Fibromyalgia

Sleep and fibromyalgia influence each other in a reciprocal manner. A lack of stage 3 and 4 deep sleep (slow-wave sleep) reduces growth hormone secretion, and also decreases the secretion of endogenous opioids, which are responsible for muscle recovery and pain relief. Chronic stress disrupts the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), causing cortisol imbalance, which lowers the pain threshold and intensifies central sensitization. Furthermore, when the sympathetic nervous system becomes overactive, muscle blood flow decreases, leading to a vicious cycle where pain intensifies. From the perspective of a Korean medicine clinic, the combination of poor sleep and stress represents a typical pattern where the balance between the heart and kidneys overlaps with a blockage of liver energy. If kidney fluids are deficient, heat from the heart cannot dissipate, leading to persistent insomnia and anxiety; consequently, if liver energy becomes blocked in this state, the pain pathway becomes even more stagnant. The kidneys help stabilize the central nervous system by replenishing bone marrow and the brain, but prolonged decline in kidney function leads to a decrease in the ability to regulate central pain. At Dongjedang, we employ a strategy to break this cycle by restoring autonomic nervous system balance through acupuncture and balancing the heart and kidneys with herbal medicine tailored to the patient's constitution, thereby improving sleep quality first. In many cases, once sleep is restored, the pain threshold naturally rises as well.