Ways to Fight Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia. In recent years, the awareness for this disorder has become a little stronger but is still relatively unknown. Fibromyalgia is a disorder in which the nerves react differently and causes wide-spread, chronic, and sometimes debilitating pain. It was just recently recognized as a disorder on the books, as there are no visible symptoms to fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia is more likely to affect women than it is men, and often comes with other disorders such as TMJ (temporomandibular joint disorders), severe headaches, anxiety, fatigue, and mood issues. While the causes are still relatively unknown, doctors believe that sometimes fibromyalgia is brought on by a trauma while others it is genetic and can simply appear over a period of time. While prior tests included pressing down on 18 different points on the body to test pain level and reaction, the newer guidelines do not require this and only your doctor can tell you if fibromyalgia may be what is causing your chronic pain.
While there is no cure for fibromyalgia, there are different medicines which are meant to help curb the many side effects of the disorder. Always feel free to speak to your doctor about these and how effective they may be. However, for those who are less inclined to immediately turn to medication, there are other options which you can try. While keeping yourself healthy is a good start, it isn’t always enough with fibromyalgia. For example, people who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia tend to have worse sleep habits than those without. Sleep, of course, is one of the most important parts to keeping our bodies healthy and if something interferes with that, our health can decline quickly.
One thing that many people who have fibromyalgia use is chiropractic care. Due to the fact that a person is more likely to experience fibromyalgia symptoms if they have a rheumatic disorder, such as arthritis, the adjustments which are awarded to the person during chiropractic care do seem to offer relief to many who suffer from this disease. Many patients who suffer from fibromyalgia also suffer from, or are more susceptible to, upper cervical spinal stenosis. This is where parts of the upper spine become compressed and cause pain through the whole body, and many people who suffer from fibromyalgia are unaware it is a different cause. Many chiropractors who are familiar with fibromyalgia can help alleviate one or both of these issues.
Other ways of dealing with fibromyalgia without medication includes acupuncture, massage therapy, and yoga. If you have been diagnosed, talk with your doctor to see which one(s) may be right for you. Chronic and wide-spread pain shouldn’t have to stop you from living the life you dream of.