Fibromyalgia and Overall Health
Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes an increased sensitivity to pain, so much so that certain areas of the body are extremely tender to the touch. Alongside the widespread pain, fibromyalgia sufferers often experience poor sleep and fatigue. While fibromyalgia is not considered a life-threatening condition, the fact is that it can be extremely disruptive to daily life and can cause other issues such as depression and anxiety.
Fibromyalgia has been found to be more common in people with other medical conditions in an analysis of data from more than 3.5 million people. Higher rates of fibromyalgia were seen in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), type 2 diabetes, and patients undergoing hemodialysis. 80% of patients who had Behcet syndrome, a rare disorder that causes inflammation of the blood vessels, also had fibromyalgia.
Addressing the Cause with Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care
Although the exact cause of fibromyalgia is not fully understood, most research agrees on the fact that there is some kind of disturbance of the normal processing of pain signal by the brain. Our brain and spinal cord are so vital to the function of our bodies that they are completely protected by bone – the skull protects the brain, and the vertebrae of the spine protect the spinal cord. One of the most critical parts of your nervous system, the brainstem, is protected by the topmost vertebra in the spine called the atlas.
When the atlas becomes misaligned, it can put pressure on the brainstem, irritating the tissues and impairing normal blood flow, cerebrospinal fluid flow, and brain-body communication. As a result, the brain might misinterpret pain signals, causing a state of heightened sensitivity that makes even ordinary stimuli seem incredibly painful.
A gentle upper cervical adjustment can help to restore normal function to the central nervous system. Given some time to heal, this can reduce the sensitivity to pain, improve sleep quality, and help a person to regain quality of life necessary to help a person push through the challenges of dealing with a chronic health condition.
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