Health Articles

Studies Show Improvement of Fibromyalgia Symptoms With Chiropractic Care

Fibromyalgia is a pervasive disorder in the U.S., affecting 2-4% of our population.  Paradoxically, it affects significantly more women than men:  for every one male affected by fibromyalgia symptoms, there are nine females suffering from this condition.  Fibromyalgia is a syndrome characterized by chronic widespread pain, tenderness in at least 11 of 18 defined trigger points, heightened and painful response to pressure, severe fatigue and sleep disturbance, cognitive dysfunction (often referred to as "fibro fog"), anxiety and depression, and joint stiffness, and can exhibit numerous other symptoms as well.  It is often correlated with other body disorders such as lupus and IBD, underlining its systemic and pervasive nature. 

Fibromyalgia is considered by some to be a controversial diagnosis due to a lack of clear agreement in the healthcare industry as to what causes it, though chronic stress has been implicated.  Untreated, fibromyalgia is a persistent condition that does not tend to self-resolve with time.  Numerous treatments are aimed at lessening the symptoms of fibromyalgia, but few have proven to be universally efficacious.

In order to treat fibromyalgia, the underlying cause for this syndrome must be identified and addressed.  While no explanation for this disorder has been agreed upon, recent research has implicated dysfunction of the nervous system: research has consistently shown the presence of imbalance between two divisions of the nervous system, the sympathetic division and the parasympathetic division (click here, here and  here), in fibromyalgia patients.  Chiropractic care has been shown to be useful for re-balancing of the nervous system's divisions (click here and here); in fact, this result is one intended result of chiropractic care.  Accordingly, chiropractic care has been shown to be useful for reduction and/or resolution of fibromyalgia symptoms (click here and here).

Do you suffer from fibromyalgia, and are you tired of taking drugs that are only partly helpful, and cause problems of their own?  Chiropractic care might help you to reduce or eliminate your fibromyalgia and enable you to get back to enjoying your life.  Call (607) 257-9355 or email Bartholomew Family Chiropractic requesting a consultation about whether chiropractic care may be right for you.