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Fibromyalgia is perhaps the most frustrating diagnosis a patient can receive. For years, patients were told it was “all in their heads” or simply a manifestation of depression. While the medical community has largely moved past this, the standard treatment options remain woefully inadequate: antidepressants, exercise (which often hurts), and acceptance therapy.
At Breakthrough Pain & Performance, we want you to know that we believe you. We know that the pain is real. We know that the fatigue is crushing. We know that the “fibro fog” makes you feel like you are losing your intellect.
Fibromyalgia is not a muscle disease; it is a disorder of the Central Nervous System. It is a state of maladaptive neuroplasticity where the volume control for sensation is broken. It involves the immune system, the autonomic nervous system, and the sensory processing centres of the brain. By treating it as a neurological condition rather than a musculoskeletal one, we can achieve results that standard therapies cannot.
Recent research has shown that approximately 50 percent of people diagnosed with Fibromyalgia actually have Small Fiber Polyneuropathy (SFPN). This is a condition where the tiny nerve endings in the skin (which detect pain and temperature) become damaged or lose density.
This damage causes the signals sent to the brain to be erratic and amplified. This leads to Allodynia—the sensation where a non-painful stimulus, like a gentle hug or the weight of bedsheets, causes burning pain.
The brain receives these erratic signals and assumes the body is under attack. It responds by triggering a massive protective response: widespread muscle tension. This is why your muscles feel like hard rocks or knots. They are not the cause of the pain; they are the brain’s attempt to “armour” you against the perceived threat.
We treat this by focusing on Sensory Re-education. We use specific, non-threatening textures and stimuli to retrain the brain’s interpretation of touch. By carefully grading the input, we can teach the brain to stop interpreting light touch as danger, reducing the allodynia and allowing the muscles to finally relax.
A key driver of Fibromyalgia symptoms is Glial Cell Activation. Glial cells (specifically Microglia and Astrocytes) are the immune cells of the brain. In a healthy brain, they are dormant “housekeepers.” In a Fibromyalgia brain, they are activated “warriors.”
When activated, these cells release inflammatory chemicals (cytokines) into the spinal cord and brain. This creates a soup of neuro-inflammation. This inflammation irritates the neurons, making them fire too easily.
This neuro-inflammation is responsible for the “Fibro Fog”—the cognitive decline, memory loss, and difficulty concentrating. It is also responsible for the flu-like malaise and fatigue. Essentially, your brain thinks you have a severe viral infection 24/7.
Our treatment targets the drivers of this activation. We look for hidden sources of inflammation in the body—such as gut dysbiosis, chronic viral load, or unhealed trauma—that are keeping the Glial cells in “warrior mode.” We use Vagus Nerve Stimulation to activate the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, which acts as a “ceasefire” signal to the immune system.
Fibromyalgia patients often suffer from sensory overload. Lights are too bright, smells are too strong, and noises are physically painful. This is a failure of Sensory Gating.
The Thalamus is the brain’s relay station. It acts as a bouncer, filtering out 99% of sensory information so you can focus. In Fibromyalgia, the bouncer has left the door. The brain is flooded with raw, unfiltered data.
This flood of data overwhelms the cortex, leading to exhaustion and anxiety. It also fills the “Threat Bucket” incredibly fast. We use specific neurological drills—often involving the eyes and the balance system—to help the Thalamus re-establish its rhythm (Thalamocortical Rhythm). By restoring the filter, we reduce the load on the brain, giving you more energy and less pain.
Many Fibromyalgia patients also suffer from symptoms of Dysautonomia, such as Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). You might get dizzy when standing up, have heart palpitations, or struggle with temperature regulation (being freezing cold or sweating profusely).
This happens because the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is dysregulated. The sympathetic branch (fight or flight) is stuck in overdrive, while the parasympathetic branch (rest and digest) is suppressed.
This autonomic imbalance deprives your organs and muscles of proper blood flow and oxygen. It contributes heavily to the crushing fatigue. We assess your autonomic function as a priority. We use breathing protocols, positional drills, and specific reflex points to dampen the sympathetic overdrive. Stabilising the ANS is often the first step to reducing pain intensity.
You have likely been told to “exercise more.” But every time you try, you crash for three days. This is Post-Exertional Malaise.
In a Fibromyalgia body, the energy production system (Mitochondria) is often inefficient. When you push past your energy envelope, you switch to anaerobic metabolism too quickly, producing lactic acid and inflammatory waste products that your system cannot clear. This triggers a massive flare-up.
We do not believe in “pushing through.” We believe in Neurological Pacing. We find the level of movement that does not trigger a threat response. It might be very small initially. We then use neurological inputs to make that movement more efficient. By improving the efficiency of your movement (motor control), we reduce the energy cost of living. This leaves you with more “battery life” at the end of the day and allows you to gradually build fitness without the crash.
Fibromyalgia is a condition that can be managed and often put into remission. It requires a multi-faceted approach.
1. Neurological Reset: Using P-DTR to clear sensory mismatches and lower the central alarm system.
2. Metabolic Support: Reducing the inflammatory load on the brain through lifestyle and gut health.
3. Autonomic Regulation: Teaching you how to control your stress response.
4. Movement Re-education: Teaching your body to move with ease and efficiency, rather than tension and guarding.
