Is Fibromyalgia Real?

Is fibromyalgia real?  I am often asked this and the answer is yes… and no.  Yes, the pain is absolutely real and it can’t be explained away as something that’s “all in your head.” And no, in 99% of the cases it is not the result of some poorly understood disorder, but from a condition medical doctors likely do not find or treat.

In treating fibro. successfully for the last seven years, I have come to the conclusion that fibromyalgia is really a collection of problems that don’t get solved by medical doctors very well.

Fibromyalgia patients feel pain all over their body.  Lots of tests are usually done and nothing definitive comes up.  The diagnosis is often made by applying pressure to 18 different points on the body.  If 11 of the 18 are sore, you are diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

From there it is usually treated with a lot of drugs, some physical therapy and instructions on how to better cope with the pain. Patients usually go from doctor to doctor looking for answers.  By the time the average fibromyalgia patient gets to my office, they have seen six other doctors.

More than half of the fibromyalgia patients I treat, are really suffering from chronic whiplash.  They’ve been in a car accident at some point and they’ve gone downhill ever since.  Once the neck injury is treated properly, the symptoms quickly subside.

Some fibromyalgia patients have undiagnosed thyroid conditions.  When the thyroid is not functioning properly, wide-spread aches and pains develop.  The current blood testing methods are not sensitive enough to pick up many thyroid problems.  And, many physicians will not diagnose a thyroid problem if the tests come back normal.

Nutritional disorders are present in most fibromyalgia patients.  The typical American diet is loaded with foods that cause inflammation in the body.  Inflammation causes pain.    Medical doctors are notorious for not giving dietary advice, and/or giving the wrong dietary advice.  There is no way a bad diet can be corrected with a pill.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not slamming the medical profession…OK, maybe a little.  But, you must realize that their training does not allow them to explore the types of treatments that fibromyalgia patients need.  For example, they wouldn’t know if you have a cavity in your mouth, but a dentist would.

If you have fibromyalgia, seeing a chiropractor could be the best decision you ever make.  We have training that allows us to detect and treat most of the problems fibromyalgia patients have.  Make sure the chiropractor you choose has experience treating fibromyalgia and uses techniques that you can tolerate.  I know from experience, you can’t adjust a sensitive fibromyalgia patient the same way you adjust a construction worker.

For more information on fibromyalgia, log on to www.stopyourfibronow.com and my office can send you a free copy of my report “Why Your Doctor May Be The Biggest Obstacle You Face In Getting Rid Of Your Fibromyalgia Pain”.

If you are interested in getting some help right away, call Jennifer or Leah at 262-251-8306 and they can set up a FREE no obligation consultation so we can talk about your situation and see if I can help.