A Gentle NUCCA Chiropractor
in Milwaukee Area

Fibromyalgia is a condition that afflicts thousands of people. Usually people who report fibromyalgia are women between the ages of 25-55 of Caucasian race. However fibromyalgia is not a gender or race specific aliment. Therefore there is an issue of self/social diagnosing for many patients This ailment is often misdiagnosed and it is usually based on 11 set of tender points throughout the back and extremities. Unfortunately this misdiagnosis is not only done on the part of the patient but also many health care providers who are eager to give the patient a diagnosis.

Differentiating fibromyalgia from other aliments

There are several other ailments with similar symptoms to fibromyalgia such as chronic fatigue syndrome, myofascial pain syndrome, anxiety, multiple bursitis, tendonitis, connective tissue disorders, hypothyroid or hypoadrenalism, glycemic type disorders, anemia, multiple sclerosis.

Typical fibromyalgia symptoms are:

• Widespread pain (neck, back mid-back, headaches and painful menses)
• Severe fatigue
• Morning stiffness
• Tingling in the extremities
• Prior depression
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Urinary urgency
• Raynaud’s phenomena
• Impaired memory
• Balance problems
• Alternating diarrhea and constipation

Note: Patients with fibromyalgia perceive pain from things that are normally not painful (for example putting on a coat, or pulling up their sheet in bed. Fibromylagia is not an inflammatory disease therefore patients typically report that anti-inflammatory medications do not make a difference for them. If anti-inflammatory meds reduce their pains then they don’t have fibromyalgia.

This is primarily a central nervous system disorder and starts from

• significant physical trauma to the body
• significant psychological trauma
• significant problems of the digestive tract causing problems with absorption of vitamins and minerals for the body.

Type of care available at our office

Spinal correction: Since this is primarily a central nervous system problem and the patient is sensitive to hard forces on the body, low force specific chiropractic adjustment, the type that is used for patients in this office is extremely beneficial for patients.

• a) it reduces pressure from the spinal cord and allows the nervous system to function more efficiently and allows healing of the nerves to take place with the absence of pressure on the cord.
• b) patient is not in pain as a result of the adjustment and can continue with their chiropractic care in a realistic way.

Nutritional needs: Patients are also referred for blood and stool tests and their diet and nutritional needs are analyzed in order to help them detoxify and to help their body be able to absorb nutrients more efficiently.

Physical therapy: Light P.T. is recommended only after the patient has less nervous system pressure and has better biomechanics. This type of therapy is either done in the office or the patient is referred to a P.T. facility for more extensive work if need be. This is also followed by biofeedback, acupuncture, ranio-sacral therapy, guided imagery, meditation, yoga. Some of these services are offered here and some are referred out to other healthcare facilities.

Conclusion

Fibromyalgia is not a condition that gets better after doing one thing. If it is true fibromyalgia it needs a whole host of therapies and care in the right order so that the body can accelerate its healing process.