A recent University of Granada, Spain, study, published in the
Pain Management Nursing journal, suggests music therapy, combined with guided imagery, helps people who suffer from the sometimes debilitating effects of Fibromyalgia, a syndrome marked by muscle and joint pain throughout the body with unknown causes
http://www.emaxhealth.com/1020/music-therapy-soothes-fibromyalgia-symptoms). More specifically, music helps improve sleep and depression symptoms. "The researchers found music improved quality of life for patients with the disease, which they suggest could be integrated into other fibromyalgia treatment." The study goes on to cite this therapy's two main advantages are involving patients in their treatment, and the low cost of the interventions.
While music therapy posits innovative new possibilities for patients suffering from Fibromyalgia, and who are perhaps frustrated by the current range of treatment options, Dr. Burton Schuler, a Panama City, Florida podiatrist, writes that many mainstream Fibromyalgia treatments may be ineffective if a common foot condition is not ruled out as a cause of Fibromyalgia in individual patients
http://whyyoureallyhurt.com/mortons-toe/fibromyalgia/). What is the condition? Morton's Toe or short first metatarsal bone. Metatarsal bones are the finger-like bones to which your toes attach. They extend half way down your foot to your heel; the bump on your big toe is the beginning of your metatarsal bone.
According to his book,
Why You Really Hurt: It All Starts in the Foot, the foot's balance is thrown off when the second toe hits the ground before the first toe. This motion results in uneven weight distribution throughout the foot that can spread throughout the body causing pain associated with conditions such as Fibromyalgia.
Morton's Toe is named after Dr. Dudley J. Morton, a prominent early to mid twentieth century physician who wrote extensively about this foot condition. He claimed that a short first metatarsal bone is the cause of greater foot, leg and pain problems throughout the body. Later, Dr. Janet Travell, White House physician to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, linked Morton's research on the short first metatarsal bone to myofascial pain syndrome, which is characterized by pain throughout the body—a condition closely related to Fibromyalgia
http://whyyoureallyhurt.com/resources/dr-janet-travell/).
Research on music therapy as a treatment for Fibromyalgia suggests there are creative ideas about various ways to alleviate Fibromyalgia symptoms, and the ideas are international in scope. But the fact remains, according to Schuler, if you are diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and have not had your feet examined by a podiatrist, you may be overlooking one of the most common treatments available: a simple toe pad placed under the bottom of your first toe. Schuler has seen this work in many cases, but cautions patients to be careful applying the pad since you are redistributing weight throughout your foot, which can have great consequences on your overall physical health.
Dr. Burton S. Schuler is a foot doctor, foot specialist (Podiatrist), of Panama City, Fl and the director of the Ambulatory Foot Clinics Podiatric Pain Management Center. He is also the author of the new book
Why You Really Hurt: It All Starts in the Foot.