Fibromyalgia syndrome affects the muscles and soft tissue. Common symptoms include chronic muscle pain, fatigue, sleep problems, and painful tender points or trigger points. However, fibromyalgia can also include other signs and symptoms such as bowel problems, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, headaches, facial pain, heightened sensitivity to odors, noises, bright lights and touch, as well as depression, mood changes, dizziness, anxiety or numbness and tingling sensations in the hands and/or feet. As stated earlier, fibromyalgia is closely related to chronic fatigue syndrome and research shows that the same initiating factors associated with CFS are also present in fibromyalgia.
We support the fibromyalgia patient the same as we do our CFS patients (see Chronic Fatigue tab). Again, our goal according to Dr. Pall’s work is to break the viscious biochemical positive feedback loops by first finding out what the initiating stressor(s) are that is driving the cycle and then begin the process of supporting the body’s ability to heal and repair itself.
In addition, corrective chiropractic care is critical for those who suffer from fibromyalgia in order to keep the spine and muscles from losing too much movement. Because fibromyalgia causes the muscles to tighten up and lose some of their natural pliability, it results in a loss of movement and motion in the spine. This loss of movement in the spine creates a neurological reflex that causes the muscles to tighten further. Again, this cycle will keep repeating and make the fibromyalgia symptoms worse. Our goal is to rehabilitate the spine to a more normal position. Traditional chiropractic treatments in Cheyenne can help temporarily by creating motion in the joints but if we can induce permanent change in the structure of the spine then the results can be longer lasting. This coupled with the other RENEW principles has shown to be quite effective in our office.