Being diagnosed with fibromyalgia is not an easy feat. After all, many consider fibromyalgia as a chronic illness that often extends for a lifetime. Some days may be worse than others when you have this condition. You might also constantly worry about your fibromyalgia triggers and dread the days when the pain lingers longer than usual or when you suddenly experience flare-ups.
Thousands of patients with fibromyalgia can relate to this plight. Unfortunately, not many understand why they feel intense worry, depression, or stress. Because of this, we decided to explore a bit more about the connections between mental health problems and fibromyalgia. Hopefully, this will shed light on your concerns and help you find a way to navigate the challenges of living with fibromyalgia.
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Fibromyalgia can take a toll on your mental wellbeing, especially when your flare-ups happen often. Additionally, it can significantly impact your mood and cause many changes in your emotions. This mainly happens because of extreme pain and discomfort and the weariness that accompanies the constant anticipation of when the next flare-up will happen.
It also doesn't help that there's a stigma attached to this condition. Myths on fibromyalgia such as "the pain isn't real" and "it's all in your head" spread misinformation and add to patients' stress.
The truth is, fibromyalgia pain and its different symptoms are very real. A large fraction of the USA population can attest to this because they experience the mental impacts of the disorder.
To help you understand why you struggle with fibromyalgia and how you can overcome your negative feelings, we listed some of the mental health conditions linked to fibromyalgia.
Suppose you have a well-established career or are just starting to discover what you want to do in life. Or you can also be in school, with so much potential and many promising opportunities ahead of you. You can also be someone who enjoys sporting activities so much and is very athletic. Then suddenly, you feel a decline in your physical health. One day, you experience widespread pain and do not have enough energy to bring yourself to stand. This can affect your self-confidence and make you feel that you are no longer the same person before your illness.
Many patients often overlook low self-esteem problems because they mainly focus on managing the physical pain, especially when hearing about their diagnosis for the first time. Sadly, this mental health problem can cause extreme disruptions in your life as you struggle to see your self-worth or have enough motivation to pursue new remedies.
Fibromyalgia can bring you so much stress from the pain and fatigue you experience. And these can also be a contributing factor to your anxiety. The chronic widespread body pains you experience prompt less activity and increase your desire to isolate and lock yourself in the room alone. Because of these, you tend to become more socially withdrawn, increasing your anxiety. Anticipating and worrying about the onset of your fibromyalgia symptoms can also spell trouble for you.
Many studies link fibromyalgia to depression. In fact, according to the latest reports, fibromyalgia patients are up to three times more likely to develop depression when they receive their diagnosis than those without fibromyalgia. Further studies investigate whether anxiety and depression serve as fibromyalgia triggers or the other way around. What's clear is that both depression and fibromyalgia can significantly interfere with your life, including managing your activities at home or work. We encourage you to open up to your physician and discuss any feelings related to depression to receive proper care.
Fibromyalgia can trigger other mental health conditions apart from what we mentioned above. According to studies, it can also lead to the onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, and panic attacks. Because of this, physicians, rheumatologists, and other healthcare professionals often refer fibromyalgia patients to psychiatrists or counselors to develop a suitable care plan.
Indeed, fibromyalgia can change how you perceive your self-worth. But remember, your diagnosis doesn't define you as a person. It is essential to acknowledge that there will be changes, but it doesn't mean you can no longer thrive because of your fibromyalgia symptoms. Recovery is also possible if you work with professionals and manage your fibromyalgia triggers.
One specific trigger that you should look into is cervical subluxation. Case studies have revealed that postural imbalances in the cervical spine often lead increase risks for fibromyalgia. The neck bones can impinge on the brainstem and nerve roots. This leads to the rapid transmission of pain signals into the brain. Additionally, it can trigger central sensitization – a condition that heightens the brain's sensitivity to pain and pressure signals.
Thankfully, you can manage this fibromyalgia trigger with the help of upper cervical chiropractic – a decades-old technique that aims to correct postural imbalances in the neck.
Understanding fibromyalgia goes beyond its physical effect. That's because this condition can impact your mental health as well. Remember that you are not alone if you're experiencing a whirlwind of emotions because of your fibromyalgia symptoms. Your feelings are valid, and thousands of sick and suffering patients with fibromyalgia understand what you are going through. More importantly, you have the option to manage your condition and enjoy a pain-free life with the help of proven remedies like upper cervical care.
Numerous studies show upper cervical chiropractic techniques help patients effectively cope with the pain caused by fibromyalgia. Some patients report a decrease in their symptoms, while others claim they are completely gone after a few adjustments.
If you have fibromyalgia, we suggest consulting with the nearest upper cervical chiropractic doctor near you. Your doctor can customize a care plan that suits your need to help manage your symptoms. Slowly, you can achieve better health again and have a better quality of life.
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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.
