CONDITIONS WE TREAT:
CONDITIONS WE TREAT:
Fibromyalgia Treatment in Bel Air, MD
Fibromyalgia Treatment in Bel Air, MD
How do I know if I have Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a poorly (so far) understood chronic inflammatory disorder affecting the fascia. Fascia is a thin layer of tissue coating the muscles and joints. Think that white-ish film between the skin and meat of a chicken breast. Characterized by pain and tenderness throughout the body, joint stiffness and sleep disturbances.
How do you treat Fibromyalgia?
Our doctors will form a plan with chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, and massage therapy.
- Chiropractic Adjustments – The goal is to allow all nerves to function properly without any restrictions caused by misalignment of vertebrae in the spine. Adjustments will align the spine to insure proper nerve function. Adjustments are gentle and safe and have no side effects.
- Physical Therapy – At first it may seem counter-intuitive to exercise sore and spasmed muscles, but that is exactly what they need. Now, we are not talking Cross fit or training for a marathon here, but slow, focused exercises designed to “pump out “the inflammation. When combined with the chiropractic adjustments it’s like having the “secret sauce”.
- Massage Therapy – A licensed massage therapist will use many massage techniques to release chronic patterns of muscular tension. Massage therapy can decrease pain, increase mood, and decrease the need for pain medicines.
Not all chiropractors treat patients the same. We have heard many times “I have tried chiropractic before and it didn’t work”. We say, “Try again!” Our therapies and treatment plans are as varied as the patients that need to ensure them. Our staff will listen to the patient on each visit and change the therapy based on how the patient responds.
A Case Study in Fibromyalgia
Yes, you CAN! General Halstead conquered fibromyalgia, and so can you!
After 27 years of service, decorated U.S. Army Brigadier General Becky Halstead (Retired), the first female West Point graduate in U.S. history to command at the strategic level in Iraq and Afghanistan, decided to retire after being diagnosed with fibromyalgia — a medically unexplained syndrome affecting the muscles and connective tissues. Currently, the disease affects as many as 12 million Americans and has been reported two times as prevalent in deployed veterans (Annals of Internal Medicine, June 7, 2005, Vol. 142 No.11).
“Agonizing pain, debilitating fatigue, joint stiffness and sleep deprivation name it and I felt it,” says Halstead. “There I was in Iraq, responsible for over 20,000 military men and women, and I privately struggled to physically keep myself going.”
Initially, Halstead was prescribed every drug imaginable, though the pills only masked the pain and resulted in a spiral of reactions affecting her psychological and physical health. It wasn’t until a close friend suggested chiropractic that she was able to find relief and return to a normal, nearly pain-free life. She discovered that the comprehensive treatment of chiropractic care improves joint motion, reducing and in some cases eliminating the pains and symptoms associated with fibromyalgia – such as fatigue, sleep deprivation and depression.
“Chiropractic treatment helped improve my whole outlook on dealing with this chronic ailment,” she says. “The spinal adjustments along with the postural and nutritional advice I received helped to treat the fibromyalgia and allowed me to have many days with minimal pain — and most days without any medications. The care of a doctor of chiropractic was life changing for me.”
