Fibromyalgia and Chiropractic Care in Seattle

Do you feel like you have the flu all of the time, with achiness and pain all over?
Is the pain worse in the morning, often with increased muscle stiffness?
Do you feel fatigued every day, even after a full night's sleep?
Do you have restless sleep, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, premenstrual syndrome, dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps), chest pain, an intolerance to cold or damp weather, or temporomandibular joint syndrome (jaw pain)?
Do you often feel anxious or depressed?

Do you know someone who complains about similar symptoms? Have you started to wonder if you are crazy? Don't!

What is described above is a VERY REAL but little understood condition that is neither disfiguring nor life threatening.

Called "fibromyalgia," meaning pain in the tendons and ligaments (fibrous tissue) and muscles, this disorder is not specifically a disease but rather a grouping of symptoms. Cases of fibromyalgia symptoms have been documented for at least the past century, but it was only in 1990 that specific criteria for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia were developed and in 1992 the World Health Organization added fibromyalgia to its classification of diseases.

Fibromyalgia patients are generally caucasian, middle-class women aged 20-55, though men and women of other races, ages, and economic levels are not immune to it.

But what causes fibromyalgia and what will help relieve symptoms?

What Causes Fibromyalgia? No one knows! Neither researchers nor doctors know what causes fibromyalgia, and therefore, there is no known cure. Some patients report having had an illness (viral, bacterial, or parasitic infection) or some kind of trauma, like a car accident, prior to the onset of symptoms. But because this is not true of all sufferers, it cannot be the cause.

Other diseases, such as arthritis, thyroid disease, and connective-tissue disease, have symptoms similar to fibromyalgia, making diagnosis difficult. There is no test available that points directly to fibromyalgia, so it is often a diagnosis of elimination. Tests are usually done to rule out Lyme disease, arthritis, heart problems, neurological disorders, and other conditions. But testing normal for these does not mean you have fibromyalgia.

There are specific symptoms, namely achiness and pain "all over the body" and at least 11 of 18 tender points (areas that when touched cause pain) that must be present to accurately diagnose fibromyalgia. Other symptoms include some, but not necessarily all, of those listed in the opening paragraph.

Can Symptoms Be Controlled?

There are treatment methods that may offer some relief from pain and other symptoms. Research and experience have found that spinal manipulation, exercise, dietary changes, nutritional enhancement, postural changes, physical therapies (heat, ice, light massage, etc.), and stress management can improve symptoms. And this is what makes the Doctor of Chiropractic an excellent choice for the management of fibromyalgia.

The chiropractic office is one in which many of the therapies for the management of fibromyalgia symptoms are commonly used. A recent survey of Doctors of Chiropractic in rural areas of the U.S. found that 100% provide guidance on exercise to their patients, 88.1% provide nutritional counseling, 80% provide information on stress management, and 93.8% counsel on lifestyle modifications, like smoking cessation and weight loss (Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research, 1994).

These statistics show that for the management of fibromyalgia symptoms, a chiropractic office is an excellent place for treatment. Your Doctor of Chiropractic will begin your treatment with a thorough clinical examination and a complete health history.

If you have had medical tests done in connection with your symptoms, inform your chiropractor of the results to avoid unnecessary duplication of tests. With all of this information, a treatment plan will be designed specifically for you. The chiropractor is very well educated in the body as a whole and will know which therapies hold the most promise for you with your specific symptoms and tender points.

What Can Help?

MANIPULATION - Reduction of muscle tension, reduction of stress, correction of postural dysfunction - these and perhaps other reasons may be why manipulation can be effective for fibromyalgia symptom control. Those whose symptoms appeared following a trauma may find manipulation especially helpful and should see a chiropractor immediately.

Call our Greenwood Seattle chiropractic office today!