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Fibromyalgia| Fibromyalgia - Chiropractic Care in the Phoenix Valley |
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Chiropractic Care Offers Relief for FM Patient Story
My greatest help came from chiropractic care. Chiropractic care is based on the theory that misalignments of the spine can lead to disease. The spine is made up of 24 moveable segments and these segments (vertebra) offer a protective covering for the very delicate nervous system. The nervous system consists of the brain, the spinal cord, and the spinal nerves. Spinal nerves, one on each side, exit the spinal cord from between each vertebra. These nerves take the messages sent from the brain to every part of your body, including every cell, tissue and organ. Even a small amount of pressure—the weight of two quarters—on a spinal nerve can decrease that nerve’s function by 60 percent. Therefore, in order to keep the body functioning efficiently and disease free, the bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons must be working in a symmetrical and coordinated effort. If this “perfect” system has been interrupted by trauma, poor diet or even stress, this can cause an imbalance and lead to the development of symptoms. These are warning signs from your body and should be addressed in order to prevent further break-down of the system (e.g. if your “check oil” light goes on in your car and you cover it up with black tape, the problem is still there—even though you can’t see it—and eventually more serious problems will develop). In the body these serious problems may present as chronic pain and disease. Instead of treating the symptoms with drugs or surgery, chiropractors look for the cause of the symptoms by evaluating the spine for misalignments, restoring proper spinal motion, and correcting the interference to the nervous system. There are many different techniques that may be used, and there is no one technique that is effective for everyone. In some FM cases, low-force adjusting techniques have been shown to be more beneficial. My daughter is a chiropractor with a practice located two hours away. She sees many patients with FM, and uses a multi-disciplinary approach including exercise, proper nutrition and supplementation, massage, cranial work and spinal manipulation/adjustments. Those who utilize manipulations/adjustments often notice an improvement in their overall health, as well as a reduction in pain and other symptoms. The benefits of chiropractic are numerous. First of all they help to improve joint range of motion. This prevents arthritis and helps you to continue doing the activities you love. Adjustments, as well as massage, increase blood flow to the tissues of the body, which helps to release toxins and promote muscle healing. Another advantage of a chiropractic adjustment is the release of endorphins the body’s natural painkillers. This helps with pain tolerance. The best results arise from frequent and regular adjustments. Due to the distance, I’m not able to see my daughter as frequently as would be best for me. My main symptoms are in my neck, shoulders, and upper back. The adjustments are not painful although there usually is associated muscle soreness. I have also begun regular massage therapy, and have found a massage therapist who knows about FM and the techniques that offer the most relief. I am extremely fortunate to have a chiropractor in the family, which keeps the cost of chiropractic care reasonable. I realize this isn’t the case for many. However, mainstream medical care is expensive too, and in my personal experience doesn’t have much to offer for the relief of FM symptoms. I would encourage anyone with FM to explore the many benefits of chiropractic care.
References: National Fibromyalgia Association - www.fmaware.org |