Fibromyalgia is a chronic illness that can be extremely debilitating. It is estimated to affect approximately 5 million Americans. Fibromyalgia symptoms include widespread pain, fatigue, brain fog, and insomnia. 

If you have fibromyalgia, chances are you know how difficult it is to get people to understand what you're going through. Even the people closest to you, like your family and friends, may not truly comprehend the extent of your pain and fatigue because, from the outside, everything looks "normal." But make no mistake, fibromyalgia is very real and debilitating. 

Because the symptoms are not physically visible to others, some tend to doubt their existence and find it difficult to understand what the sufferer is going through. Sometimes there are even skeptics who don't believe fibromyalgia is an illness. Some fibromyalgia patients also explore natural remedies for their condition, including upper cervical care.

Coping with this painful and uncomfortable condition despite being invisible will require hard work and a lot of understanding from yourself and the people around you. Below are some tips on how to cope the invisible fibromyalgia:

#1. Advocate for Yourself

Because many fibromyalgia symptoms are not visible, it is vital to be your own advocate. This means educating yourself more about your condition and being assertive in communicating your needs to your loved ones. Learn more about your symptoms. What ticks them off? How long it usually takes before you feel better again? Find out what remedies work for you. For example, is upper cervical care worth trying? The list of things you need to know goes on. The key here is to make sure you understand your condition fully.

#2. Create a Support System

While it is essential to advocate for yourself, facing this chapter alone will be physically and emotionally challenging. So it's also essential to create a support system of family and friends who are open-minded, highly understanding, and supportive. Reach out and communicate with your loved ones and let them know how they can help you and what you need from them. Finding a healthcare team you trust and feel comfortable with is also essential. Your lead doctor should be willing to listen to you and help you find ways to manage your condition to improve your quality of life.It may also help to connect with other people who have fibromyalgia so that you can share information and support each other. Ask your doctor if there is any support group to help you cope with your diagnosis.There may be online communities full of people who understand exactly what you're going through. Connecting with others who know what you're dealing with on a day-to-day basis can be helpful. Having someone to talk to can be helpful for you to understand your condition better. Additionally. having a group who can relate to what you're experiencing makes it easier to:

• Process and explain your pain level and how it affects your day-to-day activities. 
• Talk about how you can work around your pain to improve your daily function.
• Talking about your physical and emotional feelings, as well as your overall function and productivity.
• Put into words how fibromyalgia affects your life as a whole.
• Find someone who completely understands your pain and feelings.

#3. Take Care of Yourself

It is imperative to care for yourself both physically and emotionally when you get diagnosed and suffer from fibromyalgia. Explore gentle exercises, relaxation techniques, and healthy eating to find ways to improve your symptoms and make you feel better overall. Besides diet and exercise, getting enough sleep is crucial for managing fibromyalgia (and life in general!). Remember, your life is not supposed to stop just because of your condition. Instead, find possible ways to adapt and work around the challenges of your condition.However, it won't help to expect that you can function perfectly again like before. It's also necessary to be extra patient both to yourself and the people around you as you learn to navigate the new challenges ahead. Allow yourself some rest when you feel like it, and don't be afraid to ask for help when necessary.There's nothing to be afraid of in reaching out to a therapist or counselor if you struggle to cope. Looking after yourself in all aspects should be a top priority. Talking to someone who doesn't know you can be beneficial because they'll offer an unbiased perspective on how to best deal with your unique situation. 

#4. Seek Upper Cervical Care to Manage Fibromyalgia Better

If you have fibromyalgia, an upper cervical chiropractor may be able to help. In case you're not aware, any misalignment in your upper cervical spine can hurt the function of your brainstem. Your upper cervical spine consists of the top two bones of the spine called the atlas and axis located in your neck area. Your brainstem is an integral part of your nervous system, which helps transmit messages to and from the brain. A misalignment in your top two bones can put undue pressure on your brainstem, affecting its overall function. Brainstem malfunction can affect the transmission of signals between your brain and body. It can send distorted messages, or signals transmitted may be less or more than actual.Patients living with fibromyalgia experience heightened pain, leading to a slight pain being perceived as intense. If the misalignment remains, the brainstem's function will continuously be affected, and your body will trigger various symptoms and health concerns, including fibromyalgia.Upper cervical care focuses on keeping the correct alignment and balance of your atlas and axis and maintaining optimum health. If your misalignment manifests through fibromyalgia pain, it needs to be corrected for the brainstem to be relieved from stress and pressure and function properly without interference. Correcting the misalignment also helps the body to heal naturally, leading to the reduction of fibromyalgia symptoms. To experience the relief from upper cervical chiropractic adjustments firsthand, consult an upper cervical chiropractic doctor near you.

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