Back Clinic Fibromyalgia Team. Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a disorder and syndrome that causes widespread musculoskeletal pain in the joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues throughout the body. It is often combined with other symptoms like temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ/TMD), irritable bowel syndrome, fatigue, depression, anxiety, cognitive issues, and sleep interruption. This painful and mysterious condition affects around three to five percent of the American population, predominantly women.
Diagnosis of FMS can be difficult, as there is no specific lab test to determine if the patient has the disorder. Current guidelines state that a diagnosis can be made if a person has widespread pain for more than three months, with no underlying medical condition. Dr. Jimenez discusses advances in the treatment and management of this painful disorder.
You hear that you are supposed to stay busy through your chronic pain and you believe, “But how? Actions make my pain worse. Just getting through the day at work is agony, and today the doctor expects me to perform extra tasks?” This is the point where a physical therapist may help.
How can a physical therapist help with my chronic pain?
Physical therapists can give you a personalized strengthening and workout plan, besides helping you learn how to manage your own “daily life” chronic pain symptoms. The physical therapist will do a thorough physical evaluation to assess your chronic pain and its impact. They will also ask about your therapy goals: do you wish to learn how to better handle your pain? What would be helpful to learn from physical therapy? Using that information, the physical therapist will create a therapy plan especially for you.
Physical Therapy is Active and Passive
Physical therapy includes both active and passive treatments. Passive treatments help to unwind you and your physique. As you don’t need to actively participate, they’re known as passive. Your physical treatment program may begin with treatments that are passive, but the goal is to get into treatments that are more active. These are exercises which strengthen your body and help you handle the pain that is chronic.
Passive physical therapy treatments include:
Deep Tissue Massage: This technique targets spasms and chronic muscle strain that perhaps builds up through life stress. You could have spasms or muscular strain because of strains or sprains. The physical therapist uses direct pressure and friction to attempt to release the tension in your soft tissues (ligaments, tendons, muscles).
Hot and Cold Therapies: Your physical therapist may alternate between cold and warm therapies. The physical therapist attempts to gain more blood to the target area by applying hot treatment because an increased blood circulation brings more oxygen and nutrients to this region. Blood circulation is essential to remove waste byproducts made by muscle spasms, and in addition, it helps relieve symptoms associated with chronic pain. Cold treatment, also called cryotherapy, slows circulation, helping to decrease inflammation, muscle spasms, and pain. You might be given an ice pack or even be given an ice massage. Another alternative that is part of cryotherapy is a spray which cools the tissues. After cold therapy, your physical therapist may have you stretch the affected muscles.
TENS (transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation): A TENS machine stimulates your muscles through factor (but safe) intensities of electrical current. TENS helps reduce muscle spasms, and it might increase the own body’s production of endorphins, your pain killers. The TENS gear your therapist utilizes is big. But a more compact machine for “at home” use is also available. Whether big or small, a TENS unit may be a very helpful therapy.
Ultrasound: By increasing blood flow, an ultrasound helps decrease pain, numbness, swelling, stiffness, and muscle spasms. It does this by creating heat that enhances circulation, sending sound waves deep in your muscle cells.
At the active portion of physical therapy, your physical therapist will teach you different exercises to increase your flexibility, strength, core stability, and range of motion (how readily your joints move). Remember, your physical therapy program is individualized, taking under account medical history and your health. Your exercises may not be suitable for another person with chronic pain, especially since pain is such a subjective, personal experience.
Other Areas of Physical Therapy
You will learn to fix your posture and incorporate ergonomic principles in your daily activities, if necessary. This is all part of this “self-care” or “self-treatment” aspect of physical therapy. During physical therapy, you learn good habits and principles that let you take better care of your body. Staying active is an significant part chronic pain therapy. The therapist can help you figure out the best kind of workout for you.
7 Tips for Exercising When You Have Chronic Pain
Too much of the wrong activity can cause chronic pain to worsen. If jogging or running are out of the question, you may be able to handle and enjoy cycling, which can be easier on painful knees and hips. Other forms of physical therapy, including aerobics done in warm water, help to alleviate inflammation; plus the buoyancy of the water protects the body against the stress of gravity and from movements that may otherwise result in pain. No matter which type of exercise you choose, use caution not to move too fast or too much, or do so much that it becomes worse.
7 Tips for Exercising When You Have Chronic Pain
Talk to you doctor before you begin an exercise program.
Start slowly and gradually increase your efforts as you gain strength, flexibility, and confidence.
Move at your own pace. Never try to keep up with a class or a group if doing so is painful.
Exercise every day, if possible.
Strive for a balanced routine of cardiovascular, strengthening, and stretching exercise.
Accept that you will be able to do more on some days than others.
Be patient with your progress. Overexertion makes pain worse and can strain muscles.
A person’s sleep patterns are improved by exercise. When curative sleep patterns improve, chronic pain symptoms usually do too. Physically active individuals sleep longer and more deeply than people that are sedentary. Exercise also helps to relieve sleep apnea, a common disruptive sleep disorder that that abruptly stops the breath..
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
Many individuals in the United States suffer from chronic pain without understanding the source of their painful symptoms or why these have triggered from the start. A healthcare professional can help a patient understand their chronic pain but it’s important for the person to first comprehend the function of their own body.
Why does chronic pain occur?
To understand chronic pain, you need to comprehend the anatomy of the nervous system. Throughout the body, the nervous system transmits messages to and from the brain, and it’s a system is very complex and intricate.
The central nervous system primarily consists of the the spinal cord and the brain. Branching off the spinal cord is the peripheral nervous system; both the central or peripheral nervous systems can be impacted by neuropathic pain, a kind of chronic pain which is commonly caused by a malfunction of the nerves.
Anatomy of Chronic Pain
The peripheral nervous system has 31 pairs of nerve roots which stretch from the spinal cord to the various areas of the body. These nerves help you feel (those are the sensory nerves) and move (those are the motor nerves). Following is a graph that shows you just how many pairs of spinal nerves are at each level of the spine.
SPINAL CORD
31 Pairs � Spinal Nerves
Cervical
8 pair
Thoracic
12 pair
Lumbar
5 pair
Sacral
5 pair
Coccyx
1 pair
The peripheral nervous system is further divided into:
The somatic nervous system, which has nerves that go into the musculoskeletal system (bones, ligaments, joints, tendons) along with the epidermis. It is what helps you feel pain.
The autonomic nervous system, which operates on the “involuntary” functions of the body. That means that it makes sure that your heart keeps pumping and your food is digested by you without even thinking of it.
Nociceptors are yet another important part of your nerves, and you want to understand them if you would like to know certain forms of chronic pain. Nociceptors are receptors at nerve endings, that function when something occurs that causes pain and they’re triggered. If you slam your finger in the car door, the nociceptors on your finger will turn on and send a pain message through the nerve to the spinal cord and forth into the brain. Two minutes until you slammed your finger, however, the nociceptor was not active because there was no stimulus (or harm) to make it react.
It is believed that a single cause of chronic pain may be due to malfunctioning nociceptors. They may be constantly sending pain messages even if there is no direct cause. Continuing the above example, state that your finger is treated after you slammed it but you still continue to feel discomfort. The nociceptors in the nerves of your finger might be malfunctioning within this case. This could result in chronic pain symptoms.
Symptoms of Chronic Pain
Chronic pain, long-term, persistent pain, is a very subjective experience, however, we can’t mention something as categorical as, “all chronic pain patients will experience chronic pain this way.” Instead, it’s more likely to say that chronic pain can take on many forms and may manifest into a variety of symptoms. Such may include:
throbbing
aching
shooting
electric
burning
sharp
feeling stiff
feeling tight
feeling sore
Chronic pain may result in other issues, especially social and emotional ones. Pain may:
Result in sleeplessness,
Drain you of energy,
Lead to depression,
Make you not want to do activities you typically like,
Weaken your immune system because a lot of your body’s energy is spent dealing with all the pain.
Lots of these other issues build off each other, which means you might hear the term “vicious cycle” when speaking about chronic pain. For instance: The pain makes it hard to sleep through the night, and that means you’re excessively tired the following day. You don’t want to go to work since you’re so tired, or do anything else. Your self-esteem begins to draw out even more, as you are not too active, in the end even withdrawing from social events.
To acquire the very best remedy for chronic pain, you must take inventory of just how much it is affecting your life–outside the physical pain. You can’t simply take care of the chronic pain on your own. Seek for a solution along with the help of medical professionals and your physician can assist you to live your own life coping with chronic pain.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
A range of factors can play an essential part in the experience of chronic pain. Pain is the body’s normal reaction to an injury or illness, But for many people, pain can be a constant.
When pain lasts for 3 to 6 months or more, it�s called chronic pain. If you hurt day after day, it can take a toll on your emotional and physical health. And, if your emotional and physical health are affected, a variety of fundamental microorganisms can be affected as well. In order to maintain overall health and wellness, following a biocentric approach can often help best understand the impact of maintaining the health of every part which makes the human body. It may be beneficial to view this model to conceptualize the complex nature of this frequent condition.
Tissue Damage
This is damage or injury to the tissue which often generally can be the start of pain. The tissue damage causes input to the nervous system, commonly identified as the pain signal. This is also termed as “nociceptive input.” Each cell in the body comes together to form a variety of complex tissues, which independently come together to form organs and other important structures, each in charge of performing essential functions for the body.
Biocentrism,�the view or belief that the rights and needs of humans alone are not more important than those of other living things, explains how taking care of every single structure in the body, such as the cells which form tissues, even including microorganisms, can ensure the well-being of the body as a whole. Damaged tissues can often be a sign of a deeper issue within the human body. Tissue damage can be additionally caused by a variety of other issues.
Pain Sensation
In the simplest terms of this model, pain sensation is the actual perception that occurs in the brain following the nerve signals, due to nociception, which travel from the periphery into the central nervous system. Whilst nociception occurs at the site of injury, pain sensation is experienced in the brain. The human body is not simply a single organism, it is comprised of a wide variety of microorganisms, many of which help maintain the well-being of the nervous system.
Thoughts
Cognitions or ideas occur and are an assessment of the pain sensation signal coming into the nervous system as well as events surrounding it. These thoughts can be unconscious or conscious and will influence the way pain signals are perceived. For example, general body aches and stiffness are traditionally considered to be “good pain” when those happen after a vigorous exercise session, whereas they’re perceived as bad pain when related to a health illness, such as fibromyalgia,�a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and tenderness.
Emotions
The psychological component of pain is a person’s response to thoughts about the pain. If you believe (thoughts) that the pain is a serious danger (e.g. a tumor), subsequently emotional responses will incorporate fear, depression, and anxiety, amongst others. If you believe the pain isn’t a threat, then the psychological response will probably be negligible. Chronic pain has been a misunderstood condition and it’s effects have been reported to cause an array of emotional as well as mental disorders, due to the difficult ability to assess such conditions.
Suffering
The term “suffering” is often employed as a synonym for “pain” even though they’re theoretically and conceptually distinct. For example, a broken bone might cause pain without discomfort (since the individual knows the pain isn’t deadly and the bone will heal). By comparison, bone pain due to a tumor might cause the identical pain for a break but the distress will be much greater because of the “meaning” behind the pain (that tumor could be life-threatening). Suffering is connected to the psychological component of pain. For certain conditions which cause chronic pain, often seen in patients with fibromyalgia, a condition believed to have no cure, the fact alone that the individual’s symptoms of discomfort will never “go away” can implement a great deal of suffering.
Pain Behaviors
Pain behaviors are defined as things people do if they are in pain or suffer. These are behaviors that others observe as indicating pain, like limping, grimacing, talking about the pain, moving and taking pain medication. Pain behaviors are in reaction to all the other facets in the pain system model (tissue damage, pain feeling, thoughts, emotions, and distress). Life experiences, expectations, and ethnic influences also affect pain behaviors of the way the pain is expressed in terms. Interestingly, pain behaviors are also influenced by the environment, like how others react.
According to biocentrism, taking care of the environment, including taking care of all forms of life, such as its plants and animals, among others, is ultimately important towards the health and wellness of every organism. For example, if the food we eat is being properly taken care of, its full benefits can be properly absorbed. Nutrition is an important contributing factor for people with chronic pain. A balanced nutrition, consisting of healthy products, can help.
Additionally,�the�psychosocial environment includes each of the environments where an individual resides, works, and plays. Studies have consistently proven that these surroundings influence how an individual will reveal pain behaviors.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
A gluten free diet can work for fibromyalgia patients and provide relief from common symptoms. According to the research, it is important to note that the gluten free (GF) diet may help both fibromyalgia (FM) patients with and without celiac disease. Before you start a new diet, you should consult a doctor, but first consider the following studies.
Gluten free diet for fibromyalgia helps non-celiac gluten sensitivity
A study published in Rheumatology International reveals that fibromyalgia patients who have not been diagnosed with celiac disease may still benefit from going on the gluten free diet. Researchers point out that it is possible for these patients to have non-celiac gluten sensitivity. This means that the celiac disease tests come back negative, but the patients are still reacting to gluten.
According to the researchers, when fibromyalgia patients adhered to the gluten free diet, they were able to reduce or eliminate many FM symptoms. They point out that 90 patients out of the 246 who participated in the study responded well to the gluten free diet. All of these patients reported a reduction in pain, and some were able to return to work and normal life. In addition, the patients noted that their fatigue, depression, gastrointestinal symptoms and migraines improved on the gluten free diet.
Gluten free diet for fibromyalgia and celiac disease
It is possible to have both fibromyalgia and celiac disease. A study published in BMC Gastroenterology reveals that patients who have fibromyalgia and celiac disease benefit from the gluten-free diet. After one year of following the gluten free diet, the patients reported an improvement in the quality of their lives and a reduction in fibromyalgia symptoms.
The patients had fewer tender points and better scores on the health assessment questionnaire. In addition, both their celiac disease, fibromyalgia pain and other symptoms decreased. Furthermore, they were able to reduce the number of prescribed drugs they took.
Should you try the gluten-free diet for fibromyalgia?
It is important to consider the diet advice from experts about fibromyalgia. Several studies have shown that the gluten free diet can help patients with this medical condition. However, each case is unique, so you have to consult your doctor before making significant diet changes.
If you have fibromyalgia, you may want to consider being tested for celiac disease. Some of the main symptoms of celiac disease are abdominal pain and gastrointestinal problems such as bloating, diarrhea, constipation, gas, indigestion and nausea. You may also experience cramps, itchy rashes, weight loss, fatigue and many other symptoms.
The gluten free diet requires you to eliminate all wheat, barley and rye products. Gluten is a protein, and it can appear as an ingredient in many products. In addition, cross-contamination is a big issue, so many products can be contaminated with gluten and not safe on this diet. If you decide to follow this diet, you must start by reading labels carefully.
One of the main symptoms of fibromyalgia is extreme sensitivity to touch, so it�s understandable that some people with fibromyalgia avoid getting massages. However, they are missing out on something great.
Massage treatment might seem like the very opposite approach to take for fibromyalgia pain, but the right amount of pressure and manipulation can actually do a lot for your congested muscles and tissues. In reality, massage is a perfect natural remedy for fibromyalgia. Therapeutic kneading will stimulate blood flow, eliminate metabolic waste, and lengthen muscle fibers. The right fibromyalgia massage treatment will work within the limits of your condition to release pockets of tension, and improve your physical wellbeing and quality of life.
Recommended Fibromyalgia Massage Treatment
There are many types of therapeutic massage treatments, and the right style for your fibromyalgia pain will respect your muscle sensitivity and particular pain issues. Stick with these massage techniques for the most healing benefits:
Swedish massage techniques. This classic relaxation technique ��using the hands, arms or mechanical means ��will gently manipulate tense muscles to relieve long-standing tension.
Myofascial release. Focusing on the connective tissue called fascia, this technique aims to release pressure where the tissues connect to the bones. Muscles will relax and lengthen, leaving more space for the organs to expand.
Reflexology. A safe and gentle approach that stimulates points on the hands and feet that are believed to be connected to various organs and tissues. This may help to relax certain areas that would be difficult to stimulate directly.
Cranial-sacral therapy (CST). Using very mild pressure on strategic points at the base of the skull and along the length of the spine, the CST therapist can detect interruptions in the flow of spinal fluid, and improve the balance and function of every muscle area.
Massages to Avoid
The types of massage that are out of the question if you don�t like touch because of sensitivity include:
Thai massage treatment. It puts you through different poses for an entire hour.
Reflexology foot massage treatment. Presses on reflexology points that often hurt.
Barefoot massage treatment. The massage therapist walks on your back while holding onto a supportive rack suspended from the ceiling.
Rolfing/structural integration. You�ll feel beat up with this one.
Before proceeding with any fibromyalgia massage, be sure to consult a healthcare professional who has properly diagnosed your condition and who has recommended you to follow up with any of the above mentioned therapies. Preventing further aggravation of any type of symptoms is best to promote a healthier lifestyle and improve overall symptoms.
While fibromyalgia has been known to cause symptoms of chronic pain, many individuals with the condition avoid massage or other forms of similar treatment to avoid aggravating their symptoms. However, massage therapy performed by a qualified healthcare professional can not only be beneficial, it can help reduce and manage the pain caused by fibromyalgia.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Fibromyalgia is a chronic inflammatory disorder, characterized by muscle pain, joint pain and fatigue.
Patients who suffer from fibromyalgia usually feel these symptoms:
Tenderness
Stiffness
Unbearable pain
Chronic tiredness
Gastrointestinal problems
Sleep disorder problems
Concentration problems
Depression
Physicians will diagnose someone with fibromyalgia if they show positive reactions to 11 of 18 specific tender areas of the body.
For a disease with no known cause, fibromyalgia sure affects a lot of people, at least 5 million in the U.S. alone. That�s about an estimated 2�4% of the population! Now, what�s strange about fibromyalgia is that it seems to affect more women than men, as 9 out of 10 people who reportedly suffer from fibromyalgia are female.
Treating Fibromyalgia With Conventional Drugs
Since the leading symptom of fibromyalgia seems to be muscle and body pain, scientists and doctors have tried to treat the symptoms with conventional drugs including NSAIDs (non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs), pain killers and antidepressants. However, these methods of treatment don�t seem to work very well.
First of all, most analgesics are very mild, and given the level of chronic pain that a majority of people experience, the results aren�t very effective at all. If you have fibromyalgia, chances are you�re suffering from all sorts of pains and aches, and taking multiple drug combinations can lead to serious side effects that can drastically interfere with how you live day-to-day life.
Furthermore, taking different combinations of drugs can result in a real problem, especially when you want to slow down or stop the medication. In many cases, some of these pain relievers can be quite addicting, and have some serious side effects!
Causes and Remedies for Fibromyalgia
There can be many contributing factors to fibromyalgia, including chronic inflammation, gluten intolerance, emotional and physical stress.
If an individual really wants to fix the problem, you must address the root cause. Many studies suggest that certain lifestyle changes can be more than enough to keep fibromyalgia at bay.
If you�re looking for natural remedies for fibromyalgia, consider the following:
Eat Anti-inflammatory Nutrients
Inflammation can cause a range of health problems, including muscle and joint pain. A German study found that anti-inflammatory antioxidants like Quercetin (found in black and green teas, red onion, broccoli, tomato) can naturally reduce inflammation that can help fibromyalgia. Also, omega-3 fats can naturally reduce inflammation. If you�re going to purchase a fish oil, make sure you only buy a high-quality fish oil, high in antioxidants like astaxanthin and low in mercury. Additionally, turmeric can reduce inflammation associated with fibromyalgia as well.�Turmeric contains the active ingredient curcumin, which is an antioxidant that demonstrates anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric may prevent and slow cancer growth, protect against liver disease and help reduce symptoms of digestive conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome. While simply adding turmeric to your daily cooking will increase consumption and enhance flavor, there are other methods to boost intake and encourage possible inflammation reduction.
Go Gluten-Free
One in seven people are gluten intolerant, and I�d even say that most people don�t do well with gluten. Gluten is a protein found in most grains like wheat. I�d start by eliminating all grains except for brown rice and quinoa. Gluten can lead to neurological problems, weight gain, inflammation, muscle pain and fatigue. Many people have gone gluten-free and have seen some incredible results because of it.
Reduce Stress and Anxiety
A review in Neuroscientist found significant association between fibromyalgia and physical and sexual abuse in both adults and children. If you haven�t dealt with past issues in your life, I strongly encourage you to find a good counselor who can help you begin to heal emotionally. Another great place to start is by reading The Bondage Breaker�by Neil Anderson. Also, schedule some fun and relaxation into your life. Stress can raise cortisol levels and inflammation markers which contribute to fibromyalgia symptoms.
Chiropractic Care
Research published in Best Practice and Research Clinical Rheumatology reports neck trauma causing spinal, joint and muscular injuries increases the risk of developing fibromyalgia. Chiropractic care works to correct spinal misalignments and correct posture through spinal adjustments and rehabilitative spinal exercises.� Also, patients with fibromyalgia have been shown to have hyperactivity of the sympathetic nervous system. Upper cervical spinal adjustments have been shown to have a positive effect by decreasing hyperactivity.
Address Nutritional Deficiencies
A study of 41 people with fibromyalgia found that taking five grams of D-Ribose�(an organic compound) three times�daily showed significant improvements in fibromyalgia symptoms. Also, studies have shown supplementing with magnesium�can help with fibromyalgia symptoms and� physicians recommend taking 250�300 milligrams twice daily. Some magnesium-rich foods include�pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, cocoa, almonds, spinach, halibut and black beans.
Is someone in your family suffering from fibromyalgia? I�d love to hear your thoughts on fibromyalgia and conditions like chronic fatigue.
If you�ve suddenly been feeling pain and discomfort in your body, along with symptoms of fatigue, for some inexplicable reason, then you could be suffering from fibromyalgia, which affects hundreds of thousands of people between the ages of 20�50, most commonly women. Fortunately, a few natural remedies can be used to control the symptoms of this painful condition.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
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