As a provider of fibromyalgia relief in Rochester Hills, Dr. Cicala has met many patients asking the question during an appointment. It’s not surprising at all as fibromyalgia and lupus share similar symptoms —such as widespread chronic pain—making people mistake fibromyalgia for lupus, or the other way around. Needless to say, the two are totally different diseases.
Patients with fibromyalgia and lupus may need a specialized care plan to experience some relief. So, how are they different? A key difference between the two is that fibromyalgia is non-life-threatening. Lupus, on the other hand, can lead to fatal organ complications that may kill a patient.
In this blog post, we will talk about other similarities and differences between the two chronic disorders and introduce a natural method to ease symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Table of Contents
What Is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a chronic health syndrome known to cause widespread pain and tenderness in the body. Having experienced the debilitating condition themselves, Lady Gaga and other Hollywood celebrities became advocates for fibromyalgia. It is a neurological disease where pain exists, but surprisingly, there is no visible swelling of any parts of the body.
There are 18 tender points on the body where fibromyalgia pain is most intense. In fibromyalgia, a doctor may examine these 18 points to confirm pain. If pain exists in 11 out of the 18 points, the patient most likely has fibromyalgia.
People looking for fibromyalgia relief in Rochester Hills report the following symptoms:
- Anxiety and stress
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Feeling pain in 18 fibromyalgia trigger points
- Long-lasting, dull, aching pain all over the body
- Problems with focus, recollection, and other cognitive issues
People with fibromyalgia may also experience related conditions like migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, neck pain, and depression.
Unlike lupus patients, people with fibromyalgia deal with pain that does not affect the organs and major body systems, making it a relatively safer condition. Also, it does not involve tissue inflammation, which is a hallmark indicator of lupus.
However, people diagnosed with fibromyalgia are still not out of the woods since this condition can make life harder to live. Some attacks may last for weeks or months on end. It’s unquestionably challenging to go about your day while feeling lingering painful sensations. Most of the pain associated with this condition is dull but tends to flare up to a more severe ache.
What Is Lupus?
Lupus is an autoimmune condition that happens when your immune system attacks your own body. Usually, the body’s defense system targets foreign substances that enter the body, for example, a virus or germ that can make the body sick. But in those with lupus, their very own immune system attacks their healthy cells instead of protecting them.
In short, the body produces antibodies that attack healthy tissues and organs. This causes pain in patients due to the damage from the attack of their own antibodies.
Aside from chronic pain, lupus patients live with the following symptoms:
- tiredness or fatigue
- skin lesions or abrasions
- headaches
- pain in the chest area
- difficulty breathing
- tissue inflammation
- joint pains
- rashes in some parts of the body
Severe lupus conditions may cause organ damage, leading to fatal complications. Some patients with lupus may suffer from heart damage, chronic lung issues, and kidney failure. A great example is the singer Selena Gomez who had a life-saving kidney transplant for lupus in 2017. In some cases, antibodies may attack the central nervous system (CNS), resulting in seizures and even memory loss.
Takeaways
The primary difference between the two conditions is that lupus is an autoimmune condition where the body attacks itself, while fibromyalgia a disorder that causes widespread chronic pain and tenderness. Lupus can result from genetics and environmental factors. Fibromyalgia pains, on the other hand, may arise from traumatic injuries experienced by an individual.
We hope that this article helped you learn the differences between the two chronic diseases. Now, focusing on their root cause, we can definitely see that fibromyalgia symptoms can be relieved more easily.
Where to Find Natural Fibromyalgia Relief in Rochester Hills
Anyone seeking fibromyalgia relief in Rochester Hills can stay hopeful. Here at Balanced Living Chiropractic & Functional Medicine, one of the services we offer is upper cervical chiropractic, a natural procedure that could alleviate fibromyalgia pains and other symptoms.
Upper cervical care takes good care of the uppermost bones of the spine. The atlas (C1) and the axis (C2) are the protectors of the brainstem and the central bones behind our head movements. Unfortunately, their location and range of motion make them highly prone to misaligning than any other bone in the spine. Misalignments may result from car accidents, sporting accidents, falling, a harsh blow to the head and neck, or even subjecting the neck to sudden, forceful movements.
Upper cervical chiropractors know for a fact that conditions like fibromyalgia may also arise from injuries sustained from a traumatic incident, something that often happens more than we realize. In fact, some studies connect the onset of fibromyalgia with an upper cervical misalignment. This study implies that correcting the misalignment could improve the symptoms associated with the condition.
Dr. Cicala takes every patient’s history and gathers enough information about how any injury was sustained. Then, he assesses the upper cervical spine for any misalignment. He ensures meticulous evaluation before employing personalized adjustments for each patient. Upper cervical chiropractic procedures involve incredibly gentle and safe corrections in the neck.
If you are searching for fibromyalgia relief in Rochester Hills, look no further. We invite you to schedule a consult with him by calling 248-831-0729 or making an online request.
To schedule a complimentary NUCCA consultation, call 248-831-0729 or just click the button below.
If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.