Patients suffering from fibromyalgia, a disorder characterized by widespread pain, have often times been met with skepticism from the traditional medical community, with many doctors believing that the symptoms are all in a patient’s head. As it turns out, they might be right, although not in the way you might think.
New brain-scan studies scientifically back up that the patients complaints of pain are real and show measurable pain signals in their brains indicating pain from something as small as a finger squeeze; an act that may barely register in a patient without fibromyalgia. The study, published in the American College of Rheumatology medical journal, Arthritis & Rheumatism, offers proof that the symptoms of fibromyalgia are rooted in the signals of the brain, as evidenced through MRI technology.
Although researchers cannot pinpoint the exact cause of fibromyalgia, often times symptoms begin after a physical trauma, surgery or infection or severe stress. Some patients gradually experience an increase of symptoms over time with seemingly no definable cause. Women are more likely to suffer fro the disorder and some patients experience fibromyalgia symptoms along with tension or migraine headaches, anxiety, depression, irritable bowel and more.
The most prevalent symptom of fibromyalgia is pain. The very word fibromyalgia means pain in the muscles and fibrous connective tissues. However, the disorder is often accompanied by fatigue, altered memory and mood and excessive sleep. Typical treatments involve a wide variety of drugs coupled with recommendations for exercise and stress reduction. Many patients suffer for months or years without successful treatment and often the symptoms increase over time, leaving patients struggling with even seemingly simple daily activities. Drug therapy cannot only be of little help but the side effects from pain medicines may actually add to the fatigue and difficulty to manage a full schedule already associated with this debilitating disorder.
However, there is new hope. Today, Chiropractic Neurology is offering patients an alternative to drug therapy. The brain-based, non-invasive and drug-free alternative care plan through Chiropractic Neurology uses a wide range of treatments including simple exercises, eye exercises, heat therapy and one-sided or full body adjustments. Many patients have experienced significant improvements in the painful symptoms associated with fibromyalgia, regardless of how long they have been suffering.
Each patient is unique, so the most important factor in the treatment of fibromyalgia is to find a doctor who listens to the specifics of the patients problems, understands the range of treatments for the root of the problem and strives to treat the each patient based on their individual needs, not just through a “standard” diagnosis. Dr. Marc Ellis does just that for each of his patients. Their course of treatment is as individual as they are and the results speak for themselves.
If you have suffered from pain and fatigue associated with fibromyalgia and traditional treatments have not worked or you would like to find other treatments that can help, please call us at the Georgia Chiropractic Neurology Center to set up your consultation today at 770-664-4288.