A Chiropractic Wellness Program Can Help With Fibromyalgia Symptoms
For many, chiropractic wellness involves frequent trips to the chiropractic offices to get an adjustment that ensures that the musculoskeletal structure remains in proper alignment. This alignment is important to help reduce chronic back and neck pain and has even been known to help some patients with their gait, posture, and headaches. There is a group of patients to whom wellness visits are critically important in managing pain associated with fibromyalgia. For these patients, the weekly or even more frequent, visits are the only way to get through the week and maintain a normal, healthy lifestyle without being in tremendous amounts of pain from the infliction.
Chiropractic wellness professionals are trained, equipped, and have the expertise to help their patients deal with what is, otherwise, a debilitating illness. Given that 3% to 6% of all Americans have fibromyalgia and that women are more frequently affected than men, it is important to understand all of the treatment options available to you or a loved one. Scheduling regular chiropractic wellness appointments can give you some of the tools to help manage the pain, while we can advise you on some other remedies to help reduce the symptoms when they flare.
Traditional medicine tends to treat the various symptoms of fibromyalgia, which can be extremely elusive to diagnose. As such the traditional approaches to the treatment of this diseases involves prednisone, anti-inflammatory medication, anti-depressants when the patient is dealing with the pain poorly, muscle relaxants, and sleep aids. All of these are effective at some levels, while having significant side effects as well. Other patients prefer a more naturalistic, holistic approach to dealing with fibromyalgia.
Chiropractic wellness can fit well into a routine that is more holistic.
Studies have shown that malic acid, along with magnesium should be included in the diet as a supplement. This can help to reduce the number of tender spots, or pain centers, which occur in the body. Vitamin B is also recommended for the same reason. Taking between 300 and 600 mg of magnesium is advisable.
Sleeping well is one of the strongest weapons against any disease, and fibromyalgia is no exception. As a practitioner of chiropractic wellness, we recommend reducing the amount of time you spend on the computer or how much television you watch before bed. If you are in the routine of watching television to fall asleep, or to unwind, watch light-hearted or funny programming that will help reduce stress. Developing good sleeping habits will also help with the pain management.
Exercise is important, however with this condition it can often cause a flare up or worsen the symptoms. Instead of traditional gym-based or aerobic exercises, it is recommended that you consider a less vigorous form of exercise like tai-chi or palates. This will give you the exercise your body needs without the stress that may cause your fibromyalgia to worsen.
Chiropractic care has shown to consistently reduce the pain associated with fibromyalgia and is even more effective when massage therapy, ultrasound, and electrical stimulation is included as part of your chiropractic wellness routine.