by Ralph Havens, PT, OCS, IMTC
certified Matrix Energetics Practitioner
www.ralphhavensphysicaltherapy.com
What is it? What are the causes of it? Has anyone ever fixed it up? Does any one that ever had a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia have a true success story? Has anyone been cured from Fibromyalgia?
What does Fibromyalgia mean? Well if you break it down it is “Fibro” which means connective tissue and “my” which means muscle and “algia” which means pain. So a big medical sounding word but all it really means is connective tissue and muscle pain. So that doesn’t really say what it is but merely says what the symptoms are.
so what are the symptoms:
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain in muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as fatigue and multiple tender points — places on a person’s body where slight pressure causes pain.
Fibromyalgia occurs in about 2 percent of the population in the United States. Women are much more likely to develop the disorder than are men, and the risk of fibromyalgia increases with age. Fibromyalgia symptoms often begin after a physical or emotional trauma, but in many cases there appears to be no triggering event.
The pain associated with fibromyalgia is commonly described as constant, dull, and aching. It typically arising from muscles. The pain occurs on both sides of a person’s body both above and below the waist.
Fibromyalgia is characterized by tender points. Tender point locations include:
- Back of the head
- Between shoulder blades
- Top of shoulders
- Front sides of neck
- Upper chest
- Outer elbows
- Upper hips
- Sides of hips
- Inner knees
Fatigue and sleep disturbances
People with fibromyalgia often awaken tired, even though they seem to get plenty of sleep. Experts believe that these people rarely reach the deep restorative stage of sleep. Sleep disorders that have been linked to fibromyalgia include restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea.
Other conditions which seem to go with Fibromyalgia:
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Depression
- Endometriosis
- Headaches
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Lupus
- Osteoarthritis
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Restless legs syndrome
- Rheumatoid arthritis
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Ok so does that sound like the medical profession knows what it is and what causes it? Not really. Basically all western medicine has to offer is to list the symptoms and lump them together and call it a syndrome. Not much help there.
With Integrative Manual Therapy (IMT), we have found some signs in the body that are found when someone presents with this syndrome. They are as follows:
1. toxicity – with IMT we can do an assessment called Myofascial Mapping to determine areas of dysfunction. With this Mapping assessment what we have found is pathology in areas indicating Toxicity; This includes motilities and rhythms in the body associated with infection and inflammation.
2. Lymph system problems. We find decreased lymph flow. Basically the toxicity is backing up and the lymph system is having a hard time cleaning it.
3. Decreased elimination systems. We find problems in the Liver, hepatic and portal veins, sigmoid colon, spleen and kidneys/ureters. Basically the routes of elimination are having a hard time dumping the toxicity.
4. Increased % of extracellular water compared to % of intracellular water. This is due to toxicity again. The body is trying to wall off and dilute the toxins so the cells are dehydrated and the water is more outside the cell than inside the cell. In this case the chemical reactions in the body cells are compromised and the communication between cells is decreased. If left unchecked this can lead to serious problems.
5. Inflammation. With all the above going on the body is inflamed. The body can’t dump toxins and it gets irritated. Then the body starts fighting the infection and toxicity and turns up the cortisol levels and adrenals. When this happens the body is in “fight or flight” and does not heal well.
So what to do?
With IMT we have manual therapy hands on techniques to clear the above problems. With Matrix Energetics we have a way to supercharge the IMT and help it occur faster and continuously. Patients can continue to improve even after leaving the office.
I’m including a success story from one of our clients. We saw her 6 visits and she had results that we see in our office.
Her Success Story:
Below is the description I wrote up about my experience with you and
I’m excited about the changes in my life! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!
Written November 16, 2009:
= Miraculous
Transformation!
I have been a seeker of many types of transformation for as long as I
can remember. In August of 2009, I was getting ready for a trip to
Italy and was concerned because I had a number of physical conditions
that made traveling difficult. I wondered what to do and who to see.
My intuition told me to go see Ralph Havens P.T. I had been treated by
Ralph about 6 years prior and thought he may be able to help me again.
My concerns this time were:
• Back pain, especially when sitting for longer than ½ hour
(sometimes less). This was very pronounced when sitting in airplane
seats even on short flights and the trip to Italy would be 15 hours!
(was I out of my mind to consider it?)
• Pain in both shoulders: I was unable to carry anything over my
shoulders like a shoulder strap purse that weighed more than one pound.
• Groin pain when doing certain Yoga moves.
• Neck pain
I only had time for 3 appointments with Ralph before my trip. The first
was on August 31st 2009.
I wasn’t really convinced that just 3 treatments would do any good but I
decided to give it a try. On the first visit Ralph didn’t seem to be
doing much, just holding his hands on, over and around me in various
ways. However I had a sense of total trust that whatever the heck he
was doing, was a good thing, so I just relaxed and went with the flow.
I later found out he was doing Matrix Energetics.
At first, I just felt deeply relaxed and then, very unexpectedly, my
body began to move on its own. Wow! I knew something amazing was
happening. I didn’t know what and I didn’t care because I just knew and
trusted that it was a good thing.
On the way home, after the first treatment I felt euphoric. Everything
seemed different. I was happier, more at peace. The sky was intensely
beautiful. Something wonderful was occurring!
On the next few visits my body responded to the Matrix Energetics by
moving in some very dramatic ways. I just let it move where it
wanted….a strange but agreeable experience. Ralph said that some of the
things my body was doing were like advanced Qigong moves. I wouldn’t
know, as I’ve never taken Qigong. Also some movements occurred as if my
body were in a Chi machine. Cool!
The movements periodically continued outside of PT as well. It was
rather humorous to be watching TV and start moving spontaneously. My
husband didn’t know what to think!
After the 3 treatments, I was off to Italy. I made it on the 15 hour
flight without significant pain. Yes I still needed pain pills and my
TENS unit, but I MADE it! That may not sound like a miracle, but to me
it certainly was. The longest plane trip I had previously been on was
only 6 hours. Even with pain pills and TENS, I was in significant pain
in the past.
While in Italy, I was able to carry a small backpack filled with
groceries for about 45 min. Another miracle! I hadn’t been able to do
anything like that in years without significant shoulder, neck and/ or
back pain
I also had times of pure, intense joy, so lovely and unexpected that
tears came to my eyes. The joy did not have so much to do with anything
in particular that was going on, it was, rather, coming from a place
deep within me. I have suffered from depression for many years, so this
was an amazing gift. I’m tearing up with gratitude as I type this.
After returning from Italy, I scheduled more appointments with Ralph,
and we continued with the Matrix Energetics.
Here are some of the things I have noticed which I believe are related
to the sessions:
• My Yoga poses are easier and I feel more flexible.
• I have virtually no right shoulder pain.
• Orgasms that are more intense and pleasurable than ever before
in my life.
• I have many moments of profound joy. (more on this below)
• The ability to go with ‘what is’ …living, experiencing and
honoring the present moment.
• Less back pain while sitting
The lovely moments of joy that I began to notice in Italy have
continued, and occur more frequently. It can arise at anytime,
anyplace (even doing dishes!), because it’s coming from within me and
also from an interconnectedness that is beyond me. It’s not determined
by my circumstances.
For a long time I have known, intellectually, that all the things in my
life are there for a reason and should be honored. After the Matrix
Energetics with Ralph, however, I was able to know and experience this
on a deeper level. One day in particular comes to mind. I was on my
way over for a session with Ralph and I felt physically and emotionally
terrible. I am a sensitive person. What I mean by this is that I react
to many things in my environment in what can be considered a negative
way. Many foods, dust, chemicals, cigarettes, perfume etc. make me feel
physically or emotionally ill. On that day, I was reacting to something
and felt very depressed. I said to myself, “I wish I weren’t so
sensitive!” I immediately had an epiphany……….NO! my sensitivities are,
in part, what makes me who I am. I would not be who I am without them
and I love who I am! I instantly felt something flip in me and….. POOF
the depression etc. was gone. WOW!
Ralph had taught me something, on a previous session that helped with
this process. Which was something like: If one feels that something in
their life needs to be changed, then ask a question like: “How has this
been useful?” Let it drop to your heart. Then ask something like: “If
it were different, how would it look?” Drop that to your heart. Then
forget about it and let it go. This, along with the Matrix Energetics
in general allowed me to have that profound shift.
Do I think that Ralph or Matrix Energetics has totally caused these
changes? Yes and no. As I said, I have been a seeker of
transformation for many years. I see what I experience with Ralph and
Matrix Energetics to be a kind of key to a door of transformation. I
got to the doorway but was not quite able to step across the threshold.
What I struggled to achieve before, seemed to miraculously happen with
Matrix Energetics and Ralph Havens!
Thank You!
W.H.
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