The body-wide tenderness and pain associated with fibromyalgia are confusing and frustrating for doctors and patients alike.
Combined with other painful symptoms like anxiety, depression, and fatigue, it’s critical that sufferers attain relief.
Decrease Stress, Unlock Your Healing Potential
Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is a condition that involves long-term tenderness and pain in the tendons, muscles, joints and other soft tissues throughout the entire body. The causes of FMS are still undetermined, but stress is a major health factor patients should consider.
Any stress, whether it’s chemical, physical or mental, has a direct physiological effect on the body that can lead to amplified systemic inflammation. An anti-inflammatory diet, exercise, and regular chiropractic adjustments help patients lower their overall stress levels and unlock their body’s curative potential.
Resistance Training + Chiropractic Care
We know that exercising decreases stress levels, but it ‘s hard to think about getting out there to exercise when you’re dealing with the aching symptoms of FMS.
Recent research supports exercise recommendations. In a Florida State University study, FMS patients who combined chiropractic treatment and resistance training two times a week saw improvements in their symptoms, endurance, balance, coordination, and flexibility.
Support is Crucial
Many FMS patients have endured a traumatic life event, such as a major illness, injury or car accident at or around the onset of FMS symptoms.
These events cause a disturbance in the central nervous system, which then leads to a decrease in the overall state of mental health. Much of what has been observed is similar to what you would see in a post-traumatic stress disorder patient.
Because of this, it is strongly suggested that FMS patients seek some level of psychological care in addition to chiropractic treatment.
This care can be found through support groups, assistance from friends and family or by seeing a trained specialist such as a psychologist, hypnotherapist or counselor.
If you’ve been diagnosed with FMS or think you have many of the symptoms, consider consulting with a chiropractor.
A big part of a chiropractor’s job is to help patients find healthy, natural ways of reducing stress or at the least, manage it better.