Are you one of the millions of people who suffer from fibromyalgia?
If so, you know how debilitating this condition can be and its daily challenges.
While there is no cure for fibromyalgia, there are treatment options that can help you to manage your condition and improve your quality of life. Chiropractic care is one such treatment method that has been shown to be helpful for many people with fibromyalgia.
Chiropractors are experts in helping to relieve pain and improve function, and many patients with fibromyalgia report significant relief after starting chiropractic care.
What is fibromyalgia?
The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but researchers believe it involves changes in how the brain processes pain, resulting in inaccurate pain signals being amplified and spread throughout the body.
Unfortunately, the condition is challenging to diagnose and, since this is a chronic pain condition, can last for months or even years. Fibromyalgia typically causes widespread pain and tenderness, making even light pressure feel painful.
The condition can appear suddenly after a period of intense psychological stress or physical trauma, such as an infection or surgery. It may, however, develop gradually without known triggers. Fibromyalgia patients frequently have irritable bowel syndrome, tension headaches, anxiety, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, and depression.
Furthermore, some people with fibromyalgia also have stenosis of the upper cervical spine, a condition in which nerves become compressed, causing full-body pain.
Common symptoms of fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a complex condition that causes a variety of symptoms that can benefit from chiropractic care, including:
- Chronic, widespread pain and aching
- Muscle and skin tenderness
- Memory loss
- Muscle cramps and spasms
- Relentless fatigue and trouble sleeping
- Sensory alterations
- Depression
- Digestive disruptions
- Excessive sleeping
- Balance and reflex problems
- Headaches and migraines
- Muscle twitching and tremors
- Brain fog, slowed thinking and disorientation
How chiropractic care treats fibromyalgia
Chiropractors use chiropractic adjustments to alleviate pain and boost the body’s natural healing mechanisms.
Because the symptoms of fibromyalgia are expressed through the musculoskeletal system, regular, gentle chiropractic adjustments are known to reduce pain, and are therefore a specific and practical treatment.
The overall goal of chiropractic treatment is to restore appropriate nerve communication by returning normal range of motion to joints in the spine and throughout the body.
Chiropractors optimise nerve communication by manually adjusting the vertebrae. This can be done in a number of ways depending on the needs or preferences of the individual. Typically chiropractors use their hands to apply gentle pressure, stretch an area, use several gentle movements in the same area, or utilise precise, quick pushes.
Spinal manipulation, when done correctly, will restore the proper movement of the vertebral joints that protect the nerves in the spine. This enables the body to improve awareness of an area and in turn reduces pain.When the pain is attributed to a musculoskeletal issue, the body’s natural response is often a muscle spasm.
As a result, treating the joint and muscle dysfunction, and normalising nerve communication alleviates musculoskeletal pain and improves health.
7 Benefits of chiropractic care for fibromyalgia
1. Reduces pain levels
Chiropractic adjustments and soft tissue work improves spinal movement and can help fibromyalgia patients experience significantly reduced pain.
2. Increases range of motion
Fibromyalgia patients may occasionally experience an increased range of motion, allowing them to move more easily.
3. Lifestyle improvements
This includes incorporating physical activity into the patient’s daily schedule or finding ways to manage fibromyalgia pain without taking medications.
4. Enhances sleep quality
Chiropractic care for people who suffer from fibromyalgia pain helps them relax and offers patients a deeper, longer sleep.
5. Complements other treatments
Sometimes medicines react negatively with one another or mix and cause adverse side effects. One significant advantage of chiropractic care is that it can be used in conjunction with medications or other traditional or natural treatments.
6. Nutritional guidance
Your chiropractor will frequently make dietary and supplement recommendations. It helps with both the physiological and psychological aspects of the condition.
7. Empowers the patient
Chiropractic care is an effective treatment for fibromyalgia symptoms. The best part is that patients can take control of their situation and play an essential role in managing their well-being.
What happens if fibromyalgia is left untreated?
Untreated fibromyalgia symptoms including chronic pain, exhaustion, headaches, and depression have a strong likelihood of getting progressively worse over time. In addition to having a significant impact on mental health, fibromyalgia can aggravate anxiety and mood disorders if left untreated.
Final thoughts on Chiropractic Care for Fibromyalgia
Because of the widespread pain and exhaustion it causes, and the potential for cognitive issues and mood swings, fibromyalgia makes daily life challenging.
Patients with fibromyalgia frequently have access to both conventional and non-conventional therapies. Some of the most famous traditional treatments for their symptoms include anti-inflammatories, sleeping aids, and muscle relaxants.
Patients frequently supplement or replace conventional pain medications with natural remedies like vitamin therapy, acupuncture, and meditation. On the other hand, chiropractic care is one of the most common and effective treatments.
If you’re looking for alternative treatments for your fibromyalgia, book an appointment at Wellness Chiropractic Prahran for your personalised chiropractic care and treatment plan!
