Barb is 54 years old and had been chronically ill with various "mystery illnesses" for almost 28 years.

With endless prescriptions, along with visits to doctors and specialists, she had almost given up hope that some day she might recover.

Barb is not alone in her suffering.

According to the May issue of Readers Digest, there are millions of North Americans suffering from mysterious illnesses like chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and multiple chemical sensitivity that leave both doctors and scientists perplexed and unable to help.

Barb had been given a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, post-traumatic stress disorder, restless leg syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome and depression.

But most of all, Barb suffered from lack of hope for recovery.

As it turns out, Barb had been exhibiting symptoms of illness for much longer than 28 years. They actually started when Barb was just a child.

She always knew that she had sensitivities to certain smells like most fragrant products and diesel exhaust but didn't realize that there was a name for this condition - multiple chemical sensitivity.

Her health issues started to escalate in her early 20s when the antique oil stove that heated her home had broken.

She awoke to a house filled with black smoke and soot and was lucky to get out alive.

She also lived by fruit orchards for six years and was regularly exposed to pesticides.

The tipping point was in 1982 after a car accident when chronic pain took over her life.

After a second car accident in 1986 life became almost unbearable.

Once an enthusiastic and energetic business executive and single mom, Barb finally had to quit her job and go on disability as the pain was just too intolerable.

She was given a prescription for pain right away and had to take medications every few hours just to manage.

And even after rounds of physiotherapy and other recommended treatments, the pain continued long after the injuries should have healed.

Taking care of her three children seemed like a Herculean task and she often felt guilty because of the all of the things that she could no longer do with them.

Beyond all of the symptoms, what I believe was going on at a much deeper level was Barb had suffered from an acquired brain injury that activated a chronic inflammatory response and consequently resulted in a maladapted stress reaction.

Her system was already vulnerable, and the second car accident was the straw that broke the camel's back.

From that point on, her brain was stuck in a trauma pattern and was sending alarm messages to the rest of her body that fueled the inflammatory response.

In order to recover, Barb needed to address the underlying brain trauma cycle.

Through consistently interrupting the brain trauma pattern, she was able to stop the alarm response and unconscious stress reaction.

When the alarm reaction was halted, it also stopped perpetuating the chronic inflammatory response and her brain and body was able to get back to the business of growth and repair.

It's been over a year now since Barb took the dynamic neural retraining program. Today, she is very busy working these days and is fully participating in life once again.

These chronic illnesses are no longer classified as a "mystery" when they are viewed from this new paradigm in health.

You don't have to suffer from these conditions, and most of all you don't have to suffer from lack of hope for recovery.

Annie Hopper is a limbic system rehabilitation specialist and core belief counsellor.