Fibromyalgia and Ultra-Sensitivity

Dr Barbara Keddy is a nurse, medical sociologist, university professor and researcher, who has suffered from fibromyalgia for over 40 years.

When she retired from teaching at Nova Scotia’s Dalhousie University in 2004, she decided she had all the right qualifications to investigate this mysterious disease, one many doctors are hesitant to acknowledge even exists.

The result was her book, Women and Fibromyalgia: Living with an Invisible Dis-ease, which has just been published.

Fibromyalgia: an Invisible Disease

Drawing on her own experiences as well as those of 19 other women she interviewed for the book, Dr. Keddy discusses current theories of causes and methods of treatment in her book.

“Sore all over” is a refrain among fibromyalgia sufferers, who have been stigmatized as chronic complainers, she told me.

Other symptoms include generalized stiffness, sleep disturbance, fatigue, depression, lack of concentration and digestive upsets.

The musculoskeletal condition is aggravated by dampness and difficult weather conditions. The pain can be managed — climates with dry heat help, as do some medications — but it doesn’t go completely away.

Fibromyalgia as Neurological Overload

In particular, Dr Keddy discusses her theory of fibromyalgia as an expression of neurological overload in ultra-sensitive people -- particularly women -- whose nervous system has become hyper-aroused.

In the autonomic nervous system, the neurons cause the neurotransmitters either to ‘fight’ or take ‘flight’ (activating the sympathetic nervous system), or to ‘rest’ and ‘digest’ (activating the parasympathetic nervous system).

“It is my view that the brain of the highly sensitive person is in a constant state of hyper-arousal of the sympathetic nervous system, and that this imbalance leads to exhaustion and chronic upheaval of the autonomic nervous system,” she said.

“Subsequently, the brain is unable to rest and is constantly on alert. As a result such conditions as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple chemical sensitivities develop.

“It is as though the nervous system can no longer achieve a state of equilibrium."

Dr Keddy suggests that social conditioning of women to make them more aware of other people's needs could also be a contributing factor.

“While I am not alone in this thinking (neurological overload) and it is others who have influenced me towards developing a theory, nonetheless I take this perspective to another level of analysis, particularly as it relates to social, psychological and political structures in most societies,” she said.

Highly Sensitive People

She said that in the interviews for her book, most women identified themselves as highly sensitive, particularly in later interviews about the topic.

Not only the interviewees, but many of the hundreds of other women Dr Keddy has spoken with over the years, agree with her theory of neurological overload.

“Generally fibromyalgia developed after surgery, an accident or prolonged stress or crises,” she said.

“It is interesting to note that it is more common among middle-aged women, a time in our lives when accumulated stresses have taken their toll on the ultra sensitive person.”

How to Manage the Condition?

“While it has become very easy for me to find people with fibromyalgia who agree with my theoretical framework, it is less easy to find ways in which people have managed this life challenge,” she said.

“Living with fibromyalgia for the past 40+ years, I have tried almost every kind of alternative therapy, nutrients, medications and exercise programs.

"Currently, as I discuss on one of my blogs, I am involved in a slow paced, gentle strengthening program which has given me some degree of hope. It is not easy.

“Quiet, restful experiences, such as meditation and deep breathing exercises are helpful, and keeping mobile is essential.”

Dr Keddy discusses the topic in her blog, Women and Fibromyalgia, and her book is available from that website.

She talked more about herself and her struggle to identify her painful ailment on Fighting Fatigue.

See also: Fibromyalgia: Meds are not Enough

Barbara Keddy: fibromyalgia an invisible disease

Meditation is one way to cope with the condition

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