When you browse through case studies about fibromyalgia chiropractic, you can easily see a recurring trend among patients – having a lengthy diagnosis period. Most of them spend years going in and out of clinics to get an accurate diagnosis.

Thankfully, with a promising breakthrough in fibromyalgia care, patients can soon quickly determine if they have the pain disorder. Recently, researchers at the Ohio State University (OSU) have experimented on diagnosing fibromyalgia with a blood test.

So, how does it work? And what does it mean for patients experiencing some of the critical signs of fibromyalgia?

Testing for Fibromyalgia Using Blood

The study conducted by researchers at the OSU Wexner Medical Center uses technologies called metabolomic analysis and vibrational spectroscopy to distinguish patients with fibromyalgia from those who have rheumatoid arthritis.

Essentially, the test helps doctors find fibromyalgia “markers” and check a patient’s metabolite profile. As it turns out, these two factors help doctors shed light on your condition and determine if the symptoms that you experience stem from the neurological disorder fibromyalgia.

The OSU Wexner Medical Center researchers have yet to conduct larger batches of blood tests for fibromyalgia patients. So, for now, patients and professionals like neurologists, general physicians, and fibromyalgia chiropractic practitioners have to wait until the next update on diagnosing fibromyalgia with a blood test. 

Why is Fibromyalgia Difficult to Diagnose

On average, fibromyalgia takes up to five years to diagnose. This mostly happens because doctors have to ensure that the symptoms you experience do not stem from other diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Apart from rheumatoid arthritis, here are other health problems that usually gets mistaken for fibromyalgia:

• Lyme’s disease
• Certain cancer types
• HIV/AIDS
• Spine degeneration
• Hypothyroidism
• Multiple sclerosis
• Chronic fatigue syndrome

How Do You Get a Fibromyalgia Diagnosis Today?

Diagnosing fibromyalgia entails doing a series of tests. Some doctors might require blood tests, X-ray examinations, or even MRI scans. Generally, if you meet the criteria set by the American College of Rheumatology below, you should consider consulting with your physician as early as possible.

• You experience mild to severe aching in up to seven different parts of your body.
• You don't have other conditions that could account for the pain and discomfort that you experience
• The symptoms have been plaguing you for more than three months.

We recommend keeping track of your symptoms and the level of pain you experience in a diary. This way, you can quickly provide insights to your physician during your visit. 

What To Do When You Have Fibromyalgia

While fibromyalgia doesn’t necessarily cause life-threatening symptoms, it can cause serious disruptions in your everyday life. For example, it can suck all the joy out of your favorite activities like exercising or playing with your kids or dogs. It can also leave you constantly feeling stressed out or anxious, thinking that you are a burden to your loved ones. 

If you have fibromyalgia, you need to make several lifestyle adjustments so you can cope better. You can also tap into specific remedies or procedures to curb the impact of your condition. Below is a list of fibromyalgia remedy options you can try:

• Getting a massage - This is proven helpful in minimizing pain and tension in your muscles. It can also help you manage mental issues like stress, anxiety, and depression.
• Trying acupuncture - Traditional healing practices such as acupuncture are among the usual remedies that fibromyalgia patients turn to. This specific procedure aims to improve energy flow in your body so you can release natural pain relievers. 
• Making sure you sleep well - Sleep is pivotal to maintaining various crucial body functions. This is why it's also essential for fibromyalgia patients to get enough sleep, especially at night. 
• Avoiding common sources of stress - Stressors can come from various sources, including a stressful workload, a toxic neighbor, or even your pent-up frustrations due to your symptoms. If possible, try to lessen your exposure to such factors, to prevent a fibromyalgia flare-up.
• Switching to an anti-inflammatory diet – The last thing you want is to trigger inflammation. That’s why we recommend staying away from food items that might cause allergic reactions. In addition, it would be best to reduce your consumption of products containing alcohol, preservatives, and added sugars. 

Experience Relief By Working with A Fibromyalgia Chiropractic Doctor

With the massive potential of blood tests for fibromyalgia, doctors and other healthcare practitioners like a fibromyalgia chiropractic doctor have a better shot at providing faster assistance to ailing patients. 

If you already got diagnosed with fibromyalgia, you should begin seeking remedies that can help you combat the symptoms. For example, you can try upper cervical chiropractic care. It’s a unique chiropractic technique that aims to restore your neck bone alignment. 

Unknown to many, the neck houses one of the body's most sensitive parts – the brainstem. It connects the brain to other body parts and regulates involuntary body processes like sleeping, digesting, and breathing. 

When the brainstem gets irritated by your misaligned neckbones, it fails to function correctly, causing a massive impact on your body. Studies also explain that an irritated brainstem can also result in the onset of different fibromyalgia symptoms. 

Thankfully, with the help of an upper cervical doctor, you can address the neck bone misalignment and ease the pressure on your brainstem. By receiving upper cervical adjustments, you can gradually eliminate your fibromyalgia symptoms and experience improvements in your overall wellness. 

Thousands of ailing patients all over the US have tried managing their fibromyalgia symptoms with upper cervical care. It’s also a widely studied approach to healing with case studies involving old patients and even the young ones. 

Start taking the next steps towards your healing journey with a local fibromyalgia chiropractic doctor today.

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