If you’ve been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, then you don’t need anyone or anything to tell you about the fatigue, pain, sleep issues, fog, and other symptoms that you likely manage day-to-day. Fibromyalgia is considered a chronic, long-term condition. It impacts twice as many women as it does men and is most often diagnosed in middle adulthood.
The realities of dealing with a chronic health condition such as fibromyalgia are very real. Possible experiences and complications include:
- Fibromyalgia sufferers are twice as likely to be hospitalized compared to those without the condition.
- Women with fibromyalgia are 2/3 more likely to experience mental health difficulties
- Higher rates of depression are noted in adults with fibromyalgia with a higher death rate from suicide and injuries.
- Fibromyalgia comes along with an increased risk of having other rheumatic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and ankylosing spondylitis.
Fibromyalgia is a unique condition. It is not classified as an autoimmune condition, nor is it an inflammation-based one. Research points to issues within the nervous system as a potential cause, however, understanding fibromyalgia can be frustrating due to a lack of a firmly established cause.
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How is Fibromyalgia Diagnosed?
Lacking any specific tests that would give definite results, a fibromyalgia diagnosis is made based on symptoms. Almost everyone who as fibromyalgia can feel like they just ache all over at times. Some of the other frequent symptoms include:
- Widespread pain with tender points throughout the body
- Fatigue no matter how much rest you might get
- Anxiety or depression
- Insomnia, unrefreshing sleep, and other sleep difficulties
- Numbness and/or tingling in the extremities
- Headaches
- Problems with memory and concentration, sometimes referred to as “fibro-fog”
- Painful menstrual periods in women
Before a fibromyalgia diagnosis is formally made, most people will travel a long road of doctors’ visits and diagnostic tests. This is usually the arduous process needed in order to rule out other possible health conditions since fibromyalgia shares its common symptoms with many other illnesses.
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What is the Fibromyalgia – Central Nervous System Connection?
The components of the body’s central nervous system include the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord. In the case of fibromyalgia, there is a disturbance or miscommunication in the way the brain process pain signals and other sensory information. It can be thought of as an amplification of pain signals. For example, a touch or sensation that would not ordinarily be perceived as painful can be perceived as very painful by someone who is suffering from fibromyalgia.
This phenomenon is sometimes referred to as central sensitization. When central sensitization occurs, it makes a person more sensitive to things that should hurt as well as to ordinary levels of touch and pressure. Not only is the pain perceived as being greater, it can also take longer for the sensation to dissipate.
Fibromyalgia, the Brainstem, and Getting to the Root Cause
Upper cervical chiropractic care is a very gentle and specific type of chiropractic care that focuses on the uppermost vertebrae in the neck. This delicate area of the spine has the critical job of protecting the brainstem. Your brainstem plays several major functions in ensuring your body’s ability to function normally:
- It connects the brain to the spinal cord
- The brainstem runs many life-sustaining functions in the body such as breathing, digestion, and circulation
- Control of involuntary muscles (I.e. the muscles of the heart and stomach)
- Acts as a relay for the millions of messages that are constantly being sent between the brain and body
- Plays a significant role in the processing of pain signals, temperature, and sensation
- Regulates alertness, awareness, and consciousness
The atlas (C1) and axis (C2) vertebrae, when positioned normally, provide a sturdy layer of protection for the delicate nerves and tissues of the brainstem. However, any of these functions can go awry when an upper cervical misalignment occurs because of the impact it can have on brainstem function. When you understand how the central nervous system functions and how that function can be reduced because of an upper cervical misalignment, it’s easy to see how pain processing can become distorted, sleep hormones can be impacted, etc.
Upper Cervical Chiropractic makes Relief a Reality
With upper cervical chiropractic care, you’ll never receive an adjustment that is not necessary for your body. We take the time to use thorough diagnostics initially as well as on each follow-up visit to be sure that we are caring for you in the best way possible and that your body is responding well to the gentle corrections that are made. Because of how exacting each adjustment is for each individual patient, the goal is for you to hold the normal alignment for as long as possible so that you can receive the maximum benefit from care. You might find that the root of your fibromyalgia symptoms stems from the central nervous system and that upper cervical chiropractic care can help you to get to the bottom of it and back to a better quality of life.
References:
https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/fibromyalgia.htm
https://www.rheumatology.org/I-Am-A/Patient-Caregiver/Diseases-Conditions/Fibromyalgia
https://www.painscience.com/articles/central-sensitization.php
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If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.