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Fibromyalgia and chiropractic care

| 19 Jun 2014 | 12:11
    Dr. Hallacker
    Dr. Hallacker

Fibromyalgia (FM) is one of the most common types of chronic pain disorders with an estimated five million sufferers in the United States alone. A hallmark of FM is the difficulty its sufferers have in describing their symptoms. When asked what type of pain they feel, FM sufferers usually respond with uncertainty. Pain can be described as kind of achy, but can also be gripping. Sometimes it makes patients stop what they are doing for only a second or two, but other times they have to sit or lay down until it passes. It can be described as radiating, shooting, tender, or "pins and needles. "

Locating the pain is another big challenge. It’s often a deep ache that includes multiple body areas, sometimes all at once. At other times, it’s spotty and moves around. It’s typically not restricted to one side of the body, either. It is these inconsistencies that makes diagnosing FM so challenging, sometimes to the point where it can literally take years before a patient is diagnosed. One study reported that of the 92 percent of FM sufferers who had discussed their complaints with a primary care doctor, only 24 percent were diagnosed with the disease. FM is difficult to diagnose because there are no definitive diagnostics like a blood test, x-ray, or other tests that can be relied upon to easily make the diagnosis. Many FM sufferers also have other conditions that overshadow FM signs and symptoms that often become the focus of doctors.

Three specific findings are considered when diagnosing FM. There must be wide spread muscle pain in all four quadrants; the pain must be present for at least three months; and at least 11 of the 18 "tender points" of the Fibromyalgia Pain Assessment Tool must be found.

As chiropractors, we are trained to assess the FM patient, establish the diagnosis, and offer management strategies such as spinal manipulation, massage, exercise training, nutritional counseling, modalities and more, all of which can significantly improve the quality of life of the FM patient.