Fibromyalgia is topic of April 23 seminar at SIC

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Fibromyalgia is a disease that is often misunderstood.

Harrisburg Medical Center, the Arthritis Foundation and SIC are planning a seminar that could clear up some of the mystery about the debilitating condition. Paula Reeves, branch director of the Arthritis Foundation, will give a presentation noon Thursday, April 23 in the faculty dining room at SIC in hopes of clearing up some misconceptions and offering help to people who have the disease.

"Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder with varying symptoms, so it is difficult to diagnose," Reeves said. "There is no definitive diagnosis for the disease."

Some doctors eliminate everything else, then determine a patient must have fibromyalgia. Some doctors don't recognize the diagnosis at all, Reeves said.

The cause of fibromyalgia is unclear. Some theories suggest trauma or injury; other researchers are looking at infectious agents as the source, Reeves said.

About 10 to 11 million people in the United States suffer from fibromyalgia, mainly women. The symptoms sometimes mirror menopause, so sometimes it is dismissed as a particularly bad case of menopause.

"Sometimes physicians will say, 'it's all in your head,'" Reeves said.

The Arthritis Foundation wants to let people know the disease is real, the pain is real and not something that should be dismissed, Reeves said.

Reeves plans to stress a management approach that includes education, medication, exercise and cognitive behavior changes.

Education involves both patient and family. The pain of fibromyalgia is real, but there are things that can be done about it, including medication to treat the pain and other symptoms.

Exercise is the most difficult part of a treatment plan because it is hard to convince someone that exercise will bring pain relief, Reeves said. It is also hard for a person to exercise when he is in pain. Exercise improves oxygen flow to muscles and improves sleep and energy levels. Sleep problems are common among people with fibromyalgia.

Cognitive behavior changes are also challenging. It involves retraining the brain to have a different reaction to the illness. It may involve yoga, meditation, deep breathing -- anything that works for a patient, Reeves said.

Reeves' presentation will also include a question-and-answer session.

--You may call Marsha Oliboni at Harrisburg Medical Center at 253-7671 ext. 369 by April 15 to make reservations. A free lunch will be served.