What is fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a complex condition that includes fatigue, widespread pain, and tenderness throughout the body. The common name for fibromyalgia is “aches and pains syndrome.” Fibromyalgia is a diverse illness with an entire slew of symptoms that accompany it. The intensity with which it affects individuals also varies. Most treatments are aimed at treating individual symptoms.
Fibromyalgia
Treatment options
Due to the complex nature of fibromyalgia there are many different treatment options available. The difficulty lies in the fact that this condition has no clear cause and is difficult to diagnose. There are several “schools of thought” that have all reached a certain level of success with fibromyalgia.
Medical Model
The medical model treatment typically includes medications and self-care. Mayo clinic states that “the emphasis is on minimizing symptoms and improving general health. No one treatment works for all symptoms.” The main medications that are used are pain relievers, antidepressants and anti-seizure drugs. Obviously, all medications have side-effects. Self-care treatment includes physical therapy, occupational therapy, and counseling.
Eastern Medicine
Eastern medicine such as acupuncture and yoga have been successful with improving day-to-day activities. Acupuncture focuses on restoring normal life forces within the body. The positive effects include self-healing philosophy, improved blood flow, and positive change in neurotransmitters to your brain. Yoga has also been shown to improve mood and decrease pain.
True cause of fibromyalgia
The cause of fibromyalgia is unclear. However, most health professionals will agree that it all starts with stress. When the stress load surrounding us exceeds the capacity to handle it, that is when symptoms become to appear. The stress surfaces differently for everyone – for some its sleep issues, for others its widespread pain, and for some its severe fatigue.
Stress comes in three different forms – emotional, chemical and physical stress. When our stress load exceeds our body’s ability to adapt to the external environment, this leads to misalignments in the spine. These misalignments further
Headache / Migraine
worsen the situation by causing stress on the nerves. These nerves head out to different areas of the body. Not only will this cause pain and tightness in the area affected, but it will eventually start causing problems to where the nerves go to.
Our Solution
Chiropractic is a healthcare profession that deals with stress on the nervous system. After carefully analyzing the spine, our doctors will help assess the true cause of your fibromyalgia. If we find something on the motion-study x-rays that will objectively point towards a neurological cause, we will be able to help. If there is nothing showing a musculoskeletal and neurological cause to the fibromyalgia, we will refer you out to someone who can help. Call our office today to schedule a no-obligation consultation/exam to see how we can help!
