Fibromyalgia

It just hurts all over

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and multiple tender points.  These tender points refer to sensitivity that occurs in precise localized areas, particularly in the neck, spine, shoulders and hips.  People with this syndrome may also experience sleep disturbances, morning stiffness, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety and other symptoms. 

Tender/trigger points are specific sites on the body that cause pain when pressed.  There are 9 pairs of tender points.  Each pair has one point on each side of the body for a total of 18 points.  The pain may spread when a tender point is pressed and trigger pain in a larger area.

According to the American College of Rheumatology, fibromyalgia affects 3 to 6 million Americans.  It primarily occurs in women of childbearing age, though men, children, and the elderly may also be affected.

Currently, the exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown and because many of the symptoms mimic those of other diseases, it is very difficult to diagnose.

The current criteria for a fibromyalgia diagnosis includes:

-                      Widespread joint and muscle pain that has been present for at least three months.

-                      Pain at 11 or more of the 18 specific tender/trigger points when the areas are pressed.

Other symptoms that are less common but can occur are constipation or diarrhea, headaches, difficulty concentrating, tingling sensation in the hands and severe or excessive fatigue.

Though the cause and sure for fibromyalgia is not yet known, studies suggest that chiropractic care can help provide relief.

A recent study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics stated that more than 60% of the participants who underwent thirty chiropractic treatments showed significant in their overall fatigue and quality of sleep.

Your chiropractic will take a comprehensive approach in evaluation and designing a specific care pain for those who suffer from fibromyalgia.  Nutrition, exercise and regular chiropractic adjustments have all shown to play a role in reducing pain and other symptoms, while improving while body health.

Options for relief

A study published in the British Medical Journal reports that patients who participated in aerobic exercises twice per week for one hour over a 12 week period, were twice as likely to report feeling “much better” or “very much better” than those who did not participate.