Treating Fibromyalgia with Somatic Therapy
by Yuri Zelez, MFT and Somatic Therapist
Edited by Sheila Cruthirds
Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) presents a complex and medically unexplained cluster of symptoms that impact an individual’s ability to function in most daily tasks and often hinders their ability to maintain fulfilling relationships. High pain sensitivity sidetracks nurturing and pleasurable experiences as the individual spends more and more time managing fatigue and trying to regulate their pain.
Although the origin of FMS is currently unknown, one area being researched is that initially FMS may have started as a virus that exploited and overwhelmed a vulnerable immune system, and impacted an individual’s natural nervous system response.
The nervous system, when threatened on any level, changes and goes on high alert to support the body to survive. If we are attacked, it supports a fight/flight/freeze response. A high fever state can trigger this response as the the body shuts down as it attempts to manage this internal threat.
These high alert states can get locked in the body, not allowing the nervous system to go back to normal when the threat is over. As a result, the immune system starts to break down under the stress, and the daily workload taxes the body and inhibits any attempts to lead a normal lifestyle. Many then face a variety of fluctuating symptoms that require medical attention.
FMS sufferers have symptoms that fluctuate and are exacerbated by stress, inability to rest and hormonal oscillations. Acute pain and tension in the muscles and joints, and gastro-intestinal instability, create stumbling blocks to living joyfully and, over time, fatigues the entire body leaving the sufferer feeling empty.
This fluctuation between muscle tension and fatigue is a way that the body attempts to regulate the stresses accumulating in the physical system of the body. It is like pushing the brakes and accelerator at the same time and never letting up. This reciprocal relationship then requires the individual to suspend activities to allow for rest and recovery.
What causes this instability in the whole organism?
The American College of Rheumatology recognizes that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms of avoidance of distress, re-experiencing of stressful events, and hyper-arousal patterns, are experienced by many suffering with FMS.
Somatic therapies like Somatic Experiencing (SE) and Cranio-Sacral Therapy use gentle touch to facilitate the regulation and release of muscle tension and the related accumulation of stress in the body. SE views the muscle tensioning as a stuck Autonomic Nervous System response to the initial or accumulated threat/s. This survival response is physical, internal and automatic and cannot be fixed by psychological means or by self-control or avoidance strategies.
With Somatic Therapy, this stuck response is worked on to allow the nervous system to rebalance itself, so it is not in a constant state of hyper-arousal and fatigue. As this happens, the accumulated stress can leave the body, and stability replaces the high fluctuation state. The individual experiences a renewed sense of balance, calm and the ability to rest. As a result, a person has more energy and can engage in tasks without collapsing.
Q&A
What is Somatic Therapy?
Somatic Therapy is a form of therapy that understands the powerful connection between mind and body. Our experiences get deeply rooted in our bodies and can manifest in variety of physical ways. Individuals who are familiar with talk therapy find that there is often a limitation to this work alone. It does not address the body and what is stored there.
People will seek Somatic Therapy treatment for a variety of reasons. This includes addressing areas such as grief and loss, depression, addictions, fears (such as a fear of flying), stress, trauma including abuse recovery, anxiety, and relationship issues from childhood with violent or neglectful parenting. In addition, others seek relief from chronic pain, headaches, fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue immune deficiency syndrome (CFIDS).
What kind of threat would trigger a stress response?
The triggering event/s is different for each person. The initial event may have been caused by pre/perinatal survival issues related to birth including difficulties in respiration and heart rate. This may later cluster with seemingly unrelated events like vehicle accidents, falls, surgeries, illnesses, an abusive relationship, and even divorces or losing a job. Any combination of these can accumulate and overwhelm the ability of a nervous system to self regulate, which can lay the groundwork for FMS symptoms to develop.
What if the individual has no memory of traumatic events?
For some people with FMS, the survival response was initially triggered before the cortical regions of the brain started to develop. They may never get a memory of the initial triggering event. You do NOT have to have memories to discharge the activation in the system related to that event. Using touch, the discharge is brought about in a gentle way with the natural re-organization of the nervous system. Having said that, some people later become aware of events that may have triggered the activation, though it no longer has a strong affect on them.
How long does it take to see results with SE?
Each person is different. During the course of therapy, patterns of activation and shutdown (the accelerator and brake) are identified and resolved, and the release of the stuck pattern brings about an organic recovery of a healthy life. Health is a by-product of self-regulation. Completion of therapy is indicated by an experience of a healthy reconnection to oneself, reduction of symptoms, and the experience of sustained resiliency when new stressors are met.
Yuri Zelez, MFT, is a Somatic therapist in private practice in Santa Barbara, CA. He has done presentations on Somatic Therapy internationally and does workshops for therapist’s in the US, Canada and Japan. For inquiries or to set up a consultation, you may contact him at: yuri@touchingintotrauma.com or visit his web site www.touchingintotrauma.com.