Do you ache all over and have difficulty sleeping? I'm Dr. David DeRose. Fibromyalgia in a moment on WellnessWise.

Fibromyalgia is a condition of inflamed muscles and tendons. Although patients with the disorder may fear that they are developing arthritis, the disease actually does not affect the joints.

Estimates are that as many as 6 million Americans suffer from fibromyalgia. Still other experts think the numbers are greater with perhaps as many as 1 in 20 Americans having this condition. Some rheumatologists say that fibromyalgia is the most common condition seen in their practices, especially among women younger than 50.

Fibromyalgia is characterized by tender muscle groups in all main areas of the body. It especially affects the muscle groups that support the neck, spine, shoulders, and hips. Other conditions are often associated with fibromyalgia. These include: a high level of tension and stress, sleep disturbance, pre-menstrual syndrome, sensitivity to cold temperatures, spastic colon, and headaches.

Fibromyalgia is not life threatening and does not cause any permanent destruction to body tissues. Nonetheless, it can cause long term problems including a dramatic drop in ones' energy level.

There are a number of helpful treatments for this condition. We will look at some in our next program.

For WellnessWise, I'm Dr. David DeRose.

Source: Fibromyalgia material packet from the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) distributed November 1994

FIBROMYALGIA--PART II

Fatigue and muscle soreness may be signs of a treatable disease. I'm Dr. David DeRose, dealing with Fibromyalgia in a moment on WellnessWise.

Fibromyalgia, a condition of inflamed muscles and tendons, is estimated to affect as many as 6 million Americans. Although the disease is not life threatening, it can cause long term problems including a dramatic drop in ones' energy level.

Fortunately some simple steps can go a long way to help patients deal with the disease and make improvement. Some of the goals in fibromyalgia treatment are as follows:

1. Improve restorative sleep: Avoid or deal with factors that are known to interfere with what is called stage 4 sleep. These ":restorative sleep robbers" include: alcohol, family factors, noise, pain, sleep apnea and stress.

2. Treat anxiety and relax muscles. Drug medication is not necessary to reach these goals. Consider massage, sedative baths, stretching exercises, and stress management.

3. Correct misuse of muscles: learn proper body posture at rest and proper body mechanics for activities. Aerobic conditioning is usually helpful if started gradually.

For WellnessWise, I'm Dr. David DeRose.

Source: same as previous script.

CANCER BLOOD TESTS

Blood tests for cancer--how valuable are they? I'm Dr. David DeRose. We'll find out in a moment on WellnessWise.

Are there any blood tests that are of clear value in detecting early cases of cancer? "NO" says a 1995 Mayo Clinic Update.

As far as the general population is concerned: none of the many cancer blood tests has shown any clear value in detecting cancer.

Some of you may be wondering why the Mayo Clinic did not endorse the use of Prostate Specific Antigen (known as PSA).

It is true that some physicians are recommending that all men over 50 have this blood test. But there are problems with the test--and the benefits are not clear at this point. Consequently, the Mayo Clinic says the use of PSA to detect cancer in healthy men is "controversial."

On the other hand, the Mayo clinic did state that PSA _is_ useful to monitor men who have already been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Mayo uses other cancer blood tests --but all of them are used in conditions where disease has already been demonstrated--usually to monitor a known cancer.

The bottom line is that some cancer blood tests are useful AFTER cancer has been diagnosed--but none are of any proven value in picking up a cancer in a person without disease signs or symptoms.

A healthy lifestyle still appears to offer more potential for cancer prevention than even the most high tech blood tests.

For WellnessWise, I'm Dr. David DeRose.

References: "The Clinical Use of Tumor Markers," Mayo Clinical Update 11(1):5-6, Winter, 1995

SECTION III

SCIENCE/HEALTH ABSTRACTS

Phylis Austin, an Emory University medical research librarian and author, continues to allow us to reprint portions of back issues of her bimonthly periodical called "Science/Health Abstracts." I continue my attempts to select from "Science/Health Abstracts" material that is not getting much current coverage (even though the articles in some cases may have first been published some time ago). Send e-mail to WEJ for information on obtaining current issues of "Science/Health Abstracts."

The abstracts included in this issue originally appeared in: Volume 11, Number 5, copyright 1992 by Phylis A. Austin.

CHILLING/URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS

Long-term use of a vaginal pessary for vaginal prolapse may cause irritation, which in turn, may lead to cancer. A study of 68 patients in France revealed that the mean interval between pessary insertion and the development of cancer was about 18 years. (Cancer 69:2505-2509, 1992)

SECTION IV PARTING WORDS

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