As you say, the tender points are a diagnostic tool. What they signify to me is a persistent, pervasive (all over the body) overcontraction of muscles. I am not familiar with using the tender points to diagnose fibromyalgia, so I can't say for sure, but it seems to me that these tender points are points near where various muscle groups attach to bone. If this is the case, then pain at these points can be caused by tight muscles with restricted range of motion such that normal activity causes stress at the attachment points. Fibromyalgia is not about the tender points, it is about tight muscles that will not lengthen to accomodate normal range of motion.

The million dollar question is what causes the tightening of these muscles? As I mentioned earlier in my thread, I am pursuing the idea that ischemia is involved in the involuntary tightening of muscles. So, I ask myself this question - is there something that can cause the tightening of arteries which causes ischemia which causes voluntary muscles to tighten and also causes pain. Apparently, fluoride can cause artery tissue to tighten:

http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/cgi/co...tract/258/1/66

One person, Walt Stoll, believes that fibromyalgia has to do with being in a state of sympathetic nervous system dominance (severe chronic "bracing" he calls it), which causes the muscles to be chronically stressed. I don't believe that this is the cause of fibromyalgia, but sympathetic nervous system dominance for whatever reason, could be a part of the problem of fibromyalgia.

If you are one of those people who believe that Fibromyalgia and Mycoplasma are connected then here is a link that you might be interested in:

http://www.newtreatments.org/doc.php/Mycoplasma/29

Has anyone investigated the relationship of CFS and ciguatera fish poisoning?
A 96% correlation is pretty high! Here is a place to start:

http://www.ncf-net.org/forum/CiguateraEpitope.htm

Tea tree oil and mycoplasma pneumoniae:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...&dopt=Abstract

Is there a connection between Lyme Disease and Fibromyalgia? Lyme Disease and ALS? Lyme Disease and Parkinson's? Here's some good information:

http://www.springboard4health.com/no...l#breakthrough

If there is, then cat's claw (especially TOA free cat's claw) could be helpful. Note that it could take up to a year to restore health because:

"Considering the life-span of intracellular forms of Bb equivalent to the life-span of the cells invaded by these forms, they are constantly released into the surrounding environment upon natural cell death and destruction. The release of intracellular forms of Bb is gradual over time due to the various life-spans of various invaded cells. Since about 90% of these forms reside in various cells (including all blood cells) which have a life-span of 2-3 weeks to 6-8 months, it may be assumed that within a 6-8 month period, a significant majority of all intracellular forms of Bb will be released into the environment where they can be successfully attacked by a properly functioning immune system and a natural powerful antibiotic."

"Bb" refers to Borrelia burgdorferi, a mycoplasma bacteria that causes Lyme disease. There may be other bacteria involved as well.

that is a very interesting article re the Lyme Disease info wasabi

would you mind also posting this on the Lyme Disease board here at NeuroTalk
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forumdisplay.php?f=33

Here is what one person suspects about her abdominal pain and what helped her:

"Two weeks ago my Doctor prescribed Wel-Chol(I don’t have high cholesterol-it’s actually VERY low), and my abdominal pain [of 17 years duration] is virtually gone along w/ several other bothersome sysmptoms! I believe that most, if not all, of the chronic conditions I developed manifested because my gallbladder harboured biotoxins very early on."

http://fattyacids.wordpress.com/2006...toxins/#more-5

Wel-Chol works by binding to cholesterol in the intestines so that the liver can't keep recyling it (and presumably the toxins that adhere to that cholesterol). Interesting idea - as long as you don't have any bowel obstructions.

Here is a link with more information related to Fibromyalgia and Mycoplasmas:

http://www.thepowerhour.com/news/mycoplasma_testing.htm