What Causes Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic illness involving widespread sensitivity and pain within the whole musculoskeletal system. In addition to pain, patients report disturbed mood, sleep, fatigue, cognitive fog, vertigo, and numbness/ tingling in the extremities.
Other disorders could include emotional ailments, TMJ pain, dysfunction, and irritable bowel syndrome. Fibromyalgia is a common Illness. Some researchers estimate as many as 2% of the overall population in America suffer from FM, together with women affected 10 times greater than men.
Fibromyalgia is a multifaceted syndrome and usually requires a multi-pronged approach to recover. In this newsletter, we would like to present some evidence that the upper cervical spine can be an underlying factor in its cause and recovery. Medical science, like most other chronic conditions, does not know the underlying cause. However, science is leaving some clues to possible causes. Many clinicians believe FM has its roots in postural alterations or trauma. In 2011 a case study was published by Aliboy.
The case followed a 45-year-old female fibromyalgia patient with additional complaints of migraines, upper back and low back pain, neck pain, numbness in her fingers, depression, bilateral sciatica, duodenal ulcer, and right knee pain. Her daily life was severely limited, and she frequently used a wheelchair. Upper Cervical Chiropractic technique was used, and the patient was seen 79 times in 17 months with 47 adjustments performed to both atlas and axis.
At a resolution of care, the patient did not need the use of her wheelchair. Her self-reported fibromyalgia and left leg sciatica, right knee pain, chronic back pain, and migraines had completely resolved. Right leg sciatica improved by 98%. The patient was also no longer taking any of her previous routine medications. Some research indicates that FM is a central nervous system disease, together with imbalances in neurochemicals.
What Does an Upper Cervical Chiropractor Do and How can it Help?
Upper Cervical Chiropractors are specially trained to locate upper neck misalignments that are impacting the central nervous system. Because the skull neck junction is biomechanically unstable, it is susceptible to injury
Whiplash and sports injuries can cause the top vertebrae in the neck to dislodge and lock out of its normal position. Once locked it impacts the brainstem and central nervous system which over time leads to chronic health problems. The goal of the upper cervical doctor is to determine whether you have an upper neck misalignment. Once located, precise digital x-rays are taken. This allows the doctor to see what direction the vertebrae has misaligned, so he/she can then make a precise spinal correction.
There is no twisting, pulling or cracking of the neck. Once the segment is repositioned, the patient is monitored over time to ensure the correction is “holding”. As the correction “holds” in its normal position the soft tissue, ligaments, and muscles rebalance and heal.
But most importantly the central nervous system can function better which increases the body’s own healing potential. If you or a loved one suffers from fibromyalgia or any other chronic health problems, it would make sense to have your upper cervical spine examined for this problem. We hope that this newsletter has been insightful and will help those in need! “Nature needs no help just no interference!” Be Well.
References:
Alibhoy N. Resolution of Fibromyalgia Following Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care: A Case Study. J. Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research; June 20, 2011.