Q. I am looking for information on fibromyalgia, which wasdiagnosed recently. My doctor is recommending aerobic exercise, butI have trouble overcoming the pain to do my exercise on theExcercycle I just bought at his recommendation. My doctor is anexpert in such matters, so who am I to question him?
A. People with fibromyalgia have several widespread tender andpainful points in the body combined with fatigue and early-morningstiffness. Patients complain of a lack of energy and the inabilityto get restorative sleep. The examining doctor can identify the1muscle points with gentle probing of the body.
The sleep aspect is important. Sleep disturbance occurs in aspecific kind of sleep, a deep stage. Beyond this, little else isknown about fibromyalgia. And there is no specific cure.Nevertheless, after proper diagnosis, much can be done to help.
For example, there are drugs to relax muscles and permit sleep.Restoring sleep often brings relief. There are drugs that can beinjected into muscle points, and yes, even the aerobic exercise yourdoctor recommends for you can help.
Q. My husband is in good health, but sneezes every evening about6 o'clock. It will happen in a restaurant or at our dinner table, oranywhere at home about that time. He is healthy.
A. A sneeze is a reflex. When the nasal lining is irritated,there is a firing of a series of nerves that terminates in thesneeze. That's not a Nobel-quality explanation, but it might do.
And the answer is to find out what sets off the nerve firings.Is it an aroma, a bright light, spicy food? In fact, the sneeze witha cold is another form of irritation (from the cold virus). We'regetting nowhere. My readers would love to know why your husbandsneezes. Let us know when you find out.
Send questions in writing to Dr. Donohue, Box 19660, Irvine,Calif. 92713-0660.
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