San Diego Fibromyalgia Treatment

Fibromyalgia is a common condition characterized by widespread pain in joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues. Some other problems commonly linked with fibromyalgia include fatigue, morning stiffness, sleep problems, headaches, numbness in hands and feet, depression, and anxiety.


Basic Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

• Multiple tender areas (muscle and joint pain) on the back of the neck,
  shoulders, sternum, lower back, hip, shin, elbows, knees.
• Fatigue
• Sleep disturbances
• Body aches
• Reduced exercise tolerance
• Chronic facial muscle pain or aching

Fibrolyalgia tender / pain points:

1. Lower neck in front
2. Edge of upper breast bone
3. 2 cms below side bone at elbow
4. Just above knee on inside
5. Attachment of neck muscles (at the base of the skull)
6. Midway between neck and shoulder
7. Muscle over upper inner shoulder
8. Upper outer buttock
9. Hip bone

Chiropractic research has shown the efficacy of Chiropractic treatment that is used in conjunction with traditional medicine to treat fibromyalgia (FM).

Chiropractic treatment* is being used to complement traditional medicine to treat fibromyalgia (FM). A recent study examined chiropractic treatments that combined ischemic compression and spinal manipulation. The big question: Do these treatments effectively reduce pain, sleep disturbances, and fatigue associated with FM?

Twenty-four subjects participated – all were adult members of a regional Fibromyalgia Association who had suffered from FM for more than 3 months. Each subject received 30 different treatments combining ischemic compression and spinal manipulation. After treatment, subjects were evaluated for pain, fatigue levels, and sleep quality.

After just 15 treatments, subjects noted significantly less pain and fatigue and improved sleep. After 30 treatments, subjects noted average lessening in pain and improvements in fatigue levels and quality of sleep. These improvements remained constant one month after the study ended.

Results suggest that older subjects with severe, chronic pain and a greater number of tender points do not respond as positively to chiropractic treatment; however, chiropractic care should be examined as a possible beneficial treatment for others suffering from FM.

*Hains G, Hains F. Private practice of chiropractic, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada.