Fibromyalgia: understanding the condition and the importance of medical follow-up

12 May is not a date like any other.

It is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the British nurse born in 1820, who herself suffered from a young age from a syndrome strongly resembling what we now call fibromyalgia.

It is also, since 1992, World Fibromyalgia Day, celebrated in 29 countries — everywhere under the sign of the blue ribbon.

Nearly 1.5 million people in France live with this condition. That is roughly 1.5 to 2% of the population, 90% of whom are women.

At Laboratoire Géomer, we regularly cross paths with them. And on this 12 May, we want to tell them: we see you.

An invisible illness, and yet very real

Fibromyalgia has been recognised by the World Health Organization since 1992. And yet it remains one of the most poorly understood conditions.

No biological marker. No telling X-ray. No identified "diseased" organ.

Just a body that cries out.

The classic symptoms combine:

• Widespread muscle and tendon pain, from head to toe, often described as a constant "burning".
• Deep fatigue, which sleep does not repair.
• Sleep disturbances: difficulty falling asleep, unrefreshing sleep, micro-awakenings.
• Brain fog ("fibro-fog"): memory lapses, difficulty concentrating or finding one's words.
• Hypersensitivity to light, noise, touch, sometimes to smells.
• Digestive troubles and a nervous system on edge.

Conventional medicine still has, to this day, no curative treatment. Medical follow-up remains essential — and this article does not replace it in any way.

What research is beginning to understand

Three major scientific leads have been converging for about ten years:

1. Oxidative stress

Several studies published on PubMed document a marked imbalance between free radical production and antioxidant defences in people with fibromyalgia. This "inner rust" of the tissues maintains inflammation and pain (see in particular PubMed ID 19077529).

2. Mitochondrial dysfunction

Our mitochondria are the power plants of our cells. When they malfunction, the whole body goes into "low pressure" mode. The chronic fatigue of people with fibromyalgia could be the direct expression of this cellular energy breakdown.

3. Involvement of the fascia

Fascia is the connective tissue that wraps around every muscle, every organ, every nerve fibre. It is the "spider's web" that keeps the body whole.

In people with fibromyalgia, the fascia lose their elasticity, stick together and become denser. They pull on the nerve endings. They restrict circulation. They cry out.

Organic silicon: a structural trace element

Silicon is present throughout our body: skin, bones, hair, nails, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, artery walls… and fascia.

As early as 1972, the pioneering work of Edith Carlisle published in Science (PubMed ID 5410261) demonstrated the essential role of silicon in collagen formation and the strength of tissues.

Yet — and this is a key point — our silicon capital decreases with age. At 60, only 20 to 30% of the silicon present at birth remains. And our modern, impoverished diet does not make up for it.

Organic silicon, in its most studied form — monomethylsilanetriol (MMST) — is today considered the most bioavailable form for supporting collagen regeneration, the elasticity of the fascia, and muscle and joint comfort.

Why we chose 1,200 mg/L

Most organic silicon products on the market top out at 350 mg/L. Why? Because stabilising MMST at higher concentrations is technically extremely difficult.

At Laboratoire Géomer, we guarantee 1,200 mg/L, stable, within a complete holistic range inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). We are the only ones to do so in this configuration.

This concentration provides a significant intake from the very first sip — without having to multiply doses or buy costly complexes.

✓  Discover Silicium Organique Forté

Forté or Vitalis: which one to choose?

Our range offers two organic silicon food supplements (Directive 2002/46/EC):

• Silicium Organique Forté — Pure MMST at 1,200 mg/L. The benchmark for underlying tissue support, to be used as an intensive course and then for maintenance.
• Silicium Organique Vitalis — Forté enriched with chestnut ellagitannin (0.5 g/L), an exceptional natural antioxidant. Particularly interesting for its richness in antioxidants.

The protocol we recommend:

Many of our customers start with a course of Forté to "recharge the batteries", then switch to Vitalis for long-term maintenance to benefit from the synergy of silicon + antioxidants.

✓  Discover Silicium Organique Vitalis

What our customers with fibromyalgia tell us

We will never promise to "cure" fibromyalgia. That would be both false and indecent.

But we regularly receive testimonials from people living with fibromyalgia, such as that of Dominique Stritt, who tells of her journey and her personal experience of Silicium Organique Forté. A testimonial reflects an individual experience: it is neither a promise of results nor medical advice.

Read Dominique's full testimonial →

Beyond silicon: a holistic approach

Silicon is an important piece of the puzzle. But it is only one piece.

Fibromyalgia is a multifactorial condition that calls for an overall response. Alongside conventional medical follow-up — which is essential — we support our customers with an approach inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and its 5 Elements.

Our range of coloured Terrals — Green (Wood), Red (Fire), Yellow (Earth), White (Metal), Grey (Water) — offers external applications to care for areas of tension and support energetic renewal.

12 May: what now?

If you live with fibromyalgia, or if someone close to you is affected, here is what we offer you today:

1. Wear the blue ribbon this 12 May. This illness is invisible — let us make it visible.
2. Talk about it around you. 1.5 million French people affected deserve to be heard.
3. Support your terrain with a global approach: medical follow-up, diet, suitable movement, stress management, and deep mineralisation.
4. Get in touch with us. Our team can be reached on +33 6 76 70 09 90 (WhatsApp) or by email at info@laboratoire-geomer.com. We take the time to listen to you.