What is fibromyalgia?

Seven to ten million Americans suffer from the debilitating effects of fibromyalgia. It is called a "syndrome" because it involves a number of symptoms that occur together. The most common of these include: chronic muscular pain, tender spots, chronic fatigue, sleep disturbances, depression and anxiety.

Although FMS is a chronic or lifelong condition, it does not worsen over time and is not crippling. Depending on its severity, it often interferes with the patient’s ability to work, perform normal daily activities and participate in social and recreational activities.

FMS was once thought to be "psychosomatic," or an illness that is "all in the patient’s head." As a result, many were misdiagnosed and untreated in the past. Over the past ten years, however, FMS has become more widely recognized by healthcare professionals. Today, sufferers can now benefit from a variety of treatments.

Since the cause of the fibromyalgia is not yet fully understood, treatment strategies focus on easing symptoms through a combination of therapies. The goal is to help each patient regain as much of his or her ability to function at work, at home, and at leisure activities as possible.

How chiropractic helps:

A number of recent studies have shown that chiropractic care can provide relief from the pain of fibromyalgia. Because chiropractic addresses the whole patient, it offers a combination of specialized treatments, including:

Spinal manipulation to relieve pressure on nerves,

Trigger point therapy – strategically applied pressure to pain-sensitive points in the body,

Massage to ease muscle tension

And physical therapy to strengthen muscles and increase endurance.

We often work with your current doctor to formulate a treatment plan that is right for you. As pain decreases and strength improves, so does the ability to function more actively in all areas of life. The resulting sense of well-being can do much to reduce depression, anxiety and improve the patient’s ability to participate more fully in life.

If you or a loved one suffers from chronic pain accompanied with fatigue or depression, we invite you