Patients who consult here at our fibromyalgia chiropractic clinic in TX often have numerous questions about fibromyalgia. No wonder, for fibromyalgia is a complicated disorder that is not well understood. Fibromyalgia is one of the most debilitating ailments that affects the lives of millions. In the United States alone, there are about 4 million adult fibromyalgia sufferers. Fibromyalgia can keep you from doing even the most basic daily tasks. It can also cause you to miss work, spend less time with your family and friends, and overall reduce the quality of your life.
Hallmark Symptoms of Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is known to bring these symptoms:
- Pain throughout the body – People living with fibromyalgia always feel widespread, constant dull pain throughout their bodies.
- Extreme fatigue – Fibromyalgia sufferers always feel tired due to the sleep difficulties they experience. Pain disrupts their sleep at night, making them feel unrested in their waking hours. They may also suffer from sleep disorders such as restless leg syndrome.
- Cognitive problems – “Fibro fog” is cognitive issues faced by fibromyalgia patients, including poor focus, poor concentration, and difficulty paying attention.
How the Nervous System Works
The general idea regarding fibromyalgia is that people who have the condition process pain differently than those without it. Our nervous system is responsible for sending and receiving pain signals between the body and the brain. The nervous system if often thought of in two divisions:
- Central nervous system (CNS) – consists of the brain and the spinal cord
- Peripheral nervous system (PNS) – includes all the nerves outside the CNS
The peripheral nervous system and the central nervous system work together to provide functions to all of our body parts. These functions include the voluntary things we do, such as moving our feet to walk, as well as the involuntary actions like digestion, breathing, and the way we perceive sensations such as heat, cold, and pain.
The nervous system manages all of our life-giving functions, and the bones of the spine protect the delicate tissues and nerves within it. The vertebrae of your spine and your skull make possible the sending and receiving of signals without obstruction.
A problem may arise when there is a misalignment of your vertebrae, specifically of the ones at the top of your neck. Your upper neck, or upper cervical spine, protects your brainstem. The brainstem controls a lot of the body’s unconscious functions (body processes that you don’t think about most of the time) and serves as a relay station for many of the other signals between the brain and body. For pain processing to occur normally, the brain should receive and interpret the pain signals appropriately. In fibromyalgia, the brain’s pain processing is abnormal.
Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care Restores the Nervous System Function
Upper cervical chiropractic care involves the evaluation and restoration of nervous system function. Upper cervical chiropractors, like us here at Hope Chiropractic Center in Southlake, Texas, look very closely and focus on the most unique vertebrae of the entire spine — the atlas (C1) and axis (C2).
We know the value of a correctly functioning nervous system and how misinterpretation of nervous system signals can lead to the onset of many health conditions, including as fibromyalgia. The atlas and axis are unique as they support the weight of your head and allow its movements in different directions. Because of this, they are also very susceptible to misaligning.
The Impact of Upper Neck Misalignment
When a misalignment exists, it can bring problems because it can irritate the brainstem and hinder the normal flow of blood and cerebrospinal fluid between the head and neck. Brainstem irritation can cause abnormal pain processing and abnormal hormone production.
Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care Success Stories
Several promising studies have been done and have yielded success stories involving upper cervical chiropractic care.
A 32-year-old woman becomes fibromyalgia-free
After suffering from constant pain, immobility, and severe depression for two years, a 32-year-old woman reported remission of her fibromyalgia symptoms after the correction of her atlas misalignment by an upper cervical chiropractor.
Woman gets rid of her pains and headaches
There was a 31-year-old woman who had been suffering from constant back pain, shooting pain down her legs, fatigue, 3 to 4 headaches per week, GI troubles, and depression. After receiving upper cervical specific care, she was able to improve her quality of life without taking pain medications. She returned to regular workouts and running.
Woman with fibromyalgia and other multiple conditions feels better
After an 11-year history of fibromyalgia, an older woman turned to upper cervical chiropractic care to correct her atlas misalignment. She had chronic neck and back pain, migraines, sciatica, ulcers, and depression. Within her first six months of care, she had let go of her wheelchair and was able to perform all her day-to-day activities unassisted. She reported boosted energy levels, discontinued medication use, and no more headaches. At the end of her upper cervical chiropractic care, she was able to walk longer distances, swim, and take care of her house and yard-work without feeling any pain.
There is hope after all for people living with fibromyalgia. Upper cervical chiropractic care can dramatically improve debilitating symptoms of fibromyalgia through its simple, effective, and natural technique. Here at our fibromyalgia chiropractic clinic in TX, we perform an in-depth analysis of our patients’ cases to be sure our approach can help address the root cause of each person’s condition. If an atlas misalignment is causing your fibromyalgia or other nervous system conditions, visit our office so we can gently correct it and help you get started towards the path to a healthier life.
References:
Soriano W, Apatiga A. Resolution of Fibromyalgia & Polypharmacy Concomitant with Increased Cervical Curve & Improved Quality of Life Following Reduction of Upper Cervical Subluxation: A Case Study. J Upper Cervical Chiropr Res 2014; Oct 21:61-67.
Tedder N, Tedder A, Gorshack S. Resolution of Chronic Fibromyalgia and Improved Spinal Curves Following Correction of an Atlas Subluxation: A Case Report & Selective Review of the Literature. J Upper Cervical Chiropr Res 2015; Jul 13:24-29.
Alibhoy N, Resolution of Fibromyalgia Following Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care: A Case Study. J Upper Cervical Chiropr Res 2011; Jun 20:39-44.
