Overcoming Fibromyalgia: An Herbalist’s Experience and Approach

Fibromyalgia, The Herbalist’s Perspective

I’m not jumping away from Lipedema. Fibromyalgia often occurs with lipedema. Both are under-recognized chronic conditions that disproportionately affect women, and both involve inflammation, connective tissue dysfunction, and pain amplification. While lipedema primarily affects fat distribution and lymphatic function, fibromyalgia is marked by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, brain fog, and sleep disturbances. These two conditions may not be the same, but they can often come together and can compound one another’s symptoms.

Most researchers agree that FM is a central processing disorder with neuroendocrine/neurotransmitter dysregulation. As a clinical herbalist, I take a different approach. I consider fibromyalgia not as a diagnosis, but as a pattern of imbalance across multiple systems: the nervous system, mitochondria, immune response, liver, lymph, and gut. I consider a person’s energetic constitution. Their patterns of heat/cold, dampness/dryness, and tension/laxity are backdrops for customizing support.

A Root-Cause Herbal Approach to Fibromyalgia

Many people with fibromyalgia fall into an energetic pattern of cold and dampness. There’s a sense of stagnation—poor lymphatic flow, heavy tissues, muscle stiffness, and brain fog. To support this pattern, I choose warm, moving, and gently drying herbs and formulas to help rebalance the biological terrain.

But what caused that terrain to shift in the first place?  There are five leading root causes behind any disease: sleep debt, chronic stress, nutritional deficiencies, physical trauma, and toxin exposure. These disrupt the body’s balance, affecting the “branches”, or the body’s systems, leading to conditions like fibromyalgia and lipedema.

As a clinical herbalist, I identify and address the root causes while correcting the imbalances in the biological terrain with targeted herbal support.  I go into this in great detail with the free download and my interview on Naomi’s podcast here. Below is a quick rundown on how to include botanical and lifestyle support:

Read more: Overcoming Fibromyalgia: An Herbalist’s Experience and Approach

Lymphatic and Immune System Support

Both fibromyalgia and lipedema involve sluggish detoxification and fluid congestion – Stagnation. Herbs like:

• Mucolytics: Elecampane, Mullein, and Lobelia
• Lymphatic movers: Chickweed, Cleavers, Calendula, Wood Betony, and Self-heal.
  • In small amounts, Red Root, Prickly Ash, and Poke (Poke is a low-dose herb and should only be used by those with experience)

These herbs not only assist detoxification but also help reduce the tissue burden of immune irritants, which in turn lessens pain sensitivity.

Nervous System Regulation

The hypersensitivity and sleep issues in fibromyalgia start from an excess/overstimulated nervous system, which then turns into an exhausted/deficient nervous system. I turn to nervines and adaptogenic herbs to calm, rebuild, and regulate:

• Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) and Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata): a favorite combination of mine. If there is circular thinking keeping someone up at night I would add in Passionflower.
• Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera): My favorite warming adaptogen stabilizes the HPA axis, restores strength, and eases chronic fatigue.

Matching herbs to the person’s patterns and type of stress is key. Warming herbs for cold, depleted people; cooling herbs for overheated, inflamed presentations.

Digestive System

Many people with fibromyalgia experience digestive issues, food sensitivities, and signs of leaky gut. I incorporate:

• Chamomile, Plantain, and Calendula to calm inflamed, irritated guts.
• Pre and Probiotics, demulcents (like marshmallow), and anti-microbials if dysbiosis is present.
• Blue Vervain: one of my favorite herbs is also helpful for cooling liver inflammation.

Healing the gut helps reduce the systemic inflammation that fuels fibromyalgia symptoms.

Mitochondrial Support

Pain and fatigue in fibromyalgia often stem from poor cellular energy production. I support this with:

• Magnesium malate: 600-1000mg/day: a crucial mineral that relaxes muscles and supports ATP production.
• Fish Oils 2-3g/day of a EPA/DHA combined supplement. Helps lower inflammation.
• Vitamin D 5000IU + 100mcg Vit K: Particularly if other autoimmune issues are present. Sometimes, Fibromyalgia can be a vitamin D Deficiency.
• Mitochondrial Support:  B-complex, CoQ10 and more.
• See handout for full list of supplements.

Lifestyle Medicine: The Foundation of Recovery

While herbs are powerful, they must be paired with lifestyle changes to truly shift the terrain. If you’re not sleeping, your body can’t repair. If your stress response is constantly activated, inflammation stays high. And if your diet is inflammatory or stagnant, you’re feeding the imbalance.

Here are three foundational lifestyle changes I recommend for nearly every fibromyalgia case:

Prioritize Deep, Restorative Sleep

Sleep debt is both a symptom and a driver of fibromyalgia. Deep sleep is when your body repairs tissue, clears brain fog, and recalibrates your nervous system. Establish a consistent bedtime, avoid screens before sleep, and consider herbs like passionflower, skullcap, blue vervain, valerian, or hops if you struggle to wind down.

Manage Stress with Intention

Chronic stress is not just emotional. It disrupts cortisol levels, interferes with sleep, increases pain, and depletes nutrients. Incorporate grounding practices like meditation, breathwork, forest walks, or gentle yoga. Trophorestorative herbs like skullcap, borage or milky oats can gently support emotional resilience. Milky oats should be avoided if you have celiac disease.

Nourish with Anti-Inflammatory Food and Gentle Movement

Food is medicine: an anti-inflammatory diet rich in leafy greens, antioxidant-rich berries, clean protein, omega-3s, and fermented foods can dramatically shift your inflammation and energy levels. Avoid sugar, processed foods, dairy, and gluten if you’re sensitive. Pair this with gentle movement like walking, rebounding, or stretching, enough to move the lymph, but not exhaust you.

Take Captive Every Thought

When you live in chronic pain, your nervous system is always on. One of the most powerful things we can do is to shift our focus away from the pain, not to pretend it’s not there—but to not give it the driver’s seat in our mind.

“We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 10:5

This doesn’t mean fake positivity. It means replacing fear with trust, chaos with presence, and despair with hope—even just one thought at a time.

Want to learn more?
Listen to my full interview on fibromyalgia, where I explore this topic with Naomi Kilbreth on her Podcast “The Family Herbalism Podcast,” including my story and insights from clinical practice. And Download the free handout here.

Ready to explore a holistic approach to fibromyalgia and lipedema?

True healing doesn’t come from masking symptoms, it comes from understanding and shifting the internal terrain. If you’ve been told “it’s all in your head” or given a list of medications without real relief, you’re not alone, and you don’t have to stay stuck.

Work with me, a clinical herbalist trained in root-cause, energetics-based care.

And don’t miss my FREE handout with all my supplements and herbal protocols for fibromyalgia.