Fibromyalgia Treatment in Grand Rapids, MI

Fibromyalgia is a complex pain syndrome that is most often characterized by extreme sensitivity and chronic pain throughout the entire body, often accompanied by debilitating fatigue, sleep disturbances, poor gut and digestive health, hypersensitivity to stimuli, psychiatric disorders, and dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (the part of your nervous system that you don’t voluntarily control, e.g., your heartbeat, hormones, digestion, etc.) 1, 2

Fibromyalgia is still misunderstood and misdiagnosed by too many medical professionals, even specialists in rheumatology, due to the lack of objective testing methods. (They exist, they’re just not being utilized yet!)

According to top scientific journals like Nature, The Journal of Clinical Rheumatology, and even Healthline.com, the consensus in modern medicine seems to be still that there are no tests to definitively confirm a diagnosis due to significant shortcomings like the “absence of any objectively measurable findings” (meaning their many tests can’t find anything “wrong”) and the claim that early diagnosis and prevention are still elusive goals. 1, 3, 4, 5

At Legacy Family Chiropractic, we too often meet new patients who have had hope ripped away from them even after several specialist visits. The intentions of the doctors were good, but the patients’ stories are often the same – years of misdiagnoses and ineffective treatments leading to an eventual label of “Fibromyalgia” and then even more treatments that ignore the cause. Worse, several of our patients were told the symptoms were “all in their head,” leading to psychiatric evaluations and more prescription drug-based treatments. These patients carry their dysfunctions and diagnoses through life because they feel no one is listening to them or getting to the actual cause of the various issues. If this sounds familiar to you, please know there is hope.

We believe, based on currently available and newly emerging evidence, that science has already uncovered the major contributing factors that lead to Fibromyalgia (stressful life events, chronic inflammation, genetic predisposition, abnormal gut microbiome, autonomic nerve dysfunction including hyper-sensitization of the central nervous system, etc.) Your doctor is likely simply missing a couple of critical tests that are not yet standard protocol in their world. Therefore, they aren’t connecting all the dots correctly or addressing the right areas in the right order.

It’s not their fault. Sometimes protocols take years to change.

If you have Fibromyalgia or other Rheumatic auto-immune conditions or are a medical provider reading this, please read on and consider co-management with us.

How We Treat Fibromyalgia In Grand Rapids, MI

Furthermore, since 2019, researchers are finally starting to connect the health of the gut microbiome to the severity of Fibromyalgia symptoms. 7, 8, 9

These recent studies finally offer the very first objectively measurable findings in helping to diagnose these very tough cases and indicate the roadmap to solving the problem for the millions of Americans suffering from this. The correction of the cervical spine should be a part of every Fibromyalgia case as part of the co-management between specialties. We have also begun offering comprehensive lab testing for those who need more answers through our MaxMetabolix program with Genova Diagnostics. This testing can help us determine if your gut microbiome plays a role in your condition.

Chiropractic Care for Chronic Pain Syndromes in Grand Rapids, MI

As you read above, in over 80% of chronic pain syndromes like Fibromyalgia, we will find abnormal shapes in the spine, which can easily alter the performance of the brainstem, spinal cord, and overall central nervous system. 10, 11, 12

Some people with fibromyalgia also have coexisting neck or musculoskeletal problems. Those findings should be evaluated individually, and chiropractic care should be considered only as one possible part of a broader, coordinated care plan.

Science has understood for many years that Dysautonomia (dysfunction in the central nervous system) is almost always present in cases of Fibromyalgia, chronic pain, irritable bowel diseases, sleep disturbances, chronic fatigue syndrome, auto-immune inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and even Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and major depression. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38

It is common sense and biologically plausible that correcting the abnormal stresses acting on your spinal cord and brainstem will positively affect your neurological health, regardless of the condition. Medical diagnoses are useful in helping us understand what is going on, but when it comes to actually solving the problem, everyone deserves to know how their central nervous system is functioning inside the protective layers of their spine and how specific gut health markers (also heavily influenced by autonomic nerve health) 39, 40, 41 may be playing a primary role in WHY you’ve been getting sicker year after year with no results.

The answers might be more straightforward than you thought and right around the corner if you take action. Schedule an appointment today, and let us put together a personalized care plan that may include spinal correction, custom rehab, and the 5 Essentials system of MaxLiving.

Diet, Gut Health and Fibromyalgia

Gut health and an increase in inflammation seriously impact Fibromyalgia. In our Gut-Brain connection workshops, we describe how the nervous system, sleep, stress, activity, and other health factors can influence how symptoms are experienced. Fibromyalgia is complex and should be managed with the patient’s broader healthcare team. 42, 43, 44

Both neurologic dysfunction (too much Fight/Flight stress responses) and a bad diet and lifestyle destroy gut health. Add a few rounds of antibiotics and you have the perfect storm for auto-immune and chronic disease. It stands to reason the best diet for Fibromyalgia is full of anti-inflammatory foods. It is best to first cut out the known culprits with added sugar and inflammatory oils and stick to mostly clean meats and veggies.

Knowing it is vitally important to not only correct the cause of neurological dysfunction through corrective chiropractic care and spinal rehab but also to address the various causes of inflammation and poor gut health, we at Legacy Family Chiropractic offer testing to specifically identify the sources of chronic inflammation and gut dysfunction through our MaxMetabolix program.

Does Exercise Help Fibromyalgia Symptoms?

Absolutely! Anyone experiencing chronic and inflammatory autoimmune conditions should know the abundant science on this topic. Research has consistently found that activities that positively stress the body’s tissues, like exercise, can reduce the painful symptoms of Fibromyalgia and several other chronic conditions. A comprehensive review done in 201745 of 35 published scientific studies showed definitively that several types of exercise programs can be invaluable when it comes to reducing symptoms and improving quality of life. Notable studies within that review mention that aerobic activities of increasing difficulty, like progressive walking (increasing distance and intensity gradually) and strength training, are two of the most effective exercises to reduce pain and disease activity in people with chronic conditions like Fibromyalgia and several others. 46, 47, 48

One last exercise type mentioned throughout the studies that seems to improve the person’s perceived quality of life in the critical areas of physical and mental health is stretching! 49

So get out there and start moving your body more! If you need a customized exercise plan designed just for you, don’t hesitate to come in for an initial evaluation so we can first find the cause of your issues, but more importantly, help point you in the right direction with the right action plan!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can chiropractors help with fibromyalgia?

Yes! If your doctor is not recommending improving the spine and nervous system through specific, scientific, and neurologically-based chiropractic care, then they are likely not aware of the abundance of published science on this topic. Co-management of Fibromyalgia is where we see the best results, so send your doctor this page after you’ve read through it and understand the importance of the nervous system and spine!

What causes fibromyalgia?

Several factors (confirmed in published science) are present when you get a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia. Everything from life events to genetics to physical gut biome markers. Medical experts often say they don’t know what causes Fibromyalgia, and most still don’t use the known objective diagnostic criteria that can help guide them properly, but here’s what we DO know and always test for:
The known, well-researched causes that are always present are:

1. Neurological Stress Leading to Dysautonomia
   Stress on your brain and nervous system can come from emotional or psychological traumas and life events but also from physical stress and damage to the nervous system via the spine. Damage or distortion to the curve in your neck has been found in almost 90% of Fibromyalgia cases. This is why corrective chiropractic is so helpful. Chiropractors correct subluxations to restore normal function of the autonomic nervous system, which is known for its beneficial effects on pain levels, the gut microbiome, inflammation, the immune system, and more. Learn more about subluxation on our Low Back Pain page.
2. Destruction of the Gut Microbiome Leads to Chronic Inflammation
   Your gut directly links to your brain and the pain centers in the nervous system via the vagus nerve. Any damage to it produces a hyper-chronic stress response that can be difficult to overcome.

By specifically addressing these two factors (Dysautonomia and chronic inflammation of the gut-brain connection), we have been very successful with the vast majority of cases of Fibromyalgia that we have seen. The patients following our 5 Essentials system often have a complete resolution of symptoms and come off several prescriptions at medical re-exams.

To dive into the research that backs all of this up, please click on the links provided throughout this page.

What are the symptoms of fibromyalgia?

There are many symptoms of Fibromyalgia. The most common are extreme sensitivity and chronic pain throughout the entire body, and debilitating fatigue. Other symptoms can include sleep disturbances, poor gut and digestive health (autoimmune conditions included), hypersensitivity to stimuli, psychiatric and cognitive disorders, and, most importantly, dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (the part of your nervous system that you don’t voluntarily control, e.g., your heartbeat, hormones, digestion, etc.) If you or someone you know is going through this, please share this page with them. It may help them consider whether an appropriate evaluation and coordinated care plan could be useful.

What happens if fibromyalgia is left untreated?
Persistent or changing symptoms should be properly evaluated, and care may involve several clinicians and approaches over time. Responses to chiropractic and other conservative care vary, and no specific result or timeline can be promised.

Will my insurance cover care in your clinic for Fibromyalgia?
Legacy Family Chiropractic works with many major commercial plans, Original Medicare and several Medicare Advantage plans, VA Community Care, and properly authorized care for eligible active-duty service members. Participation and benefits vary by plan, so our team verifies coverage whenever possible. See the plans we currently work with and important coverage details.

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