Fibromyalgia is a painful and debilitating condition that affects an estimated 10-12 million people in the U.S. alone. Though it affects both sexes, about 90% of fibromyalgia sufferers are women. The cause is yet unknown by science, but researchers studying the condition believe that it is caused by an alteration of pain signals from the brain to the spinal cord, intensifying and generalizing discomfort and pain. This has, so far, not been proven as the cause.
Fibromyalgia symptoms include widespread and persistent pain throughout the body, fatigue, inability focus or think clearly, and a number of other symptoms including temporomandibular joint dysfunction, or TMJ, headaches, interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and mental symptoms of anxiety and depression.
The most common symptoms are aching pain all over the body, constant fatigue despite sleeping enough, and cognitive difficulties (also called “fibro-fog”). Patients often say that they hurt all over, they can’t seem to get work done, or they just feel “bad”. Sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome often accompany fibromyalgia cases. People who suffer from fibromyalgia often report that the condition began after a car accident or other physical trauma or even psychological stress.
Treatment often prescribed for someone suffering from fibromyalgia symptoms has been in the form of pain medications or even psycho-pharmaceuticals. Some also believe fibromyalgia to be a psychosomatic condition, completely mentally caused, although this has also not been proven. A weak grasp on the condition itself has also led to difficulty in diagnosing it. And, because so little is known, the condition itself is subject to a wide range of speculation, and patients are left to suffer more than they should.
Treatment Options for Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia pain relief is possible through two main techniques: platelet-rich plasma therapy and chiropractic care.
PRP, platelet-rich-plasma is another treatment used for relief. PRP is extracted from your blood and injected into places where the pain is concentrated. PRP can then go to work in healing, and this healing is what reduces pain.
Chiropractic care is another option to relieve pain. Because fibromyalgia is a musculoskeletal condition, whose symptoms involve the nervous system itself, relieving pressure from the nerves using chiropractic adjustments can help ease this pain.
If you are suffering from the symptoms of fibromyalgia, there is a way forward. Our clinic can give you options that are non-surgical, non-drug, and non-habit forming. With PRP and chiropractic care, you can start to see the light at the end of the fibromyalgia tunnel. Contact our office to learn more!