Living with Fibromyalgia
by Sjoukje Okma
Drs. Sjoukje Okma (1971) studied psychology at Leiden University. She has worked as a psychologist for various OCA branches for around eight years. Here she worked in multidisciplinary teams on the rehabilitation of people with chronic pain. During this period she has treated hundreds of clients with fibromyalgia.
Her clients always ran into the same problem: the misunderstanding of the disease by (most of) society, and the different advice and opinions on the internet. The clients often had no idea what to do and where to go with their problems. This self-help book is written for especially for these people with fibromyalgia and the people around them.
For the book, collaboration was sought with various health professionals, for example in the area of exercise and nutrition. Several people with fibromyalgia have contributed and are sharing their story about their own research and its results.
Fibromyalgia is a common chronic condition. Based on clinical studies undertaken in various European countries, the prevalence of fibromyalgia in the general population was estimated at between 0.5 and 5%
More and more is known about fibromyalgia. A lot is written about it and advice on what to do can be easily found. However, the information and insights are not always clear, as Fibromyalgia is a complex disease. It has various causes and there are multiple factors which contribute to maintaining the clinical picture.
Fibromyalgia is an exclusion illness. People with this condition have tough luck (twice). In addition to physical impediments, they also regularly encounter incomprehension. Their complaints can be seen as a pose. "Learn to live with it" physicians often say.
With such a statement, the search continues for the sufferer. What to do with all the tips and advice you get from (social) media, professionals and all those concerned? What can you do to no longer give in and let the complaints take control?
In Living with fibromyalgia you can find information about:
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Fibromyalgia and chronic pain. The influence of stress, medication and hypersensitivity to pain;
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Improving your physical and psychological well-being with the intention of alleviating complaints;
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The consequences of fibromyalgia in your work and private life, and how to deal with it.
Review
'The writer, a psychologist with a lot of knowledge about chronic pain, describes exactly everything you want to know about fibromyalgia. It is a disease that can’t be detected, but still affects around 400,000 Dutch people (90% women). Debilitating and sometimes disabling and often misunderstood by society. The book gives a clear explanation about the disease, the possible genesis and how the pain is absorbed by the body. Stress seems to play an important role. By understanding this, it becomes clear what the influence is of exercise, nutrition and a positive mindset. The writer provides clear tools for this. Very intelligible and educational for patients and health professionals. Including several stories from patients and the appendix has a nice letter for those unfamiliar with fibromyalgia.' - A. Jeeninga, general practitioner
Additional Information:
Published 2019 - 2nd edition
ISBN: 9789082725629 – 112 pages – Paperback - Illustration (full colour)
Rights: World (incl. World English)