Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition that can be debilitating. It is characterized by widespread pain in the joints and bones together with fatigue and tender areas. If you suffer from fibromyalgia, chiropractic care might be an effective treatment alternative to help you to reduce the pain symptoms that you experience while also enjoying improvements in your quality of life. Chiropractic care offers a drug-free natural treatment to help your body to achieve better overall health.
Chiropractic care and fibromyalgia
An increasing number of people who suffer from fibromyalgia are seeking treatment from chiropractors. People who have fibromyalgia may suffer from diffuse pain all over their bodies, which can include leg cramping, back pain, neck pain, and other painful areas. Chiropractic adjustments can help the whole body to have an improved alignment, which can help to reduce overall symptoms of pain from fibromyalgia.
Upper cervical spinal stenosis
Many people who are diagnosed with fibromyalgia have a condition called upper cervical spinal stenosis. This condition occurs when the meninges, which are the coverings over the upper spine, are compressed. The compression of the meninges can cause severe pain throughout the body. Doctors of chiropractic are able to treat the compression of the meninges with chiropractic adjustments so that they are no longer compressed. This can help to reduce the pain throughout your body.
How effective is chiropractic care in fibromyalgia patients?
Many studies have been conducted to look at the effectiveness of chiropractic care for people who suffer from fibromyalgia. One study surveyed 81 people who had fibromyalgia and asked them to report the alternative treatments or drugs that provided them with the most relief. Chiropractic treatment received a high score from the fibromyalgia patients. The patients reported that they enjoyed better sleep and experienced less fatigue and pain after receiving 15 treatments.
Types of chiropractors
Chiropractors may use a variety of different techniques to treat people who have fibromyalgia and other health conditions. A majority of chiropractors fall into one of two main approaches, including straight chiropractors and mixers.
Straight chiropractors are doctors of chiropractic who strictly follow the tenets of chiropractic medicine. They normally focus on manipulations to relieve pain and to restore bodily function. Mixers are doctors of chiropractic who combine adjustments and manipulations with other holistic approaches such as exercise, diet, and massage. Most chiropractors follow the mixer approach. When you see a chiropractor, you may undergo a variety of different treatments, depending on the type of practitioner that you see.
Manipulations
Manipulation is a chiropractic technique that is used to adjust the neck and the spine. It normally includes a quick, short thrust to a vertebra that is subluxated in your spine. Your chiropractor may cause the vertebra to move back into its proper alignment by using hand pressure and a twisting or turning motion.
When your chiropractor performs a manipulation, you might hear a cracking sound. This sound is simply a release of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and oxygen that have built up inside of the joint. When the gases are released, you will likely feel some immediate relief.
Chiropractic manipulations can offer the following benefits:
- Increased blood flow for better healing and the release of toxins
- Increased endorphins, which help to relieve pain naturally
- Improvements in your range of motion
- Increased pain tolerance
Learn whether chiropractic care can help you
If you suffer from fibromyalgia, you understand how debilitating the pain can be. Chiropractic treatment might help you to enjoy better sleep and a reduction of your pain symptoms. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Weigle at Absolute Health Chiropractic in Gainesville, Florida by calling (352) 377-7373.
