Living with fibromyalgia can be frustrating. The pain can move around. Your energy can change from one day to the next. Some days you might manage reasonably well, then wake up the following morning feeling as though someone has turned everything up again.
Add tiredness, poor sleep or brain fog into the mix and it’s understandable why fibromyalgia can sometimes feel difficult to make sense of.
The good news is that we now understand much more about what’s happening. Once you begin to understand why your body is behaving this way, it becomes easier to understand what may help.
What is fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a long-term condition that affects the way the brain and nervous system process pain. A helpful way to think about it is that your nervous system has become more sensitive than it needs to be.
Your nervous system is constantly receiving information from your body. With fibromyalgia, some of those signals can become amplified. Researchers often describe this as central sensitisation. In simple terms, it’s a little like having the body’s volume control for pain turned up too high. This can help explain why pain may feel stronger than you’d expect, last longer or appear in different areas of the body. The system processing those signals has become more sensitive.
Why does fibromyalgia happen?
There isn’t one simple answer.
For some people, there seems to be a point when things began to change. It might have followed an illness, injury or operation. For others, it may have developed during or after a particularly demanding period of life or sometimes there isn’t an obvious starting point at all.
Research suggests several factors may be involved, including genetics, sleep, previous illness or injury, physical or emotional stress and changes in the way the nervous system processes pain.
Everyone’s story is different.
What’s useful isn’t necessarily being able to pinpoint exactly how it started. It’s understanding what’s happening now and what may be influencing how you feel today.
Where Does Chiropractic Care Fit?
Fibromyalgia isn’t simply a problem with one particular muscle or joint, so our approach isn’t about “fixing fibromyalgia”. Instead, we look at the person as a whole. Your nervous system is constantly receiving information from your body, including information from your muscles and joints about movement and tension.
For someone who is already feeling sensitive and uncomfortable, stiffness, restricted movement or physical tension may be other parts of the overall picture. That’s where chiropractic care may have a role. When appropriate, gentle chiropractic care may help improve movement, ease stiffness and reduce some of the physical tension your body is dealing with. People with fibromyalgia can be particularly sensitive, care should always be adapted to the individual.
Small Improvements Can Make A Big Difference
When you’re living with fibromyalgia, success doesn’t necessarily have to mean waking up one morning completely pain free. Sometimes it’s the everyday changes that matter first. Sleeping a little better. Getting out of bed feeling less stiff. Walking a little further. Going shopping without feeling as though you’ll suffer for it for the next two days. Playing with the grandchildren and still having something left in the tank afterwards. Getting back to the walk you’d quietly stopped doing.
These things can sound small from the outside.
When fibromyalgia has gradually started taking them away, getting some of them back can mean an enormous amount.
Working alongside your healthcare team
Fibromyalgia rarely has one single answer. Movement, sleep, everyday pressures, nutrition, physical tension and your general health can all form part of the picture. That’s why care may involve several different approaches and healthcare professionals depending on your individual needs.
Your GP, physiotherapist, exercise professional, psychological support, medication where appropriate, sleep management and chiropractic care can all have a place. Our role isn’t to replace the rest of your healthcare team. It’s to understand where we may be able to help within that bigger picture.
What does the research say?
Current clinical guidance supports a personalised approach to fibromyalgia rather than relying on one treatment alone.
Depending on the individual, this may include appropriate movement and exercise, education, sleep support, strategies for managing everyday stress and other approaches appropriate to that person’s needs.
Chiropractic care shouldn’t be viewed as a standalone treatment for fibromyalgia. Our role is to understand your individual situation and identify where we may be able to help as part of the bigger picture.
If you’re living with fibromyalgia, the first step is understanding your picture.
At Chislehurst Chiropractic Clinic, we take the time to listen to what’s been happening, understand how fibromyalgia is affecting your everyday life and look at the areas where we may be able to help.
Small improvements can make a big difference
When you’re living with fibromyalgia, success doesn’t necessarily have to mean waking up one morning completely pain free. Sometimes it’s the everyday changes that matter first.
Sleeping a little better. Getting out of bed feeling less stiff. Walking a little further. Being able to go shopping without feeling as though you’ll pay for it for the next two days. Playing with the grandchildren and having enough energy left afterwards to enjoy the rest of your day. Getting back to the walk you’d quietly stopped doing. These things can sound small from the outside.
When fibromyalgia has gradually started taking them away, getting some of them back can mean an enormous amount.
We’re interested in helping you get back to more of the things that matter to you.
If you’d like to talk to us about your own situation, we’d be happy to help you understand your options and decide what might be an appropriate next step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chiropractic Care Safe If I Have Fibromyalgia?
Care should always be adapted to the individual.
People with fibromyalgia can be more sensitive to touch or pressure, so we take that into account when deciding whether treatment is appropriate and what form it should take. If we do use hands-on care, we can begin gently and adapt things according to how you respond.
What age does fibromyalgia usually start?
Fibromyalgia usually starts in middle age, most commonly between the ages of 20 and 55. While it is most frequently diagnosed in adults between 30 and 50, symptoms can also begin during early adulthood or older age.
What not to do when you have fibromyalgia
When you have fibromyalgia, avoid pushing through severe pain, overexerting yourself on good days, skipping sleep, and sitting or standing still for too long. You should also limit inflammatory foods like sugar and caffeine, and avoid staying completely inactive.
How do I know if I have fibromyalgia?
You can know if you have fibromyalgia by evaluating key signs like widespread pain, reviewing diagnostic rules with a doctor, and ruling out other health issues. There is no single lab test for the condition; instead, a medical provider makes a diagnosis based on your history and physical evaluation.
If you know someone who could benefit from this blog post, please share it with them. We offer a complimentary check to anyone who is interested in how chiropractic may be able to help them.
