For decades I struggled with pain and didn’t know the source of it or why. I went to many doctors who dismissed me as soon as they took one look at me. Telling me that it must be all in my head, because I had absolutely no reason to be in pain. As a professional dancer you dance no matter how painful and you try to “forget” the pain but now in my 40’s it was getting harder and harder to do that. I was becoming miserable to my friends and family because I didn’t tell them that I was in pain because who wants to complain every day - eventually they just think you want sympathy and that you are a whiner. I was miserable, until I developed a Yoga Practice. I fell into Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga by accident, but I feel it was by design. The heat, the spiritually and the discipline fit my style exactly. After my first class with my teacher Baron Baptiste in 2003, I felt absolutely pain free, probably the first time since 1980. I didn’t know why, but I knew that I had to investigate it further. I found an incredible doctor in my local area who is a wonderful diagnostician and he did a battery of tests on me. The test results came back and I was told that I had Lupus. Long story short, it turned out to be Fibromyalgia not Lupus. My immune system was so depleted that it had thrown me into symptomatic lupus but the real cause for my pain was Fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a widespread musculoskeletal pain and fatigue disorder. Fibromyalgia means pain in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons—the soft fibrous tissues in the body. Most patients say that they ache all over. Their muscles may feel like they were pulled or overworked. Sometimes the muscles twitch and other times they burn. More women than men are afflicted with fibromyalgia (75% versus 25%) and it shows up in people of all ages.
What causes fibromyalgia? Although the cause is not known, there appear to be many triggering events that often precipitate its onset. Examples include: infections (bacterial or viral), physical trauma (such as an automobile accident), or the development of another disorder, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or hypothyroidism. These triggering events probably do not cause fibromyalgia, but rather, they may awaken an underlying physiological abnormality that is already present. My years of dancing and abusing my body (eating disorders, over exertion, divorce & STRESS) probably had a lot to do with it.
Yoga (no matter what style) is excellent for (FMS) - it reduces stress, lubricates the joints, stretches the tendons, fascia & connective tissue so the muscles can relax when not in use. Yoga & Meditation helps you to understand your body from the inside out and only you know how you feel or if something is wrong. So be your own health advocate and listen to your intuition, recognize the power within to know what is right for you. Be honest with your friends and family and let them know how you are feeling, only then can they help you. Hugs really work for me!
“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” ~ Unknown
For more information on Fibromyalgia Symptom (FMS) - www.fmaware.org
Namaste
Sharon Wells
Yoga On Chocolate Owner | Certified Yoga Teacher e-RYT 500, CBPYT | Hershey, PA
