Are you looking for more natural ways to fight fibromyalgia? Many people suffer from muscle and body pain, stiffness and memory problems that are too often misdiagnosed or ignored. Many have had difficulty managing their daily lives around this type of pain and difficulty explaining their symptoms to others.
How do you know if your symptoms are in line with fibromyalgia? As an experienced chiropractic doctor, knowledgeable on these symptoms, I will guide you towards your diagnosis and drug-free ways to fight fibromyalgia.
Common symptoms of fibromyalgia
- Muscle pain
- Joint pain and stiffness
- Radiant pain moving down
- Pins and needles feeling in the skin
- Confusion
- Fatigue
- Morning pain
- Headache
- Weight changes
- Sinus issues
- Difficulty sleeping
Recent studies have found that the symptoms of fibromyalgia affect many who have been disregarded by doctors and the medical facilities they have sought treatment with.
Diagnosing your fibromyalgia pain can, and will be, taken seriously in the office, with drug-free therapies to personalize your care. Many aspects present possible risks to developing fibromyalgia. As further research is done on this topic, further possible risks will be known. With the possible risks of development also comes further drug-free remedies and treatments available.
Risk factors for developing fibromyalgia
- Being female (women are diagnosed more often than men and are believed to be more prevalent for nerve disorders)
- Genetics
- Having rheumatoid arthritis
- Viral infections
- Anxiety
- Brain or spinal injuries
- Depression
- Obesity/being overweight (excess fat may place undue wear and tear on your joints and nerve)
- Age (while some people are diagnosed in early adulthood, the more common diagnosis occur later in life)
While the reports of fibromyalgia have been growing in the medical world, studies on their causes may not be moving as quickly. Fibromyalgia is being viewed as an invisible disease with invisible symptoms that make detection and diagnosis difficult to determine. The causes themselves are unknown, however, many causes have many correlations.
With fibromyalgia being a disease in line with nervous symptom diseases, doctors suggest that hormones are one of the causes. An imbalance of hormones can lead to an imbalance of the body, which in turn brings about nerve pain, muscle weakness, and confusion. Having a drug-free method of treating fibromyalgia is possible, as well as a drug-free method of treating hormonal imbalance.
In women, a symptom for fibromyalgia is having unusually heavy periods and pain during them. The heavy periods are due to an imbalance of hormones, and with this imbalance, other issues can arise. An early symptom of fibromyalgia, heavy periods or pain during them, should be investigated before onset or serious symptoms of fibromyalgia take hold. Treating heavy, painful periods drug-free may also work to treat the fibromyalgia symptoms
Chiropractors are well versed in the areas of hormone imbalance and offer therapies, adjustments, and treatments that are natural and effective. We understand the complexity of the hormones women have and how a maladjustment of these hormones can wreak havoc on their endocrine system. Chiropractic care can help adjust one’s hormone levels and reduce the pain and inflammation that occurs in those suffering from fibromyalgia.
Women are not the only sufferers of the afflictions fibromyalgia bring. Women may make up the majority of those diagnosed, but men are also at risk of developing this disease. Men may also not understand the symptoms are linked to fibromyalgia due to their fluctuations in symptoms and the similarities to other disorders.
For example, a man may feel fatigue and muscle pain but attribute these pains to his job or athletic activity in preceding days. A man may feel anxious and tingly but feel as though he should not bring these symptoms up to a loved one or doctor for fear or being seen as weak.
Many of the pain points of those suffering from fibromyalgia are in the head, back, joints, and neck. Men may have had sports injuries to these areas in years past or in their youth, and may be quick to write off these symptoms as an old football injury, etc. These problem areas may lead to either no diagnosis for men at all, or a skewed diagnosis that does not include fibromyalgia.
When feeling these types of pains, men should seek a doctor or chiropractor that is able to cross diagnose these problem areas and look for a true diagnosis rather than confirmation of a past diagnosis. We are experienced in sports injuries, joint and muscle pain in men, and the areas of fibromyalgia that afflict men.
Natural ways to fight fibromyalgia – Drug-free treatments
Both men and women can fall victim to fibromyalgia over time but there are natural methods to treat and prevent fibromyalgia:
- Remain a healthy body weight
- Eat a healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables
- Exercise regularly even if fatigued
- Visit your chiropractor for regular adjustments
- Seek mental health care for any anxiety and depressive tendencies
- Have an MRI scan of the brain to detect abnormalities
- Visit with a pain management specialist for drug-free ways of preventing and treating fibromyalgia
- Be honest of your symptoms
- Record your symptoms so you are able to track flare-ups and pinpoint possible triggers
- Manage stress levels and seek to lower stressful triggers
- Remain close with family and friends
Do You Have Other Natural Ways to Fight Fibromyalgia?
Tell us about your experience in the comments below.
What questions do you still have about Fibromyalgia?
Email us at info@painresource.com with your ideas!
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I have used heat therapy for years and often that is the only thing that will break a pain cycle. Even in the hot summer I will go and just sit in a hot car for relief to my back. It’s like everything just relaxes. About 4 years ago maybe I started using a heated mattress pad so I dont toss and turn from pain all night and it makes getting up in the morning so much easier (im not as stiff). Lately I’ve been noticed joint pain in my shoulders, feet and hips. I have performis in my hips and costochondritis near my sternum and also along the spine opposite my sternum. It makes breathing tight and I just ache there. I havent figured out what to do other than my chiropractor for this one yet.
I see a chiropractor weekly (for about 5 years) who specializes in trigger point and myofascial release. That and heat have been what has helped me the most.
I have been given pre-gablin 300mg & I also take Zapain 30mg/500mg & Amitriptyline 150mg. Through taking these medications I have put ridiculous weight on, so this makes me so depressed. On top of that I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer so have had chemo & radiotherapy then got the all clear this year in August. My mobility is really bad because of painful hips & Athritis of the knees while also having repetitive bouts of Sciatica. Can you give me some advise on what to do please?
Interdisciplinary treatment to Chronic pain is essential! Since chronic pain affects every area of one’s life, it is important to include all disciplines (Chiropractor, Pain Psychologist, Physical Therapist, Acupuncture and Dietician, etc) as drug-free treatments for chronic pain. Too often, these modalities are ignored or minimized by the medical community.