The Macomb Daily
July 31, 2007
Maryanne
Kocis MacLeod
Macomb
Daily Staff Writer
"Fibromyalgia
is Real"
Fibromyalgia
just gained a lot of credibility.
Fueled
by recent research, "most doctors" now agree that FM is a specific
medical condition, said Daniel J. Clauw, M.D., a specialist on FM and director
of the Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center at the University of Michigan.
"Companies
like Pfizer have done market research," Clauw said. "Doctors
around the country believe fibromyalgia is real."
Further
contributing to FM's legitimacy - an relief for some sufferers - this summer the
FDA approved pregabalin as the first drug to treat FM.
Fibromyalgia
is a chronic pain illness characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aches,
pain and stiffness, soft tissue tenderness, general fatigue, and sleep
disturbances.
Clauw's
research on FM and how it links to low back pain, stress, and Gulf-War related
illnesses has amplified demand for his work as a writer, speaker, and
consultant.
"My
team has been able to show through brain imaging that the pain people with FM
experience is real and significant," said Clauw, who graduated from
Sterling Heights High School in 1976 and later the University of Michigan
Medical School. "These studies are a big part of why physicians now
take FM seriously."
When Clauw
started championing FM 15 years ago, his mentors at Georgetown said tying
himself to such a misunderstood illness was professional suicide. But
Clauw knew he was onto something.
As a first
year rheumatologist, other docs sent him the cases they didn't know what to do
with: patients with unexplained muscle and joint pain.
"Their
stories were all so similar," Clauw said. "All of these people
couldn't be imagining the same thing."
"At
the time, there was a lot of frustration in the medical community."
Physicians didn't know what FM was, or what to do with it."
A
maverick, he looked for new ways to help patients and advance the research -
which has since put him at the forefront of FM study.
Despite
these advanced, patients still struggle to find a physician willing and able to
treat their FM.
Only six
names appear on the Fibromyalgia Association of Michigan physician referral
list. One of those, Stephen Wilson, M.D., practices in Macomb County.
"That's
not to say there aren't others out there," said Sharon Waldrop, director of
the Fibromyalgia Association of Michigan and the Fibromyalgia Support and
Education Group at St. John Oakland Hospital in Warren.
"A
lot of times it just comes down to doing your own research," Waldrop said.
While
physical medicine doctors and rheumatologists traditionally treated FM,
neurologists are picking up the torch as FM is increasingly seen as a disorder
of the central nervous system.
"You
don't necessarily need an expert," Clauw said. "The key is
finding a doc that believes FM is real and is willing to work with you."
On the
bright side, with pregabalin's recent FDA approval, drug companies will
"spend tens of millions of dollars to educate doctors and the public,"
Clauw said.
"Pregabalin
works by calming the nerves that cause pain in FM patients," explained
Wilson, a physical medicine doctor, certified in acupuncture and pain
management, whose practice is in St. Clair Shores.
"Physicians
like myself have been prescribing pregabalin for FM for a while," said
Wilson, who treats patients with traditional and integrative medicine.
"Now we have the research the back it up."
What makes
FM difficult to understand and treat is that not all patients respond to
treatment or experience FM in the same way. Even within an individual,
pain can move from place to place from day to day - or stay the same; flare up
more severely during certain periods, then recede, Clauw said.
Some
sufferers become bedridden; others lead relatively normal lives - or at least
seem to.
At one
point, Waldrop's main pain source was her thighs; she was unable to climb stairs
and installed a chair lift in her two-story home. Now, her shoulders and
neck post the biggest problem.
A
self-described "health nut," Waldrop exercised six days a week; two
years after graduating from college, she launched the marketing department at a
Troy-based wire and cable distributor.
Then, at
24, she became bedridden with FM and went on disability.
Little
information was available and existing support groups did not offer much hope
for a young woman wanting to build a full life.
"I
found a support group in Oakland County, drove out there - then cried all the
way home," said Waldrop, who resides in Royal Oak, but at the time lived
with her parents in Eastpointe.
I didn't
have kids, wasn't married or even dating and the prospects for any of that
weren't looking very good," she said.
In many
ways, Waldrop was lucky. Most patients spend five to 10 years seeking a
diagnosis. At 17, Waldrop's dentist diagnosed her with TMJ, a jaw joint
disorder that often occurs with FM. He then referred her to a
rheumatologist who confirmed her FM diagnosis.
Still,
Waldrop didn't take the meds the rheumatologist prescribed - anti-depressants -
because she wasn't depressed.
"No
one explained to me the anti-depressants were for helping my sleeping disorder,
which eventually got pretty bad, and was hugely contributing to the pain and my
overall symptoms," Waldrop said.
When the
pain in her legs prevented her from walking, Waldrop's mom unearthed the
pamphlets the rheumatologist gave her - recommending water aerobics through the
Arthritis Foundation.
Waldrop
enrolled, met others with FM, gain some relief, received leadership training
through the Foundation - then used her marketing and organizational skills to
launch the support group.
"I
really thought people in this area needed a place to go," said Waldrop, who
at 34 is now married with two children, ages 3 and 1.
The group
has been meeting at the hospital once a month.
In the
meantime, Waldrop also founded the Fibromyalgia Foundation of Michigan,
organized conferences drawing upwards of 300 people and recently arranged
screenings of the new documentary, "Living with Fibromyalgia" which
chronicles the experience of five patients.
Books,
support groups and Web sites all provide clues on how to get help, each patient
must find his or her own way, Waldrop said.
"How
to find a good doctor is the No. 1 question I get," she said. "I
wish I had an easy answer."
She
advises people to "interview" potential physicians before making an
appointment.
"This
is a huge time and money saver," Waldrop said. "Ask staff is the
doctor treats FM and if yes, how frequently. Second, ask to make sure your
appointment is an interview only."
This way,
patients don't get billed before deciding if a doc is right for them.
"Management
of FM requires lifestyle changes," Waldrop said. "I need
medication, I need to manage my stress, I need good rest and gentle
exercise. FM patients need to be the captain of their own healthcare
team."
Detroit Free Press
January 22, 2007
Cecilia
Oleck
Free
Press Staff Writer
New-age Prescriptions
Metro
Detroit
doctors are using yoga, hypnosis, acupuncture and other therapies alongside
traditional medical treatments
Belinda
Lowe is the kind of patient the medical profession is scrambling to catch up to.
The
43-year-old from
Westland
sees her doctor regularly, exercises and eats well and wants her health care
providers to be as interested in caring for her mind, body and spirit as she is.
And she wants her health care to be as natural as possible.
So
when Lowe decided to have surgery last fall to get her tubes tied, she was
surprised and pleased when the obstetrician/gynecologist suggested that she
undergo hypnosis before surgery rather than receive anesthesia to numb her body
and prevent pain.
The
experience, says Lowe, was like being on a tropical vacation, albeit in a
doctor's office.
"It
was like lying on the beach, it was so serene," says Lowe, a project
manager for a telecommunications company.
Physicians
like Richard Herman, the
Botsford General
Hospital
obstetrician/gynecologist who performed Lowe's hypnosis and surgery, are part
of a new wave in the movement of therapies from the fringes of health care into
mainstream medical circles. Traditional health care providers are responding to
patients like Lowe by offering hypnosis, acupuncture, massage, vitamins, herbal
supplements, meditation, yoga and guided imagery in addition to conventional
medical care.
Much
of what is considered alternative or complementary medicine is aimed at
preventing illness, allowing the body to heal itself naturally and caring for a
person's physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs. It also encourages
people to learn about their health and the options for maintaining or improving
it. For Herman, learning hypnosis and incorporating it into his medical practice
makes sense for him and his patients.
"People
are looking for a better way," says Herman, adding that since last summer,
about 20 patients have opted for hypnosis in place of anesthesia. "If
there's a way we're treating people, there's a way to do it better."
Lowe
says she chose hypnosis because "I would rather see what I could do
holistically before pumping myself with medicines."
Even
the name "alternative" -- used to describe therapies outside the scope
of traditional medicine -- can be misleading now, says Mayo Clinic physician
Brent Bauer. As more health care providers offer such services, it makes sense
to refer to the therapies as complementary or integrative.
"This
whole realm ... is part of our culture now. It's a part of how we take care of
ourselves," says Bauer, who is the director of the Complementary and
Integrative Medicine Program at the Rochester, Minn., health system and editor
of "The Mayo Clinic Guide to Alternative Medicine" (Time Inc. Home
Entertainment, $24.95), a new book that attempts to debunk medical myths and
assess the effectiveness of common alternative treatments. "I suspect in a
few more years we'll just drop all the labels and we'll just talk about good
medicine."
Fueled
by aging baby boomers looking to
exert more control over their health care, the alternative health industry has
grown into an estimated $47-billion annual business, prompting more traditional
health care providers to look at some of the therapies and incorporate them into
their practices.
Many
hospitals -- including
Botsford General
Hospital
, Oakwood Healthcare System, Henry Ford Health System and
St. John
Hospital
and
Medical
Center
in metro
Detroit
-- offer such services.
As
more research is done to validate therapies and as patients request
complementary treatments, doctors are becoming more willing to recommend that
their patients try the therapies, many as a way of relieving chronic pain, says
Maria Wilson, a former physical therapist who manages her husband's medical
office. She is organizing the Healing Through Partnership Expo, with displays
and presentations from alternative and conventional medicine perspectives. It's
scheduled for Saturday at the Best Western Sterling Inn in
Sterling Heights
.
Wilson
's husband is physician Stephen Wilson, whose
St. Clair Shores
practice draws patients seeking pain relief and management.
He
became certified as a medical acupuncturist and began offering other
complementary treatments in his practice when he noticed that many patients were
not satisfied with surgery because it didn't relieve their pain. They would head
to
Canada
or other places to receive alternative treatments.
He
then opened his own practice specializing in pain management and relief using
complementary and conventional medicine.
"Now
I have a whole host of other things that I can choose from to treat them, and
they know it's from a reputable source," says
Wilson
.
Carolyn
Przybysz goes to
Wilson
because she likes the blend of treatments he offers. She has osteoarthritis,
rheumatoid arthritis and myofascial pain syndrome, a condition that causes
extreme muscle pain.
Wilson
treats her with trigger point injections in the painful areas. The injections
are a mixture of Lidocaine -- a traditional anesthetic -- and a plant-based
relaxant called Sarapin in place of steroids, which would be used in
conventional trigger point injections.
The
injections, which she has been getting every few months for the past five years,
ease the pain in her back and neck almost instantly.
"It's
important for me to get it from a doctor," says Przybysz, 58, of
Grosse Pointe Woods
. "I'm wary of a lot of things and I want to investigate the doctor and
make sure that I feel comfortable before I go for any treatments."
That
those who practice conventional
medicine are opening up to nontraditional practices is a good thing for
patients, who will be more in control of their own health care, says Bauer.
"You've
got to stop smoking, be active, eat nutritiously," he says. "That's
the underpinning. None of this stuff is a magic bullet. The key to all this is
having a nice foundation."
As
more doctors and health care providers become interested in complementary
medicine, there will be more research to determine the effectiveness of
treatments, Bauer says, which will benefit patients.
While
many complementary treatments such as massage, acupuncture, and some herbal
supplements have been shown to work, others have not undergone sufficient
research and could be dangerous. Some herbs, vitamins, minerals and other
supplements are unregulated, so their effectiveness is untested.
The
key, Bauer says, is that patients discuss therapies with their doctors and learn
about the treatments that are billed as alternative or complementary.
For
now, many insurance companies won't pay for services that are considered
alternative or complementary. Some insurance policies, like certain Blue Cross
Blue Shield plans, will cover or reimburse for the treatment if it is prescribed
by a doctor.
"As
the demand increases, you'll see more reimbursement for more things," says
Carolyn Brown, a registered nurse and coordinator of the Complementary Therapies
Program at Oakwood hospital, where massages for cancer patients are free.
The
Oakwood program recently expanded from serving only cancer patients to offering
stress and pain relief therapies such as massage, meditation techniques, guided
imagery and acupuncture to anyone.
"It's
kind of nice to have it in a hospital setting. ... You see the results of the
incredible stress that being sick places on people," says Brown. "You
have to find a way to help relieve some of the stress."
Natural
Awakenings
September
2006
Community
Spotlight
Advanced
Physical Medicine, P.C.
Stephen
Wilson, M.D.
St. Clair Shores
Stephen
Wilson, M.D., is board certified in both Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
and Pain Management. He is also certified as a Medical Acupuncturist and offers
his patients nutritional counseling and aqua massage. This broad spectrum of
medical services allows Dr. Wilson to bring together the best of both
conventional and complementary medicine to improve his patients’ quality of
life. His practice is on the cutting edge of technology and patient care.
As
a Physiatrist, pronounced fizz ee at’ trist (a physician specializing in
physical medicine and rehabilitation), and with the additional certification in
Pain Management, Dr. Wilson has the added skills to treat patients with a
variety of acute or chronic painful disorders. These include back and neck pain,
fibromyalgia, sprains/strains and tendonitis, arthritis, multiple sclerosis,
stroke, carpal tunnel syndrome, industrial and sports injuries, and other
issues.
“What
we try to do,” says Dr. Wilson, “is restore and maximize the function,
mobility and self-sufficiency of patients who have suffered a temporary or
permanent disability.”
Dr.
Wilson is also certified in Medical Acupuncture, used to promote natural healing
and reduce pain. Medical Acupuncture differs from ordinary acupuncture in that
it is performed by a licensed physician and is used in combination with
conventional medicine.
One
of the therapeutic offerings of Advanced Physical Medicine is Aqua Massage.
Using the Aqua PT machine, patients receive a whole body water massage while
remaining clothed and dry. Benefits include increased circulation, range of
motion, reduction of muscle spasms, decreased pain and stress reduction.
Dr. Wilson was born and raised in
Detroit, is a graduate of
University
of
Detroit Mercy, Wayne State University School of Medicine, and did his residency at
Schwab
Rehabilitation
Hospital
in Chicago
. His affiliations include
St. John
Hospital
and
Medical
Center,
St. John
Detroit
Riverview
Hospital,
Bon
Secours
Hospital, Cottage
Rehabilitation
Hospital
, and Select
Specialty
Hospital
.
He
has received many honors, including being included in the 2004-2005 edition of
Guide to
America
’s Top Physicians, 2005 and 2006 Hour Detroit Magazine’s Top Docs and a
Proclamation Award from the City of
St. Clair Shores .
“My
ultimate goal,” says Dr. Wilson, “is to help people manage persistent pain
and resume normal lives. I specialized in this area because I know, from the
personal experience of a loved one, how crippling and lonely chronic pain can
be.”
Advanced
Physical Medicine is located in St. Clair Shores at 24345 Harper Ave., between
Nine and Ten Mile. For more information or an appointment call 586-563-3300.
Shores Sentinel
August 31, 2005
Let Dr. Stephen
Wilson Help Improve Your Quality of Life
Finally there is new
hope and a solution for people who suffer from a debilitating loss of mobility
or chronic/acute pain-Dr. Stephen Wilson and Advanced Physical Medicine.
Dr. Wilson is double
board certified in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (the specialty of
Physiatry), and Pain Management. Dr.
Wilson was born and raised in Detroit
and is a graduate of
University
of Detroit
Mercy
and Wayne State University School of Medicine.
He did his residency at Schwab
Rehabilitation
Hospital
in Chicago. He is affiliated with Bon Secours,
St. John, and Cottage
Rehabilitation
Hospitals
.
As a physiatrist, his
goal is to restore and maximize the function, mobility, and independence of
those who have sustained a temporary or permanent disability.
Dr. Wilson uses tests such as electromyography and nerve conduction
studies, which evaluate nerve and muscle functions.
He
treats a wide array of patients, including but not limited to those with back,
neck, and other acute or chronic disorders, fibromyalgia, musculoskeletal
injuries (sprains/strains), multiple sclerosis, strokes, workplace injuries, and
sports injuries. He has a particular
interest in back pain management.
Dr.
Wilson’s ultimate goal of pain management is to help people manage persistent
pain and resume normal lives. “This
is my passion…and from the personal experience of a loved one, I know how
crippling and lonely chronic pain can be so I specialized in the area.
I also continue to seek innovative ways to treat patients as with
acupuncture, aqua massage, Supartz, prolotherapy, and more,” states Dr.
Wilson.
Dr.
Wilson is also a certified medical acupuncturist, who is a licensed physician
who uses acupuncture in conjunction with, or in some case as an alternative to,
traditional medicine. Acupuncture
works by inserting needles into precise pints on the body and applying heat or
electrical stimulation to promote natural healing and pain reduction.
He has found success in the use of acupuncture, not only for patients
with pain but also for those seeking to stop smoking or lose weight.
Another
treatment option available at his office is aqua massage, a machine that
provides a complete body massage while the patient remains clothed and dry.
A massage is delivered by 36 computer-controlled water jets with heat and
adjustable water pressure along three sides of the body.
Benefits include increased circulation, increased range of motion,
reduced muscle spasms, decreased pain and stress reduction.
No referral is needed for aqua massage and walk ins are welcome.
Some insurance plans cover aqua massage and acupuncture.
Advanced
Physical Medicine is located at 24345 Harper Ave., between 9 and 10 Mile,
St. Clair Shores. The phone number is (586)
563-3300.
He is also certified as a
Medical Acupuncturist and offers his patients nutritional counseling and aqua
massage. This broad spectrum of medical services allows Dr. Wilson to bring
together the best of both conventional and complementary medicine to improve his
patients’ quality of life. His practice is on the cutting edge of technology
and patient care.
As a Physiatrist,
pronounced fizz ee at’ trist (a physician specializing in physical medicine
and rehabilitation), and with the additional certification in Pain Management,
Dr. Wilson has the added skills to treat patients with a variety of acute or
chronic painful disorders. These include back and neck pain, fibromyalgia,
sprains/strains and tendonitis, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, stroke, carpal
tunnel syndrome, industrial and sports injuries, and other issues.
“What we try to
do,” says Dr. Wilson, “is restore and maximize the function, mobility and
self-sufficiency of patients who have suffered a temporary or permanent
disability.”
Dr. Wilson is also
certified in Medical Acupuncture, used to promote natural healing and reduce
pain. Medical Acupuncture differs from ordinary acupuncture in that it is
performed by a licensed physician and is used in combination with conventional
medicine.
One of the therapeutic
offerings of Advanced Physical Medicine is Aqua Massage. Using the Aqua PT
machine, patients receive a whole body water massage while remaining clothed and
dry. Benefits include increased circulation, range of motion, reduction of
muscle spasms, decreased pain and stress reduction.
Dr. Wilson was born and raised in Detroit, is a graduate of University
of Detroit Mercy, Wayne State University School of Medicine, and did his residency at
Schwab
Rehabilitation
Hospital
in
Chicago. His affiliations include St. John
Hospital
and Medical
Center, St. John
Detroit
Riverview
Hospital, Bon
Secours
Hospital, Cottage
Rehabilitation
Hospital, and Select
Specialty
Hospital.
He has received many
honors, including being included in the 2004-2005 edition of Guide to
America
’s Top Physicians, 2005 and 2006 Hour Detroit Magazine’s Top Docs and a
Proclamation Award from the City of St. Clair Shores.
Advanced Physical
Medicine is located in St. Clair Shores at 24345 Harper Ave., between Nine and
Ten Mile. For more information or an appointment call 586-563-3300.
The Connection
September 20, 2001
Source of Pain may
be Myofascial
Myofascial pain syndrome is a
condition of the soft tissues or muscles. Patients
experience muscle pain and have specific “trigger points” which can be made
worse with activity or stress. It is
believed that many people suffering from pain or lack of motion may be
experiencing myofascial problems, but often patients are misdiagnosed, while
other never receive a specific diagnosis or treatment for their pain.
The myofascia is the largest
organ of the body, made up of tough connective tissue.
It provides shape and texture, and connects one part of the body to
another, allowing movement. The
myofascia forms a “web” which flows from the head to the foot without
interruption, surrounding muscles, bones, nerves, blood vessels, and organs.
If you’ve ever handled raw chicken, you already know what the myofascia
is – that think, mucous-like membrane that lies between the skin and meat.
Trigger
Points
In myofascial pain syndrome,
trigger points are the source of discomfort.
They are extremely painful areas of tight muscle and myofascia.
The area can become so tight that when examined, it feels as if the
muscle has “bunched up” into bands or ropes.
This happens because muscle fibers shorten, and a rope-like swelling –
or knot – occurs in the muscle.\
Events such as repetitive
motion injury, trauma, muscle strain, falls, auto accidents, stress, chilling,
joint or nerve damage, and illness can start a cascade of trigger points.
There are two types of
myofascial trigger points – active and latent.
