Living with fibromyalgia can come with a lot of challenges. That’s because aside from painful muscles and increased sensitivity to touch, most people with this pain disorder also report many other symptoms.
Many of the patients who seek the assistance of an upper cervical chiropractor for fibromyalgia relief also have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), anxiety disorder, migraines, depression, and obesity. Learn more about these different health problems and how they link to fibromyalgia.
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Did you know that irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects 70 percent of patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia? Essentially, when you have IBS, you experience a wide range of digestive health issues like stomachache, diarrhea, constipation, and bloating. Both conditions share several similar characteristics, including:
Sadly, studies have yet to uncover why IBS and fibromyalgia often occur together. However, some theorize that they might stem from a single underlying health condition.
Anxiety disorders are among the most widely prevailing mental health problem and often accompany a long list of medical conditions, including fibromyalgia. This likely happens because the chronic pain felt by people with fibromyalgia often impact every aspect of their life. From their job, relationships, and socialization, fibromyalgia can cause major disruptions. This can lead to anxiety attacks that can last for a few minutes to several hours.
Many folks who see an upper cervical chiropractor for their fibromyalgia feel frustrated, stressed out, and anxious, waiting for an attack or a flareup. Unfortunately, this only causes them to get stuck in a vicious cycle of pain as flareups typically result from stress.
Whenever you experience anxiety attacks, you can try practicing relaxation techniques like deep breathing, mindfulness exercises, and yoga. You can also try switching to a healthier diet free from caffeine and alcohol.
According to studies, patients who experience severe fibromyalgia symptoms are also prone to experiencing chronic migraines. Some explain that this connection might suggest that these two health problems share a common mechanism.
Unfortunately, when they occur together, fibromyalgia and chronic migraines can heavily impact the quality of your life. They could cause you to miss out on important events, cancel trips and your hotel reservations, and more. Also, they can cause a long list of symptoms, including vomiting, nausea, vertigo attacks, widespread pain, sleeping problems, and difficulty concentrating or remembering things.
To cope, you can try using medications or natural remedies for migraine attacks. Be sure to coordinate with your physician or other healthcare professionals to find the best course of action for migraine and fibromyalgia relief.
Healthcare practitioners such as a physician or an upper cervical chiropractor also associate fibromyalgia with depression. In fact, a study reveals that about 90 percent of people diagnosed with fibromyalgia also suffer from depression. Typically, when someone undergoes diagnosis for fibromyalgia, doctors also screen for possible signs of depression such as:
Unfortunately, depression can last for several days during a flareup or attack. If you or a loved one have signs of clinical depression, be sure to discuss your options with a professional. Also, try to reach out to family members about your condition. You can also try working with support groups, especially those who have experience coping with fibromyalgia and depression.
Fibromyalgia and obesity often come hand in hand because the widespread pain can push a person to live a sedentary lifestyle. It can also trigger anxiety and stress, which could eventually lead to poor practices such as stress-eating.
Unfortunately, obesity also increases one’s risk of suffering from more musculoskeletal pain as the additional weight on various parts of the body puts mechanical stress on the joints. Additionally, excess adipose tissue (fat storage tissue) tends to stimulate inflammation. They can also increase the body’s resistance to insulin, a chemical that aids in breaking down excess energy and fat storage.
Indeed, fibromyalgia is a highly complex illness. It can trigger various health problems that can affect almost every aspect of your life. Thankfully, while its root cause remains largely unknown, studies found that upper cervical care shows promising potential. It’s a holistic and natural approach to coping with fibromyalgia symptoms and the health problems associated with the disease.
It’s a good idea to consult with an upper cervical chiropractor to have your neck bones examined for misalignment. Unknowingly, you might have misaligned bones that may be preventing your brain from sending signals to the body. The same bones might also be the reason why your brain isn’t getting enough nourishment from the blood and expelling waste materials.
Neck misalignments can happen to virtually anyone because the neck is quite a delicate structure. While it does allow for maximum movement of the head, it’s quite vulnerable to vertebral subluxation, even with the slightest pressure applied on the joint.
If you have poor posture, a history of neck injury, spine structural problems, or other related concerns, we recommend having your neck bones checked and adjusted. This seemingly simple problem might be the reason why you have fibromyalgia symptoms after all.
Work with a local upper cervical chiropractor today so you can start experiencing lasting fibromyalgia relief.
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TV show host Montel Williams describes how specific chiropractic care has helped his body.
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.
