Fibromyalgia is one of the most common chronic pain conditions in the United States. It is believed to affect one in fifty people in the U.S. alone, according to the American College of Rheumatology.
This condition is very problematic because it is extremely difficult to diagnose. It is also difficult to treat because it tends to be a chronic condition. Many doctors use pain medication that treats the symptoms, but there is evidence that shows chiropractic treatment as a very effective way to treat fibromyalgia, minimize the pain, and even control.
What is Fibromyalgia?
Doctors don’t really know what fibromyalgia is or what causes it, but researchers believe that that the condition affects the way that the brain processes pain, causing it to be amplified and spread throughout the body. Symptoms of fibromyalgia include pain, excessive sleeping, mood swings, fatigue, memory loss, fuzziness, and depression. It seems to be more prevalent in women than in men.
The condition may develop suddenly after severe psychological stress or physical trauma such as infection or surgery. However, it may also develop gradually with no known triggers. Often people who suffer from fibromyalgia also have irritable bowel syndrome, tension headaches, anxiety, temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and depression.
4 ways that Chiropractors can Help Fibromyalgia Patients
There are four primary ways that a chiropractor can help patients with fibromyalgia. Chiropractic focuses on whole body wellness and has been shown to be very effective in treating the condition.
Chiropractic Adjustments. This chiropractic technique helps to realign your body and re-establish the connection between the nervous system and nerves throughout the body. It essentially resets the nervous system so that the brain can process pain more accurately. In fibromyalgia the pain is believed to be caused by the central nervous system receiving faulty or inaccurate pain signals and the result is pain felt throughout the body.
Physical Therapy. This is an important part of treatment that your chiropractor will recommend. Fibromyalgia can cause severe muscular pain and patient stop moving or exercising because it simply hurts too much. When the patient stops moving they lose muscle tone which actually exacerbates the effects of the condition.
Lifestyle Adjustment Recommendations. The chiropractor may also make recommendations regarding lifestyle adjustments. This can include incorporating exercise into the patient’s daily routine or finding ways to control the pain without medication. A patient who spends most of their day sitting behind a desk may be advised to take periodic walks. The recommendations will depend on the patient’s everyday activities and lifestyle.
Nutritional Recommendations. Nutrition plays a large part in every aspect of the body. It can cure conditions and help alleviate symptoms. The chiropractor will often make recommendations regarding changes to the diet and supplements. It helps both the psychological aspects of the condition as well as they psychological ones. This type of treatment is often recommended in conjunction with chiropractic treatments as part of a whole body wellness approach.
Chiropractic treatments have been shown to be very successful in treating fibromyalgia patients, particularly in alleviating pain. Patients report a significant decrease in neck, back, and leg pain after just one visit. Because it provides immediate relief without medication, chiropractic is regarded as one of the best treatments for the condition. When the spine is properly aligned the entire body functions more efficiently and effectively.
One of the most attractive benefits of chiropractic treatments is that it treats pain and mobility issues without the use of medications. In the case of fibromyalgia, because so little is actually known about it, chiropractic is an optimal treatment method because it does work but it does not put an additional burden on the body by introducing medications.
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