We are fibromyalgia chiropractors in Rochester Hills, Michigan, and we have seen first-hand how much fibromyalgia affects those who suffer from it.
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Defining Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a syndrome known for chronic pain all over the body. Its other characteristics are severe fatigue, sleep problems, and mental and emotional ups and downs.
People living with fibromyalgia are more sensitive to pain than those without the disorder. They have an abnormality in their pain perception processing, and studies suggest that the brain amplifies painful sensations in people with FM.
As many as 5 million American adults live with fibromyalgia, including celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Morgan Freeman, and Lena Dunham. Those with fibromyalgia may also experience other health problems like TMD (temporomandibular joint disorders), headache disorders, migraines, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), anxiety, and depression.
Fibromyalgia Symptoms
People with fibromyalgia experience some or all of these symptoms daily:
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- Cognitive issues: Also recognized as “fibro fog,” FM patients experience an inability to focus or remember things. Paying attention and concentrating are really challenging, especially on mental tasks.
- Widespread pain: FM causes a constant, flu-like ache. To get a fibromyalgia diagnosis, someone must experience widespread pain for at least three months. It should affect both sides of the body and above and below the waist.
- Severe exhaustion: FM patients feel extremely tired most of the day, even after just waking up from an 8-hour sleep. This is because there are interruptions in their sleep due to pain, or they suffer from a sleep disorder such as restless leg syndrome or sleep apnea. As a result, they do not achieve restorative sleep that gives a refreshed feeling.
- Facial or jaw pain
- Tingling or numbness in the hands and feet
- Digestive problems
Possible Causes of Fibromyalgia
While there is still no final answer as to what causes fibromyalgia, researchers have noted that fibromyalgia often comes about following a traumatic event, such as physical injury, surgery, infections, or even psychological and emotional stress. Many other factors contribute to the onset of FM.
Risk Factors of Fibromyalgia
The following are the risk factors that make someone more prone to developing fibromyalgia.
- Gender: Women develop fibromyalgia more often than men.
- Age: Fibromyalgia is seen more often in middle-aged and older people.
- Genetics: If you have a parent, sibling, or relative with fibromyalgia, you may have it too.
- Other conditions: If you suffer from other health conditions such as lupus, osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, you have a greater chance of getting FM.
- Obesity: Carrying excess body weight boosts pain levels and the extent of chronic pain in the body.
- Repetitive injury: Excessive stress on a joint can also have an impact on how you process pain. For example, frequent knee bending is a common form of joint overuse.
- Stressful or traumatic events: Car accidents and having post-traumatic stress disorder can contribute to fibromyalgia.
5 Effects of Fibromyalgia That Frustrate Patients
Fibromyalgia patients have to deal with some of the following problems:
- More hospitalizations: People with fibromyalgia are twice as likely to be hospitalized than those without the illness.
- A higher rate of rheumatoid conditions: Arthritis conditions often accompany fibromyalgia. Some of them include rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and system lupus erythematosus.
- Lower life quality: Women with fibromyalgia are 40 percent less energetic and are 67 percent more likely to have mental health problems than those without fibromyalgia.
- More depression: Adults with fibromyalgia are three times more likely to develop a major depressive illness than those without the condition.
- More deaths from injuries and suicide: More people with fibromyalgia die from general injuries or suicide than any other illness.
Natural Ways to Manage Fibromyalgia
To cope with fibromyalgia, staying physically active is vital. It may seem counterintuitive to perform physical activities while you are in pain, but studies show that adults that get at least 2.5 hours of moderate physical exercise every week improve their FM symptoms. You can try biking, walking, or swimming for 30 minutes a day, five days a week. If this seems too much for you, you can break it up into three separate 10-minute sessions.
Having regular exercise can also save you from having other health conditions such as diabetes and heart ailments. Another thing you can pursue is upper cervical chiropractic care. You can schedule an appointment to visit us here at Balanced Living Chiropractic in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Let’s see how we can help you relieve your fibromyalgia symptoms.
Why Upper Cervical Chiropractic Is a Great Fibromyalgia Reliever
Researchers have seen an interesting connection between fibromyalgia and a misalignment in the upper cervical vertebrae (atlas and axis) of the spine. The atlas and axis are responsible for protecting the brainstem from damage, maintaining its optimal performance. However, if they misalign, this can cause impairment of the brainstem, resulting in sending improper signals to the brain. This can be the reason why the brain interprets pain differently and more strongly.
We are fibromyalgia chiropractors in Rochester Hills and we use a gentle technique to adjust and realign the atlas and axis. It allows the bones to move back into the correct position more naturally. This brings longer-lasting correct alignment and eventually fewer visits to our office. Many fibromyalgia studies and reports from our patients affirm that upper cervical chiropractic is a great therapy to relieve the pain of fibromyalgia. Call us at 248-831-0729 to experience it yourself.
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.