Whether you have fibromyalgia or you know someone who does, there are certain things that it is important for everyone to know about this chronic health condition. We are about to reveal some important knowledge, including the fact that natural relief is available to patients who are suffering from an underlying problem that we frequently overlook.

#1 Fibromyalgia Pain Is Widespread, But Also Focused on 18 Tender Points

While pain can occur anywhere in the body, there are 18 specific tender points of fibromyalgia. The interesting thing about those points is that four of them are in the neck and a total of 14 are along the spine. This hints at an underlying spinal issue that leads to this neurological condition. Keep in mind that fibromyalgia pain is related to the central nervous system and is not due to inflammation as is the case with most other chronic pain conditions.

#2 For Some Patients Fibromyalgia Is a Secondary Condition

While most people who have fibromyalgia are primarily dealing with this chronic health problem, others have multiple chronic ailments. For example, if you have a condition like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, you are more likely also to develop fibromyalgia. While chronic pain is an overlapping symptom, the patient is actually suffering from two unique chronic ailments.

#3 Misdiagnosis or Lack of Diagnosis Is Common

There are many reasons for this. The condition is still puzzling for many people. Some people, even some doctors, don’t feel like it is a real condition. There is a potential blood test for it, and it is performed by a third party. As a result, most health insurance policies will not cover the test, and many medical professionals do not view it as legitimate. Keep in mind that the test may cost around $1,000 if your insurance doesn’t cover it. Also, the test measures the lack of certain markers that could present with other conditions, so if you haven’t gone through all of the exclusion tests, you may still have to. Most patients must take tests to rule out other conditions before a diagnosis.

#4 Sleep Disorders Often Accompany the Condition

Up to 90% of fibromyalgia patients have trouble sleeping, and this is a major problem because lack of sleep can make some of the most debilitating symptoms worse. For example, the body cannot process pain properly without getting enough sleep, so tolerance to pain may be reduced. Also, the cognitive symptoms, or fibro fog, may all get worse with a lack of proper sleep at night.

#5 Symptoms May Differ from Patient to Patient

There are many symptoms besides pain that are associated with fibromyalgia. For example, a patient may suffer from:

• Headaches or migraines
• Anxiety and depression
• Sensitivity to lights, sounds, or temperature
• Irritable bowel or bladder

You may have all or just some of these symptoms. Even the degree or location of pain may vary from person to person.

#6 Fibromyalgia Affects a High Percentage of People, Many of Them Are Women

Because the condition is difficult to diagnose and is often misdiagnosed, there is no way to know just how many people have fibromyalgia. However, estimates put the condition at 2 to 4 percent of people (6-12 million in the US alone). That would actually make this condition rather common, despite the stigma attached to it.

About 90% of fibromyalgia patients are women. This can be for a number of different reasons. Men may not be willing to stick to the long-term process of getting a diagnosis. Also, an official diagnosis may have an even greater stigma for men because of the discrepancy in the number of males who are diagnosed. As a result, some men may intentionally avoid getting a diagnosis.

#7 You May Be Able to Get Natural Relief

One of the big problems that fibromyalgia patients have is finding successful fibromyalgia treatment. There are few options. Most medications are simply being used off label and were designed for other health conditions. The results can vary from person to person. And treatment may be expensive, which can be a major burden since the process of getting a diagnosis can also be a long and expensive burden.

As a result, more people are turning to natural options. Unfortunately, many of these also prove to be disappointing. However, there is a natural form of care that has been able to help a number of patients in case studies. It is called upper cervical chiropractic care.

If you’ve already tried chiropractic, don’t give up hope yet. Upper cervical chiropractic is very precise and specific. Measurements are taken of the C1 and C2 vertebrae to pinpoint misalignments down to fractions of a degree. Adjustments are always gentle. There is no popping or twisting like you may have been expecting.

These gentle adjustments can help the central nervous system by improving blood flow to the brain and brainstem function in general. Thus, if you are suffering from fibromyalgia, it is worth it to give this natural therapy a try. Contact a practitioner in your area to learn more. You can find one of our preferred doctors by using the search feature on this website. You may be happy to find that upper cervical chiropractic is just what you needed to get your life back.

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