------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fibromyalgia Community Newsletter # 2 Friday, 12/7/2001
------------------------------------------------------------------------

This week's News Summary

1) Article : Personal Guidelines for Managing Chronic Illness
2) Article : Finding Meaning in Response to Loss
3) Article : California requires doctors take CME in pain management
4) Wellness: Why should you be optimistic?
5) Wellness: Healing effects of humor
6) Research: Acupuncture and FMS
7) Research: Association of T102C polymorphism of the 5-HT2A receptor gene with pyschiatric status in fibromyalgia syndrome.
8) Research: Substance P: A New Era, a New Role
9) Research: Block Painful Nerve 'Memories'--Medicate Preemptively
10) Books : Chronic Muscle Pain Syndrome - Paul Davidson MD


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Full Stories Are Available Via Web Links
------------------------------------------------------------------------

1)
Subject: Personal Guidelines for Managing Chronic Illness Source : CFIDS/Fibromyalgia Self-Help http://CFIDSselfhelp.org

 Author : Bruce Campbell URL : http://home.flash.net/~brucepa/artcl_guidelines.htm

Are you ever confused by your illness, wondering what you should do next? One solution is to create your own personal guidelines for managing chronic illness: a few rules that give direction to your efforts at recovery. Read more, including sample guidelines from several people, in our current feature article: "Personal Guidelines for Managing Chronic Illness."

Also, read earlier bi-weekly features using the new Articles Archive.
Features include articles on pacing, stress management, emotions, relationships and much more.

Bruce Campbell

[Alternative site address: http://home.flash.net/~brucepa/index.htm ]

------------------------------------------------------------------------
2)
Subject: Finding Meaning in Response to Loss Source : CFIDS/Fibromyalgia Self-Help

http://CFIDSselfhelp.org

Author : Bruce Campbell URL: http://home.flash.net/~brucepa/artcl_success_patti.htm

How do you respond positively when your life is turned upside down? Read Patti Schmidt's inspiring answer in "Coming to Terms with a Life I Didn't Plan," the first article in our new series of personal accounts of coping and recovery.

Also, read earlier bi-weekly features using the new Articles Archive.
Features include articles on pacing, stress management, emotions, relationships and much more.

Bruce Campbell

Alternative site address: http://home.flash.net/~brucepa/index.htm



------------------------------------------------------------------------
3)
Subject: California requires doctors take CME in pain management Source : amednews.com Author : Tanya Albert URL : http://www.ama-assn.org/sci-pubs/amnews/pick_01/prsb1119.htm


<quote>

Physicians support more training, but are skeptical about it being a law.
If California physicians want to renew their licenses, they're going to have to brush up on pain management techniques.

California enacted legislation this fall that requires physicians who could encounter pain management and end-of-life care issues to take 12 hours of continuing medical education classes on the topic to renew their medical licenses. The legislation goes into effect Jan. 1, 2002.

While some other states have mandated that physicians must take certain CME classes to renew medical licenses, California is the first state to require classes in pain management. Also, it marks the first time that California is requiring physicians to take a specific CME class.

(....)

Read the full article on the website.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
4)
Subject: Why should you be optimistic?
Source : ThriveOnline - oxygen.com Author : James Dillard, M.D., Terra Ziporyn, Ph.D.
URL :
http://thriveonline.oxygen.com/serenity/positive_thinking/changing_attitude.html


Change Your Attitude Why and how to keep the sunny side up

<quote>

All the advice to "keep the sunny side up" if you want to be healthy sounds all warm and fuzzy, but almost too good to be true. Actually, though, a load of evidence shows that your attitude about life can improve your health and even speed your recovery from a serious ailment or surgery. The attitudes that seem to help the most are optimism, hope, and, above all, a feeling that you have some impact on the quality of your own life.

(....)

Read the full article on the website.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
5)
Subject: Healing effects of humor Source : ThriveOnline - oxygen.com Author : Dr. William Fry URL : http://thriveonline.oxygen.com/serenity/humor/wfrychat.html

<quote>

Learn To Laugh At Yourself Laughter can boost the immune system, lower blood pressure, exercise the lungs, and combat stress. So let Dr. William Fry teach you how to laugh out loud!

Dr. William Fry is a psychiatrist and humor researcher who studies the healing effects of humor. He joined ThriveOnline as part of our humor workshop on learning to laugh at yourself.

(....)

Read the full article on the website.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
6)
Subject: Acupuncture and FMS Source : HealthSCOUT Author : Colette Bouchez URL :
http://www.healthscout.com/template.asp?page=newsdetail&ap=1&id=504838

Needling Away at Lower Back Pain; Study finds acupuncture an effective treatment

<quote>

HealthScoutNews Reporter MONDAY, Nov. 26 (HealthScoutNews) -- New research shows that the Chinese treatment known as acupuncture may help control lower back pain without the added side effects of many pain control medications.

An ancient Eastern science that has been steadily gaining popularity in the West, acupuncture uses the relatively painless placement of tiny needles into various nerve pathways on the body to help stimulate the production of natural pain relievers called endorphins.

(....)

Read the full article on the website.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
7)
Subject: Association of T102C polymorphism of the 5-HT2A receptor gene with pyschiatric status in fibromyalgia syndrome.
Source : Rheumatol Int 2001 Oct;21(2):58-61 Author : Gursoy S, Erdal E, Herken H, Madenci E, Alasehirli B.
Department of PMR, Medical Hospital, Kolejtep Gaziantep, Turkey.
 mailto:gursoysavas@hotmail.com

PMID: 11732859

Serotonin (5-HT) is a key neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. It is suggested that serotonergic dysfunction may be involved in the pathophysiology of fibromyalgia syndrome (FS).

In this study, we aimed to investigate T102C polymorphism of the 5-HT2A receptor gene in FS. Fifty-eight patients with FS and 58 unrelated healthy volunteer controls were included in the study. In both groups, the C/C, C/T, and T/T genotypes of the 5-HT gene were represented in 31% (22.4% in controls), 50% (53.4%), and 19% (24.1%), respectively.

The 5-HT2A receptor gene polymorphism results were not significantly different between patients and controls (chi squared test, P>0.05).

There was a significant correlation between patients with the T/T genotype and the subgroup according to the SCL-90-R test, (analysis of variance, P<0.05). We also saw that patients with the T/T genotype had the lowest pain threshold.

CONCLUSION. T102C polymorphism of the 5-HT2A receptor gene is not associated with the etiology of FS. Our results also indicate that the T/T genotype may be responsible for psychiatric symptoms of FS.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
8)
Subject: Substance P: A New Era, a New Role Source : medscape.com Author : C. Lindsay DeVane, Pharm.D.
URL :
http://rheumatology.medscape.com/PP/Pharmacotherapy/2001/v21.n09/pharm2109.05.deva/pharm2109.05.deva-01.html


Abstract Substance P has been extensively studied and is considered the prototypic neuropeptide of the more than 50 known neuroactive molecules.
The understanding of substance P has evolved beyond the original concept as the pain transmitter of the dorsal horn. Animal and genetic research, recent developments of nonpeptide substance P antagonists, and important changes in the understanding of neurotransmission have each contributed to the current understanding of substance P. After 7 decades, the physiologic role of substance P is known as a modulator of nociception, involved in signaling the intensity of noxious or aversive stimuli.

(....)

Read the full article on the website.

You will need to register to read articles on Medscape, it's free and well worth it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
9)
Subject: Block Painful Nerve 'Memories'--Medicate Preemptively Source : medscape.com Author : Nada Mangialetti, Medical Writer URL : http://health.medscape.com/cx/viewarticle/401813

The more physical pain you had in the past, the more sensitive you'll be to it in the future, say scientists who study pain.

"The nervous system changes in the setting of persistent pain," says Alan Basbaum, PhD, a neuroscientist at the University of California at San Francisco. He has found that nerve cells in your spinal cord can undergo permanent changes as a result of being exposed to pain. These changes can later cause those cells to fire at the slightest stimulation--or with no stimulation--even after your injury has healed.

(....)

Read the full article on the website.

You will need to register to read articles on Medscape.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
10)
Subject: Chronic Muscle Pain Syndrome Source : amazon.com Author : Paul Davidson MD Publication Date: December 4, 2001

Chronic Muscle Pain Syndrome helps people recognize and seek treatment for muscle pain and fatigue, utilizing the seven-step RETRAIN method for fast, safe relief from such conditions as joint swelling, headaches, and sleep disturbances. This book will also help people determine whether or not they suffer from fibrositis and fibromyalgia which, when recognized, is a highly treatable syndrome often caused by stress and mistaken for arthritis, rheumatism, and Epstein-Barr infection.

Dr. Paul Davidson is an arthritis and rheumatism specialist who trained at the Mayo Clinic and the University of California at San Francisco. He has a private practice in Greenbrae, CA and is the founder and director of the Fibromyalgia Clinic at Kentfield (CA) Rehabilitation Hospital. He is an Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCSF and is active in the Arthritis Foundation

 http://www.healthroad.com/krh.htm

 

Help us keep this site alive!
We Need your help...

Designed, developed and owned by
 The Fibromyalgia Community,
a CSSA Partner, (a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation)
 maintained by Chip Davis and Jane Kohler
 Copyright (C) 1997-2004 The Fibromyalgia Community.
All Rights Reserved.

Page Updated: July 31, 2004

 Health Information Disclaimer