman, PT, finds that her pioneering work to integrate complementary techniques into traditional physical therapy has put her at the forefront of that trend. She began using complementary therapies in their very early stages. "I found that the usual treatment methods were often not enough to help my patients who have chronic pain, including many fibromyalgia patients.   Helping to Relieve the Pain of Post-Surgical Breast Cancer with Myofascial/Craniosacral Techniques Providing significant pain relief by using myofascial release techniques and craniosacral therapy. As explained by Meryle Richman,PT, MS, CST, myofascial release techniques consist of a series of hand positions with the therapist applying pressure in opposite directions with each hand—so while one hand applies gentle pressure toward the head, the other applies pressure toward the feet, to release tension and soften the fascial tissues.   Fibromyalgia An Introduction Fibromyalgia is a form of soft-tissue rheumatism which affects the muscles and connective tissue throughout the body. It is accompanied by diffuse aching and tenderness; sensory disturbances such as tingling, numbness and burning; headaches and memory deficiencies; poor quality sleep; irritable bowel and irritable bladder syndrome; and other symptoms which can involve various systems of the body.   Chronic Pain and Fibromyalgia Understanding Chronic Pain and Fibromyalgia Chronic pain relates to a dysfunction of the muscles, bones and joints in the body. Back pain, osteoarthritis and most recently a new musculoskeletal pain syndrome, identified in 1990 as Fibromyalgia, is on top of the list for the reason of visiting your doctor when in pain. Chronic Pain Current News Below are some recent news articles from various sources concerning chronic pain. These news articles change daily, so stop by often.

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