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Fibromyalgia symptoms are debilitating, sufferers experience generalised body pain, fatigue and depression.
On the other hand, patients with chronic fatigue syndrome are often misunderstood as lazy and are told that their lack of energy is caused by sleep disturbances and lack of exercise.
Having chronic conditions can come with a lot of stigmas, a patient can feel frustrated or embarrassed to seek treatment that can greatly improve their health and experience with this diagnosis.
A lot of research has been done to help curb this issue and create effective treatments and medications for patients with these conditions.
Find out more about this condition and how it can be treated. Let’s understand these chronic symptoms that affect many patients in Singapore.
WHAT IS FIBROMYALGIA?
Fibromyalgia symptoms are muscle pain, fatigue, chronic insomnia and depression. It is a little understood and poorly treated condition. It affects 2% to 4% of populations and it is difficult to ascertain how or why it starts. It is most commonly handled by Rheumatologists, but can also be classified into neurology, psychiatry or general medicine.
Did you know this is a disease helped by Upper Cervical Chiropractors?
WHAT CAUSES FIBROMYALGIA?
Fibromyalgia causes are currently unknown. Theories for Fibromyalgia causes suggest links to inflammation, stress, infection, physical trauma and nervous system problems. It is known as a ‘diagnosis of exclusion’, meaning it is only given as a diagnosis after other serious conditions have been ruled out, such as arthritis, brain disease, depression or infection. Some doctors have even claimed that “Fibromyalgia does not exist” because there is no satisfactory definition for the condition.
WHAT TRIGGERS FIBROMYALGIA?
While the cause of Fibromyalgia remains uncertain, there have been some common triggers that cause flare-ups for sufferers:
1. Medication
Although medication is a common treatment for Fibromyalgia symptoms, it can sometimes cause unwanted side effects or increase symptoms. This may affect nerve functions, increasing sensitivity. This is especially true when there is a change in medication or a new medication.
2. Injuries
A physical injury is often the start of Fibromyalgia, with a physical insult causing changes in the sensitivity of the body and interfering with its normal functions for healing.
3. Illness
This is another common trend, where a suspected bacterial or viral infection occurs, then Fibromyalgia continues after the illness has gone. Subsequent illnesses will trigger a flare-up of Fibromyalgia symptoms, due to the immune system focusing on the illness.
4. Stress
Stress is one of (if not the biggest) trigger for Fibromyalgia. Stress is not just a problem that affects mental or emotional states under stress, but this causes a physiological reaction, changing chemical reactions in the brain, organs and immune system. Stress can manifest as body aches and persistent pain for most people but is particularly worse for Fibromyalgia sufferers. (Read more about stress here)
5. Diet
Dietary choices can worsen Fibromyalgia symptoms, especially foods to which the person has an intolerance or foods that are inflammatory. A healthy diet is a must to give your immune system a vital boost.
FIBROMYALGIA DIAGNOSIS?
The current Fibromyalgia diagnostic protocol, for Fibromyalgia symptoms, includes a pain based assessment system to show the persistent pain that is spread throughout the body rather than one focal point with general tiredness for over 3 months. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is also diagnosed in 90-100% of Fibromyalgia cases. The treatment is usually a mix of medications, including pain killers, anti-seizure medication and anti-depressants. Estimates show up to 40% will significantly improve, but few of these are thought to fully recover. Occupational therapy, counselling and exercises may also be given to manage the disease, but no medical cure is established for Fibromyalgia symptoms.
Medicine currently provides improvements for less than 40% of Fibromyalgia cases, even when combined with other therapies
WHAT IS THE CURRENT TREATMENT OF FIBROMYALGIA?
While in the past research has focused on rheumatologic and psychological, new hypotheses suggest changes in muscle metabolism, including decreased blood flow, causing overall weakness and fatigue. Other current research is focused on abnormalities in neurophysiology, affecting nerve function and regulation of neurotransmitters and hormones.
More holistic practitioners will recommend exercise, therapy, meditation and changes in diet. However, for most cases, this offers minimal improvement.
Chiropractors specialise in the nerve system, restoring balance and allowing the body to heal efficiently without medication
CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME (CFS)
Similar to fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disorder characterized by extreme chronic fatigue or tiredness that lasts for at least 6 months and doesn’t go away with rest. This disorder presents its symptoms in a few ways, such as having sleep that isn’t refreshing, difficulty concentrating, worsening memory and feelings of dizziness.
Causes of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Although there isn’t an identifiable cause of chronic fatigue syndrome, studies show that some people may be born with a predisposition for this disorder. These people may then be potentially triggered by certain factors such as viral infections, immune system problems, hormonal imbalances and physical or emotional trauma.
HOW CAN CHIROPRACTIC TREAT FIBROMYALGIA AND CFS?
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