Positive Health Online

Republished from dramir.com

http://dramir.com/blog/archives/1561-Recovery-from-Fibromyalgia.html 

For the last 13 months, I have been a patient of Dr Amir. I have a retrognathic jaw, which he has been working to improve. I contacted him because I thought he could help me with my symptoms of ‘Fibromyalgia’.

by Mikael Häggström - Image: File:Frau-2.jpg by Ralf Roletschek (User:Marcela), CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7039490

I am 66 years old with a 3-year diagnosis of fibromyalgia, which was preceded by IBS or at any rate a gut infection (although the NHS seems unable to accept gut infections because they do not have the facilities to do the necessary tests). Labs in The States are set up to advise you if you are able to pay. I had dientamoeba fragilis overgrowth which Australian Doctor, Graham Exelby, has linked to IBS. How long before doctors in the U.K. catch up, or even acknowledge that digestive enzymes can help?

This review is to inform anyone suffering from FMS/CFS/IBS/ME that Dr Amir may be able to make fundamental improvements to your health by adjustments to the teeth and jaws. At our first meeting, Dr Amir asked what reason I had to go on living. In the mould of the great German doctor, Groddeck, I could see he was ascertaining whether my spirit was prepared for a fight. That is the power of belief to invoke magic.

Structurally my body has never been as Mother Nature intended. I lost an adult tooth in the lower jaw as a child and was advised to have my wisdom teeth removed in my 20s since they were a nuisance to clean. From this time, I regularly had stiff necks and tailbone, which I learned, could be ‘maintained’ by visceral osteopathy and cranial sacral therapy, but it is possible to overwork the mechanism. Dr Amir likes to point out this is hardly a cure.

In my 40s I had an adjustment to the cuboid in my left foot, which led to a spell of labyrinthitis [inflammation of the inner ear]. Gradually I lost the ability to cry (I used eye drops) or feel a concomitant emotional release and then a little before the physical collapse, I had tense shoulders and neck which could not relax however consciously I tried.

I began to get a lot of pressure and throbbing at the base of my brain and by the time, I found Dr Amir my breathing was restricted. I had to drag myself slowly across Putney Bridge from the tube station to reach him. Dr Amir spent some months correcting my dental arches. The first improvement I noticed was in the duration and depth of sleep. My breathing improved although I seem to have some shrinkage of my diaphragm muscles. My energy levels improved.

I have had tests on mitochondria done privately that show DNA damage, I still have pains in my legs most of the time, and occasional muscle spasms but I am only 1/3 of the way through treatment. I am writing now to endorse Dr Amir’s treatment as, for the last few months, since Dr Amir started to bring my lower jaw forwards I have had a tremendous release from pressure at the base of my brain. The permanent ache in my right shoulder blade has lessened.

I can cry with laughter or sadness, I have a big increase in the variety of words spouting from my tongue - (I keep thinking where did that word come from - have I ever used it before and was my brain really storing it for years without use?)

Most impressively, I look at least 10 years younger. The ageing process seems to have gone into reverse and I have now reached my teenage years and am looking forward to my second childhood! Ha, ha.

I believe my endocrine and neurological systems stopped functioning properly because of pressure on the limbic brain; this has had a knock on effect on cardiovascular, digestive, and respiratory systems in particular. I have some permanent damage - sometimes my left arm, hand, ring finger twitch but I am enjoying life again.

In reigniting my enthusiasm, I regard Dr Amir as a healer in the true sense of the word. TMJ dentists are the new healers. So glad that I am able to avoid all those ghastly drugs, tests, pain relief that is all that conventional western medicine has to offer due to its specializations leading to a fractured approach.

Lucie Webb

(This testimonial was also posted on Google reviews by the patient)

Bumbling befuddlement of illness especially Fibromyalgia

There is widespread belief that there are many overlapping illnesses. Clinicians are taught, to concentrate on trying to differentially diagnose them so that they can be appropriately pigeonholed. Here are some cockeyed assumptions or concoctions used as teaching models for clinicians:

"Chronic widespread pain (CWP), the "hallmark symptom" of Fibromyalgia: is defined by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) as pain present in at least 2 contralateral body quadrants and the axial skeleton and persisting for at least 3 months. These patients are also purported to experience higher rates of psychological distress.”

My Comment:

Experience shows that these patients actually have a jaw dysfunction and they need not live with pain for the rest of their lives nor wait three months before commencing treatment.

"Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), Fibromyalgia (FM), and temporomandibular disorder (TMD) share many clinical illness features:

These are myalgia, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and impairment in the ability to perform activities of daily living as a consequence of these symptoms.”

My Comment:

Experience shows that nothing in these conditions is "shared". Patients almost exclusively have a TMJ disorder leading up to the symptoms listed above.

"A growing literature suggests that a variety of comorbid illnesses also may commonly coexist in these patients:

This includes irritable bowel syndrome, chronic tension-type headache, and interstitial cystitis."

My Comment:

Again, these symptoms are a consequence of TMJ dysfunction and there is no "co-morbidity" at all.

"A number of hormones and neuropeptides regulating pain, well-being and stress are shown to play important roles in the association between stress perception and pain reception:

Long-lasting derangements in the stress axis may induce several neuroendocrine modifications, giving rise to many of the symptoms seen in chronic pain syndromes, including Fibromyalgia."

My Comment:

A simple jaw problem taken to the heights of absurdity!

Conventional advice about NHS recommendations for Fibromyalgia and related labels as listed are:

Painkillers: Simple painkillers such as paracetamol, can sometimes help relieve the pain associated with fibromyalgia. Your GP may prescribe a stronger painkiller, such as codeine or Tramadol. However, these painkillers can be addictive and their effect tends to weaken over time. This means that your dose may need to be gradually increased and you could experience withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking them. Other side effects include diarrhoea and fatigue (extreme tiredness).

Antidepressants: Antidepressant medication can also help to relieve pain for some people with fibromyalgia. They boost the levels of certain chemicals that carry messages to and from the brain, known as neurotransmitters. Low levels of neurotransmitters may be a factor in fibromyalgia, and it is believed that increasing their levels may ease the widespread pain associated with the condition.

Antidepressants used to treat fibromyalgia include:

• Tricyclic antidepressants – such as Amitriptyline;
• Serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) – such as Duloxetine and Venlafaxine;
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) – such as Fluoxetine and Paroxetine;
• A medication called Pramipexole, which is not an antidepressant, but also affects the levels of neurotransmitters, is sometimes used as well.

Antidepressants can cause a number of side effects, including:

• Feeling sick;
• Dry mouth;
• Drowsiness;
• Feeling agitated, shaky or anxious;
• Dizziness;
• Weight gain;
• Constipation.

Medication to help you sleep: As fibromyalgia can affect your sleeping patterns, you may want medicine to help you sleep. If you are sleeping better, you may find that other symptoms are not as severe;

Muscle relaxants: If you have muscle stiffness or spasms (when the muscles contract painfully) because of fibromyalgia, your GP may prescribe a short course of a muscle relaxant, such as diazepam;

Anticonvulsants: You may also be prescribed an anticonvulsant (anti-seizure) medicine, as these can be effective for those with fibromyalgia. The most commonly used anticonvulsants for fibromyalgia are Pregabalin and Gabapentin. These are normally used to treat epilepsy, but research has shown they can improve the pain associated with fibromyalgia in some people. Some common side effects of Pregabalin and Gabapentin include:

• Dizziness;
• Drowsiness;
• Swelling of your hands and feet (oedema);
• Weight gain.

Antipsychotics: Antipsychotic medicines, also called neuroleptics, are sometimes used to help relieve long-term pain. Studies have shown that these medications may help conditions such as fibromyalgia, but further research is needed to confirm this.
Possible side effects include:

• Drowsiness;
• Tremors (shaking);
• Restlessness.

Hot on the heels of such advice a new patient walked in and had the following to say:

"I have been ill for 27 years suffering from extreme exhaustion and severe muscle and joint pain. I have had numerous diagnoses such as CFS & Fibromyalgia & Arthritis (Sjögren’s syndrome), hypermobility and depression. Having come across your website and various blog posts I am now wondering if this is all related to my painful and locking Jaw that I have had for many years. Hoping that you can help.

"My current medication is:

• Buprenorphine Patches (Morphine)15 Micrograms/hour.
• Tramadol 50mg 3 x daily.
• Naproxen 500mg 1 x daily.
• Hydroxychloroquine 200mg (immune suppressant) two x daily.
• Mirtazapine (anti depressant) 30mg 1 x daily.
• FemSeven Sequi patches (HRT)"
• Ventolin (Salbutamol) inhaler 100mcg four times a day"

The patient further adds, "I have suffered for 27 years with chronic exhaustion and severe muscle and joint pains. I first became ill following a bad viral infection aged 22 during my pregnancy with my daughter. Despite exhaustive tests and multiple different diagnoses from many different medical professionals

"I remain locked in a cycle of pain and exhaustion, unable to work and left with no alternatives but to rely on ever stronger pain relief."

It is interesting to try to decipher what the patients are actually being given compared to the very innocuous looking advice put out by the NHS as listed earlier in this article:

Buprenorphine

is an opioid used to treat opioid addiction, acute and chronic pain.

Side effects may include respiratory depression (decreased breathing), sleepiness, adrenal insufficiency, QT prolongation, low blood pressure, allergic reactions, and opioid addiction. Can cause severe withdrawal symptoms so care and supervision advised.

Tramadol

is an opioid - pain medication used to treat severe pain.

Common side effects include constipation, itchiness, and nausea. Serious side effects may include seizures, increased risk of serotonin syndrome, decreased alertness, and drug addiction. It is not recommended in those who are at risk of suicide.

Naproxen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

Common adverse effects include central nervous system effects (e.g. dizziness and headache), blood effects (e.g. bruising), allergic reactions (e.g. rash), and gastrointestinal complaints (e.g. heartburn and stomach ulcers). It has an intermediate risk of stomach ulcers compared to other drugs in the same class (NSAIDs). NSAIDs appear to increase the risk of serious cardiovascular events. Serious drug interactions may occur in combinations with other drugs that affect the blood, or with drugs that also increase the risk of ulcers.

Hydroxychloroquine is a medication used for the prevention and treatment of certain types of malaria. Other uses include treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and porphyria.

Common side effects include vomiting, headache, changes in vision and muscle weakness. Severe side effects may include allergic reactions.

Mirtazapine is an antidepressant primarily used to treat depression.

Common side effects include increased appetite, sleepiness, and dizziness. Serious side effects may include increased suicide among children, mania, and low white cell blood count. Withdrawal symptoms may occur with stopping. It also has strong antihistamine effects, which contribute to its prominent side effect of drowsiness.

Ventolin inhaler belongs to a class of drugs known as bronchodilators. It works in the airways by opening breathing passages and relaxing muscles. Side effects can bring about:

• Nervousness;
• Shaking (tremor);
• Headaches;
• Mouth/throat dryness or irritation, changes in taste;
• A persistent cough;
• Nausea;
• Dizziness;
• Raised blood pressure;
• Fast/pounding heartbeat;
• Chest pain;
• Irregular heartbeat;
• Rapid breathing;
• Confusion;
• Rarely, this medication has caused severe, sudden worsening of breathing problems/asthma.

This is a pitiful state of affairs. Alarmingly, what I deduce from the adverse side effects of these medications is that they actually cause or perpetuate patient symptomatology. In other words, the side effect derived symptoms than become the basis of the Fibromyalgia illness spectrum!

Despite numerous very addictive medications, the patient remains in a cycle of "pain and exhaustion". Such patients already have a serious breathing problem. Prescribing them opioids with their depressive effect on breathing is a serious error of judgment. Opioids are the major killers in the USA at the present time. From this patient's experience, it is clear that the opioids do not help. Such patients also have a serious bowel problem including heartburn. Prescribing them NSAIDs is heresy. Also prescribing an antidepressant, which increases anxiety and depresses breathing, is plain wrong.

After a month since starting treatment our new patient reports:

"I am showing some early signs of improvement particularly with my breathing and my brain fog has started lifting and feels much clearer. I have however been far too excited to really sleep properly yet, but am hopeful of feeling much better when my over excitement calms down and I get some much-needed sleep.

“I have found that I have not needed to take the Naproxen since Saturday so that is also looking promising. All being well I will start to wean myself of some of the other medication, especially Tramadol, in consultation with my GP soon."

"Here is a brief update as to how my first week since starting treatment has been:

“Saturday having just left your surgery My Husband asks how I am feeling and I am shocked to hear myself reply. “I feel like I have awoken from a dream, my mind is clear without the brain fog that has clouded everything for years, my breathing is so easy and relaxed and the world suddenly looks a much brighter place”. We return to the hotel for some much-needed rest before our journey home on Sunday.

“Sunday sees us still in shock my breathing through the night has been much better and I wake feeling more refreshed than I have for a long while. The journey home sees me reaching for my sunglasses despite the overcast day, as mentioned yesterday everything seems much brighter & clearer. My muscles also seem less sore and despite still being painful, the 3-hour journey back home is far more comfortable than the one down just two days before.

“Monday finds me somewhat down as over-excitement from the weekend leads to a poor night's sleep and the associated pain and exhaustion that comes from not enough quality rest.

“Tuesday Wednesday Thursday are all good days where I see much improvement particularly with my breathing, my body feels much more relaxed and I even manage a little walk round to my mother's house this would normally be a challenge but this time it feels like 'I am walking on air'.

“Friday is painful and sees me crashing back down to earth with a bump, sadness and anxiety mean another poor sleep, sadness that I had not found you earlier and anxiety that your treatment of me might only be possible for a few months. I am so desperate for this to work and hope that today is just a little blip.

“Saturday following a better sleep and reassuring words from my husband and again I begin to see much improvement. I am happy today and dare to dream, I shall see what the next week brings and keep you posted.

“We remain optimistic and thank you once again for starting me on this treatment and look forward to seeing you in January."

Comment: At the early stages of treatment, patients do get many ups and downs. The symptoms are usually fewer and of shorter duration and intensity. The drugs being taken by the patient can also interfere and an element of unpredictably is always present. It all starts settling down some three months down the road. In the meantime, the patient is encouraged to take their focus off their unwellness and try very simple exercises like Pilates or pursue some other hobby like writing, reading or drawing.

There are purportedly 800,000 patients with supposed "Fibromyalgia" in the UK. Can you imagine the cost to the NHS? The drugs are usually 10% of the cost of looking after such patients. The consultants and hospital services consume the rest up. No wonder that the NHS is such a huge conduit for the medico-industrial complex draining the treasury of your tax remittances.

Did I recently read somewhere that the NHS needs 50,000 staff and are contemplating importing them from, I do not know where? Closing the Fibromyalgia hospital departments would make available perhaps, 100,000 staff who can be deployed in more useful occupations elsewhere in the NHS!

I have read hundreds of medical articles about these illnesses over many years. There is absolutely no mention anywhere that the jaw asymmetry, TMJ dysfunction or malocclusions could be the cause of the patients' symptoms.

It should be mandatory for clinicians to check for TMJ dysfunction in their differential diagnosis otherwise they leave themselves open to litigation.

Do not expect the ruling bodies to dish out such altruistic advice. They are probably in the business of protecting the dispensers, not the victims, no matter how much they purport to convince you of the otherwise!

A court of law will.

If the problem is emanating from the jaws no drug is ever going to fix the patient and hence lifelong crippling chronic illness.

Acknowledgement Citation

Republished from dramir.com

http://dramir.com/blog/archives/1561-Recovery-from-Fibromyalgia.html 

Editorial Comment from Dr Amir's Home Page – http://dramir.com/index.php

Every patient has a right to get relief from their chronic illness.
The present success rate that medicine achieves for many of the above listed illnesses is close to ZERO.

Every dentist should be allowed to treat patients suffering from illnesses or symptoms listed above after appropriate training. Dental regulatory authorities and the board appointees individually, (as happened in a recent USA case) should be penalized for denying or hounding dentists delivering such treatment.

"Dental regulatory authorities have gained tremendous power over dentists’ ability to practice dentistry, and while standards are needed to protect patients, dental regulatory authorities frequently misuse that power. License revocation, needless harassment, and other career-ending punishments are being used to stifle free speech, free thinking and the open-minded investigation that should be a cornerstone of science itself."

I wholly endorse the above statement. I further call upon the government in the UK to urgently appoint a dental Ombudsman to protect the rights of patients and dentists. Both should be able to lodge a complaint against unfairness and uncalled for hounding as numerous dental surgeons have faced. This seems to be the only outfit where members pay millions of pounds in subscriptions to fund the lifestyle of the 350 plus employees only to be crucified later for the slightest irregularity.