Fybromyalgia

Fibromyalgia and the Mind Body Spirit connection.
by William Salt and Edwin Season, Parkview Publishing 2000

This book surprised me. On cursory examination it seemed to be a rather simplistic and uninteresting popular book about Fibromyalgia, starting off on a bad foot by confusing trigger points and tender points. Having actually read it carefully, however, I now realise my first impression was misleading. Although not in complete sympathy with everything about the book it does seem to me the most satisfying account of Fibromyalgia and other related conditions that I have come across.

It is a popular book, set out with very short chapters and some people might find it a bit patronising, but this can easily disguise the depth of thinking and experience which lies behind the simple exterior. The book has a strong theoretical underpinning which seeks to go beyond the 'is Fibromyalgia mental or biological?’ debate, stressing the interconnectedness of mind and body. This is further strengthened by bringing spirit into the equation which includes 'the mystifying healing power of belief, faith and spirit'. As a Christian I found this encouraging as it enables me to bring my faith into the healing process without being regarded as a weirdo. Yet combined with this openness to the spirit there is a thorough going engagement with science -- the MindBodySpirit connection is rooted in an analysis of neuropeptides, placebos and the autonomic nervous system. I am not able to judge how good the science is, but it seems at every point to be sober and sensible.

One of the most useful aspects of the book is its wide perspective from a pathologist with a particular interest in irritable bowel syndrome. This seems to help them identify the wide range of Mind-Body-Spirit syndromes and the connections between them as well as their specific characteristics. This seems to me close to my lay (and slightly cheeky!) concept of CUD -- condition of uncertain diagnosis. It points the way to an analysis beyond the reckless piling up of symptoms for Fibromyalgia and ME. Rather we can look at the specific syndrome -- the overall body pain of Fibromyalgia, the specific body pain of myofacial pain syndrome, the fatigue of ME, the discomfort of irritable bowel syndrome etc and recognise the connections, but also see them as discrete conditions which need focused attention of their own.

Having set their theoretical framework the book looks towards a 'new and shared language' to bridge the gap between doctors and their patients which is so familiar in this field "With each passing year, the gap between doctor and patient widens, as doctors retreat increasingly into a shell of resentment and patients become ever more exasperated with the impersonality of care". There follows a straightforward description of their understanding of Fibromyalgia before looking at the nature of healing which they believe 'comes from within', but without rejecting the usefulness of outside interventions. The rest of the book takes us through the various treatments that are available. These descriptions are generally very good, although I would argue with them about their understanding of trigger points and how to treat them. Also I found the book somewhat relentlessly upbeat, lacking an awareness of approaches which embrace pain and sorrow rather than simply seeking to overcome. This may well be about cultural difference, however -- the book is American which does, on the flip side, mean that it is more open to faith and religion.

Generally this is a book to be heartily recommended. It is a medical approach to Fibromyalgia but a warmhearted and open one -- if only all doctors were like this!

Fybromyalgia - Book Review