Base-Line Healing logo. Stick figure with arms outstretched above shoulder height, legs apart. Rainbow of colours up midline. Red at pelvic floor Base then a line of orange, yellow, green blue extending to the head. Showing the body aligned and balanced, the natural way to treat fibromyalgia.Use your body better slogan.

An Explanation for the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia.

What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a covering term used for idiopathic (the cause is not known) chronic pain, fatigue and associated symptoms. When all the tests come back negative and no reason for the pain is found it is labelled "fibromyalgia".

textbook symptoms of fibromyalgia

Often described as "poorly understood", a diagnosis of fibromyalgia really means:

"We don't know why you have all these pains but a lot of other people have them too".

my fibromyalgia story

So what is fibromyalgia?

The following is based on my recovery, the anatomy of the human body and how it reacts to damage.

I offer an explanation for all the pain and weird sensations, the fatigue and myriad of other symptoms (both physical and mental) that are associated with fibromyalgia - and how to fix it! Fibromyalgia is aptly named:


Muscle and connective tissue pain.

Muscle Pain - Myalgia.

If you are not using the right muscles you are using the wrong muscles.

Using the wrong muscles makes them prone to spasm and fatigue. When an area of muscle becomes exhausted or too painful the body adjusts to use other nearby muscles. These adjustments put the body off-balance as it tries to distribute the stresses thoughout the body. Over time, more and more muscle becomes stressed and sore resulting in widespread myalgia (muscle pain) as the burden is shifted around and around.

myalgia of imbalance

The right muscles to focus on using are the '5 main muscles of movement'. When fully utilised, these 5 paired (left and right) muscles provide the central support needed for healthy, balanced body. When the main muscles of movement are adequately functioning the rest of body will then be able to 'fall into line', correctly positioned for comfortable movement.

5 main muscles of movement

What happens if I don't use
my main muscles of movement?

Skeleton and the 5 main muscles of movement side-front view. The main muscles of movement are the central support for the body, correctly positioning the head and limbs to the torso and allowing the body to be balanced. Our Base-Line muscles are the body's core pillar of strength: pelvic floor at the base of the body within the bones of the pelvis and the rectus abdominis muscles up the front of the abdomen from pelvis to ribcage, our central line. The rectus femoris of each leg are like strong poles down the front of the thigh from hip to shin, aligning the hip and knee joints when fully active. The gluteus maximus at the back of the pelvis, big strong muscles connecting the legs to Base-Line support. The trapezius muscles from mid back to the back of the head, extending out towards each shoulder like a kite-shaped blanket of muscle over the upper back and neck that should be free to fully extend in all directions. Without the suppport of the 5 main muscles other muscles must take the strain resulting in the myalgia of imbalance and the first stages of fibromyalgia.

Connective Tissue - Restrictions & Pain.

In a response to inflammation (due to injury, infection, trauma, stress etc.), and as an attempt to compensate for the lack of central support that should be provided by the main muscles of movement, physical restrictions form in our body-wide web connective tissues. These physical restrictions literally stiffen us over time.

physical restrictionsconnective tissue

Restrictions in connective tissues cause tensions that radiate throughout the whole body, from head to fingers to toes. The sensory information generated by these restrictions are, I believe, the source of many pains and weird sensations associated with fibromyalgia.

pains and weird sensationssensory information

Cumulative damage and the body's reponse to imbalance and a long-term lack of central support from the main muscles of movement can result in layers upon layers of restrictions. Chains of tension zig-zagging from left to right, inside to out, front to back, through the whole of the body from head to fingers to toes. This restrictions vastly reduce our range of movement, even if we don't appreciate how much we have lost.

full range of movement

Restrictions in connective tissue are 'stored trauma', a record of what our body has been through. This stored trauma creates a unique 'individual trauma imprint' and explains why everyone's experience of fibromyalgia is a different.

individual trauma imprints

Fibromyalgia: A progression of pain when the body is unbalanced and physically restricted.

 Traumas are stored rather than released.

Mental Effects & Sleep Disturbances.

Long-term pain affects our sleep and cognitive functioning, leading to "fibro fog", (and especially compounded when painful symptoms are unexplained) anxiety and depression.

A constant feedback to your brain.

Your body's restricted and in pain.

Fibromyalgia: The pain of a body that is imbalanced and misaligned carrying a lot of stored trauma.

Fibromyalgia is NOT something that will be fixed by a magic pill or new medication. It is a physical problem that needs to be corrected by learning to use your body better.

Ask yourself:

If your physical condition is not good, then no wonder you suffer pain.

At what point does something become something you do something about?

I believe the pain sets in early when the body becomes imbalanced.  Stressed areas of muscle and restrictions in the connective tissue causing various painful symptoms.

If you were pain free, then it's likely the pains are considered significant (and frightening) enough to seek medical advice, leading to an early diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

Or has it been a long, slow progression of pain? You consider your list of painful symptoms and old injuries as separate problems and you've ignored (or got used to) the twinges, aches, spasms and weird sensations as they increase over the years - after all a bit of pain is to be expected as you get older, right?

get to know your pain

The damage is cumulative, the body becoming more and more imbalanced as it tries to cope by adjusting and stiffening.

Test yourself:

If your answers are "no" then your body is not balanced, your tissues are restricted and your posture is not good.

Fibromyalgia: Pain and weird sensations from a body that is stiff and restricted, unbalanced and misaligned.

People who use the 5 main muscles of movement correctly are able to shake off old injuries and trauma they experience, releasing the restrictions and maintaining a good posture with a body that is balanced and aligned. But for those of us that don't, the body becoming increasingly tense, unbalanced and misaligned.

good posturebody alignment and balance

Recovery from Fibromyalgia is Possible.

Fibromyalgia can be reversed but it takes time and focus to learn to use your body correctly, little by little regaining movement and releasing the pain. How many years - or decades, of accumulated pain do you have to work through?

Everyone has their own individual trauma imprint and their unique set of symptoms but the key to healing is the same:

key to healing

Focus on your Base-Line muscles becoming stronger and longer and develop your conscious proprioception skills. Learn to feel how to move through the tension and release the pain, working towards aligning and balancing your body.

conscious proprioception

Try the exercise of breathing with your Base-Line.

breathing technique

Close your eyes and focus on your Base-Line muscles activating.

Be aware how the pains and weird sensations move around your body as you move. We are interconnected from head to fingers to toes and restrictions in one area can have distant sensations.

What kind of connection have you got to your Base-Line?

Base-Line muscles. pelvic floor at the base of the torso like a basket between the legs. The rectus abdominis muscles from pelvis to chest up the front of the abdomen. Two parallel muscles, made up of panels of muscle side by side, to be activated in sequence from base to chest. Connecting with these muscles is how I learned to release the pains of fibromyalgia and other chronic pains.

Base-Line muscles

Focus on your 5 main muscles of movement. Try activating them in different positions during your normal daily activities.

the main muscles of movement in a human outline. The 5 paired muscles with the Base-Line pelvic floor and rectus abdominis muscles the central pillar of strength. The trapezius muscles from the back of the head to midback, shoulder to shoulder, a curved blanket expanding over the neck and back. The rectus femoris a strong pole from hip bone to shin.   The gluteus maximus - big ass muscles.

5 main muscles of movement

More questions to ask yourself:

For how long have you not fully used my main muscles?

Is this life-long problem or an acquired dysfunction that may have developed over time or been triggered by a specific incident?

The longer the dysfunction, the wider the range of symptoms experienced.

What has your body been through over the years?"

TRAUMA → Injury, accident, abuse, surgery. Stress, fear, the things that make us tense, flinch, freeze-up. Awkward positions, shocks, strains, exertions.

Think back. As you connect with your Base-Line you may become aware of earlier and earlier mis-usage of your muscles.

How long to heal?

This is not a magic quick fix.

It takes time and effort to release the pain.

Heal yourself. Use you body better.

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