Most people assume that fibromyalgia only affects middle-aged adults. As a result, many feel taken aback when they hear cases of fibromyalgia in teens. Sadly, cases of fibromyalgia indeed extend to youngsters. The condition causes extreme discomfort that many juvenile patients find challenging to characterize when they speak with their doctors.
If you know someone young who recently got diagnosed with this crippling condition, we suggest reading on as we explain more about fibromyalgia. We also listed a few helpful tips that might come in handy in dampening the effects of fibromyalgia symptoms.
The symptoms of fibromyalgia in teens aren’t that different from adults. Here’s a quick overview of these tell-tale signs:
Pain or tenderness that doesn’t stem from a muscle strain or other forms of injury can result from fibromyalgia. Some of the usual painful parts include the base of the neck, the thigh and butt juncture, and the area near the shoulder blades and pectoral muscles.
Many young patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia notice a significant decline in energy. Notably, this causes them to miss important events, perform poorly in school, or feel discouraged from connecting with people around them. It can also cause a young person to feel extremely tired and sleepy, even during the early hours of the day.
Impaired cognition is quite common among patients living with fibromyalgia. Studies note that the condition can set off various cognitive issues, including lack of focus, foggy thoughts, and poor memory retention. Sadly, these issues can severely affect teenagers, especially those preparing for their SAT or ACT.
Case studies have found that fibromyalgia, chronic neck pain, and recurring headaches have one thing in common: cervical subluxation. According to researchers, even the tiniest changes in the cervical spine can result in issues like poor blood flow, impaired cerebrospinal fluid drainage, and signal transmission disruptions.
These changes can lead to chemical imbalances in the brain that might put a person at risk of developing fibromyalgia and painful headaches. Additionally, the changes in the neck’s curvature affect the integrity of the joints and muscles attached to the vertebral bones. This leads to intense neck pain that lingers for days or weeks.
Getting diagnosed with a condition as complicated as fibromyalgia can be overwhelming. As parents or legal guardians, you must be extra patient in planning your next steps.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s physician, neurologist, or rheumatologist to determine what remedies or medication you should use to alleviate the symptoms. Additionally, we strongly recommend taking advantage of the following tips:
Nutrition can help patients improve their fibromyalgia symptoms. However, it’s no secret that most teens in America choose junk food over healthier food options. Hence, it would help to intervene as soon as possible and make necessary diet adjustments such as the following:
Experiencing fatigue and pain for no apparent reason (other than fibromyalgia) can be overwhelming and confusing for a teen. So you must be extra mindful of your teens’ emotional and mental wellbeing. Pay attention to what your kid says and offer your heartfelt love and commitment to helping them get better.
Bonding with family members can help ailing teens cope better with stress and anxiety that stems from fibromyalgia. It can also help boost physical health to improve overall wellbeing. Think about scheduling playdates or doing fun things like grabbing fruits from the farmer’s market.
You can also try setting up a fitness or training nook in your home. If you have space by the yard, you can create a mini workout studio complete with equipment built for low-impact exercises. But if you only have a small space, we strongly suggest starting with a few things like yoga mats, dumbbells and kettlebells.
Neckbone misalignments can trigger various problems, including fibromyalgia. Thankfully, you can manage this problem with the help of Upper Cervical Care - a technique that applies just enough force to ease misaligned neckbones to their original places. Many parents swear by the benefits of Upper Cervical Care, especially in improving their child's overall condition. So, it may be a worth-it option to include in your teen’s fibromyalgia care plan.
While fibromyalgia in teens might seem tricky, you can take comfort in knowing it’s a manageable condition. Besides the tips we listed above, you might find it helpful to consult an Upper Cervical doctor. Notably, Upper Cervical care has shown great potential in managing the effects of fibromyalgia. It stimulates healing by removing signal interferences in the brainstem through gentle upper neck bone adjustments.
The process focuses on the C1 and C2 bones, the vertebral bones that sit directly under the skull. They come with a unique design allowing them to support a range of head movements. Unfortunately, their structure makes them susceptible to shifting away from their natural position.
When displaced, they can impinge on nearby tissues like the brainstem. This causes problems ranging from increased pain sensitivity, overstimulation of the nervous system, brain chemical imbalances, and reduced fluid drainage and circulation.
If you can help the misaligned neck bones shift back in place, you can help your nervous heal and function normally again. This will allow the body to cope better with chronic health concerns such as fibromyalgia in teens.
We strongly recommend consulting a nearby Upper Cervical chiropractor today to help your teenage daughter or son. The initial diagnostic process will help you detect a cervical subluxation and determine how to move forward with ample upper cervical chiropractic adjustments.
Connect with the nearest Upper Cervical practice in your locale today to get quality fibromyalgia care for a teenage patient.
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The content and materials provided in this web site are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to supplement or comprise a medical diagnosis or other professional opinion, or to be used in lieu of a consultation with a physician or competent health care professional for medical diagnosis and/or treatment. All content and materials including research papers, case studies and testimonials summarizing patients' responses to care are intended for educational purposes only and do not imply a guarantee of benefit. Individual results may vary, depending upon several factors including age of the patient, severity of the condition, severity of the spinal injury, and duration of time the condition has been present.
