Fibromyalgia patients suffer from widespread pain and tender points that become painful with pressure throughout the body. The disorder also causes fatigue and sleeping disorders. Many patients are turning to chiropractic care to relieve their symptoms. Chiropractic treatment focuses on misalignment of bone structures that can obstruct nerve functions. Chiropractors try to correct imbalances in the skeletal structure through stretching, adjustment and manipulations to relieve chronic pain.
Effects
The pain that plagues fibromyalgia patients often leads to back pain, neck pain and leg cramps. Chiropractic adjustments to the neck and spine help restore the arrangement of the bones, joints and muscles in the body. Many fibromyalgia patients report significant relief of pain all over the body from the adjustments. People report relief from fatigue as well. Fibromyalgia patients often experience a disorder of the spine, called cervical spinal stenosis, which compresses the covering of the upper spine and leads to debilitating pain throughout the body. Chiropractic adjustment to the head and neck releases the compression and reduces the widespread pain, according to the Fibromyalgia Symptoms website.
Function
Chiropractors perform spinal and neck manipulations by using twists, turns and hand pressure to quickly thrust one of the vertebra in the spine. The aim is to place the vertebra back into its proper position to bring pain relief. A cracking noise of the bones may be heard, which surprises many chiropractic patients during their first adjustment. This reveals a healthy release of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide that build up in the joints, according to Fibromyalgia Symptoms.
Benefits
For some patients, manipulation and adjustment of the bone structure bring immediate relief or relief within several sessions. Chiropractic treatment may also bring about a better range of motion in the joints and increased blood flow. It may provide an increase of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, to produce pain tolerance.
Potential
Chiropractic care has increasingly grown in popularity among fibromyalgia patients, according to the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, a nonprofit organization involved in public awareness of chiropractic benefits. Chiropractors are trained to treat heightened responses to the nervous system, an area that affects fibromyalgia. Many fibromyalgia patients report reduction or elimination of pain that diminishes the symptoms of fatigue and sleep disorders. Brig. Gen. Becky Halstead, the first female general to command troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, became a spokesperson for the Foundation of Chiropractic Progress after finding chiropractic treatment helped her recover from fibromyalgia. The adjustments and nutritional advice improved her quality of life, reports the Medical News Today website.
Warning
In rare cases, chiropractic adjustments may cause internal bleeding and blood clots, increased risk of bone fractures for people with diseases such as osteoporosis, and even increased risk of heart attack or stroke. Patients should consult a health care professional when considering chiropractic care, Fibromyalgia Symptoms points out.
