CURING FIBROMYALGIA

When talking about coming up with a cure for fibromyalgia I think it is important to gain some perspective on the subject. First of all, what does a cure for fibromyalgia mean?

Let’s focus on what a “cure” means?

From Dictionary.com there are four definitions for the word “cure” that apply to our topic of conversation.

CURE:

1. A means of healing or restoring to health; remedy.

2. A method or course of remedial treatment, as for disease.

3. Successful remedial treatment; restoration to health.

4. A means of correcting or relieving anything that is troublesome or detrimental.

The first three definitions are, I think, what everyone thinks about when they say we need a cure for fibromyalgia. But even the fourth definition needs to be considered.

Before we go on with talking about a cure for fibromyalgia I want to address another hot topic in the world of medicine and health. That is a cure for cancer.

People are going crazy blaming the pharmaceutical researchers for not coming up with a cure for cancer. Keep in mind that cancer is a broad term. Cancer can range from cancer cells in the lymph nodes, blood, bone and soft tissue. Not all cancerous tumors are the same. There likely will never be one cure for all cancers. But they have come along way in the survival rate of those who have come down with cancer. They have tumor specific treatments. Early detection increases your odds of survival. Based on what the definition is for “cure”, we do have some cures for cancer. We have a long way to go to cure all cancers, but we are well on our way.

I mention the cure for cancer for two reasons: One is that looking at cancer cures helps to put the word “cure” into perspective. Second is that the medical science community has created treatments that can cure some cancers. That gives me hope that there will be a cure for fibromyalgia and it gives me hope that we have the brains and technology to effect a cure for fibromyalgia in the future.

Now consider the fourth definition for the word “cure.” “A means of correcting or relieving anything that is troublesome or detrimental.”

The term “relieving,” is worth a mention. This applies to many diseases, like cancer, MS, fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s et al.

Having relief for some illness, is in some respects a cure. Not the cure we want, but it is a form of cure. I say all this to put perspective on the concept of what curing an illness means.

CURE FOR FIBROMYALGIA

Most statistics say that fibromyalgia affects anywhere from 6,380,000 to 13,760,000 Americans. Ten to twenty percent of those are men.

As we wish, wait and pray for a cure to fibromyalgia we need to keep some things in perspective. It is a relatively new disease. Since it doesn’t kill people there may not as much interest in searching for a cure. In the eight or nine years that I have been diagnosed the medical community has come along way just in accepting it as a legitimate illness. But from the perspective of its newness, the medical world is getting better at dealing with the illness than they were eight years ago.

When you, a fibro patient, think of a cure for fibromyalgia, what do think it will be or should be? A one time injection of medicine? Take a pill and then in two days you’re all better? That’s what I am hoping for. But we need to keep an open mind about both how soon a cure may come and in what form it may come in. At first it might be a good drug that manages all the symptoms of fibromyalgia, and then decades later there might be a magic pill that does away with fibro altogether.

Looking at the example of the cancer cures it is possible that we might have to take a curative medicine for each separate symptom.

I freely admit, this is all conjecture on my part. But as I have heard so many people complain that science isn’t doing enough or ask the question why isn’t there a cure yet? I think we need to have some perspective on the whole idea of a cure. I’ve had it for thirty-two years and counting. More than anything, I want a cure. But I don’t see it happening any time soon and I hope I am dead wrong. I hope a cure is announced tomorrow at lunch. Until then, let’s reflect on the perspective we need to maintain.

What do you think about a realistic cure for fibro?

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