Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes widespread pain sensitivity, and, although it has no known cure, your chiropractor can help you find relief. In fact, chiropractic care is a common treatment sought out by people suffering from fibromyalgia because it offers excellent pain management. Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is a disorder that causes pervasive musculoskeletal pain in joints, tendons, muscles, and other soft tissues throughout the body. FMS is associated with other conditions including traumatic injury, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune disorders such as lupus, and genetic factors. It is the root of widespread musculoskeletal pain, and can cause anxiety, and depression. While the precise cause of fibromyalgia is currently unknown, there are theories as to potential triggers. Approximately 2% of the adult population, or 4 million people, are affected by this extreme sensitization to pain, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
How A Chiropractor Can Relieve Fibromyalgia Pain
What Are The Characteristics Of Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia can affect many areas of the body such as the bowel, the bladder, and it can cause digestive issues, trigger allergies, or asthma. It is common for fibromyalgia symptoms to come and go over time, and sometimes present as if the symptoms are related to another condition, which makes a clear diagnosis very challenging. Current health guidelines state that a diagnosis of FMS can be made if a patient experiences widespread pain for longer than three months with no apparent underlying medical condition.
Studies have suggested the nervous system may be a key factor in the development of fibromyalgia. Patients commonly express that they experience extreme fatigue, mood swings, memory loss, and even depression. Fibromyalgia:
- Tends to be associated with muscle tenderness
- Has physical as well as psychological impact
- Can be related to arthritic pain
- May be difficult to identify and has no specific tests that can be run
- Primarily manifests as fatigue in addition to chronic pain
How A Chiropractor Can Relieve Fibromyalgia Pain
Chiropractors approach injury and illness from a holistic, whole-body wellness position, which makes it an effective treatment for fibromyalgia. Your body functions better when the spine is properly aligned, and pain is relieved. One key benefit of chiropractic care is that it addresses mobility issues and pain without the use of medication. Spinal adjustments accompanied by exercise, acupuncture, massage, and Active Release Techniques (ART®) can ease many fibromyalgia symptoms and relieve muscle tension. When your chiropractor realigns your spine, it allows better nerve communication between the brain and the rest of your body. With proper nervous system function, exercise, and lifestyle adjustments, many patients find their fibromyalgia symptoms become more manageable.
Ease the Pain Of Fibromyalgia With Performance Health And Wellness
Chiropractic sessions that involve adjustments to the neck and spine can greatly relieve many of the associated symptoms of fibromyalgia. The chiropractors at Performance Health & Wellness in Irvine focus on a patient’s overall health and well-being. While a typical chiropractic session focuses on spinal wellness, our clinicians look for the root of a problem by assessing all joints in the body.
Our chiropractors in Irvine treat conditions and disorders related to the neck, back, pelvis, extremities, and the overall effect they have on the nervous system. As practitioners of functional medicine, our health care team will aim to uncover the source of your health concerns and customize lifestyle recommendations to support your health journey. We can help you find the cause of your pain, and will work with you to relieve it. Please call us or fill out the contact form to schedule an ART® consultation to assess your symptoms of fibromyalgia.
FAQ
How can my fibromyalgia pain improve through a functional medicine approach?
Functional medicine is focused on treating the root causes of illness as opposed to only treating the symptoms. While conventional doctors may treat only the area that is exhibiting problems, functional medicine doctors will address lifestyle changes that will improve your condition and your overall health. For example, many illnesses, both physical and mental, have links with chronic stress. Your functional medicine doctor will work with you to develop a plan for stress management to benefit your overall health.
What causes fibromyalgia?
The exact cause of this painful and mysterious condition is unknown, but risk factors include traumatic injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune disorders such as lupus and genetic factors. Diagnostic guidelines from the American College of Rheumatology state that fibromyalgia presents as widespread pain throughout your body for at least three months with no underlying medical condition.
How can a chiropractor help relieve my fibromyalgia pain?
In many cases, patients experience fibromyalgia pain because of inaccurate pain signals sent from the brain to the rest of the body. When your spine is adjusted, it realigns the musculoskeletal system, and typically resets the nervous system, allowing your mind and body to process pain properly.
