Your Questions About a Fibromyalgia Chiropractor in Hickory: What Is It And How Can It Be Treated?6/2/2021  Millions of people may be affected by this injury that only very few would be able to name: diagnosing fibromyalgia (FM) can be tricky. Part of the reason for that is that its symptoms are seldom identified in combination with each other by those suffering from the condition and often shrugged off. Even when patients are looking for root causes in their chronic headaches or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), FM may not be on top of the list for suspected causes. Thankfully, treatment may be available.
To better understand FM, we want to take this opportunity to look at what causes the condition initially, what symptoms are most commonly associated with it, how it is diagnosed, and what treatment options there are. What Causes Fibromyalgia (FM)? For most people, symptoms of FM begin to show after a “trigger event.” This can be an accident, a surgery, an infection – anything that might affect and result in severe neck pain. FM can sometimes even be triggered by elevated stress levels or even a psychological event like losing a loved one. Whatever the case may be, the “trigger event” is then followed by an onset of various symptoms, most commonly musculoskeletal aches, fatigue, headaches, sleep, and memory issues. However, since FM often runs within families, there is good reason to believe that the condition may also be inheritable genetically. So if one of your family members has been diagnosed with FM, make sure to speak to a chiropractor in Hickory right away. Another aspect that should be kept in mind is that FM affects more women than men. So while the causes of FM are not entirely clear yet, most researchers and doctors connect the onset of FM to the brainstem. The brainstem is located in the weakest region of the human spine, right underneath the back of the head. The region is very vulnerable to injury, with potential tears of connective tissue, ligaments, and muscles that are responsible for head movements and a healthy posture. However, the brainstem’s influence extends into the spine and is a central element to the nervous system, connecting numerous nerves from the body to the brain. Damage or trauma to the brainstem might therefore cause long-term effects such as chronic fatigue syndrome. What Are Common Symptoms of FM? Symptoms of FM can be wide-ranging. Because it originates in events causing traumatic neck pain, initial symptoms will revolve around this area and may spread out onto the shoulders. But as the condition progresses, further symptoms will begin to show. This includes body-wide aches and sleep-related symptoms, which may include fatigue, restless leg syndrome, and sleep apnea. But not only might your nightly rest be affected. Other symptoms can include muscle stiffness, “brain fog,” irritable bowel syndrome, chronic headaches, anxiety, mood issues, and even depression. While all of those can be associated with FM, they may not necessarily be associated with it. It is therefore very important to diagnose the root causes for any one of these. However, if you experience any combination of these symptoms, you may also want to make sure to talk with your upper cervical chiropractor in Hickory. How to Diagnose FM? As previously mentioned, diagnosing FM can be difficult since a lot of the symptoms can also hint at other disorders, like chronic fatigue syndrome. It is therefore essential for any medical practitioner to eliminate any other options before diagnosing a patient with FM. There are a number of criteria that have to be met and that may indicate a positive FM diagnosis. Those are:
“Tender points” are areas in the body that feel sore when pressure is applied to them. They are a key element in diagnosing FM. Their location varies with every individual. There are 18 different areas in total, but those that are most frequently affected are joint areas like the back of the head, shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees. Treatment Options Upon diagnosing FM, a regular family doctor might recommend treatment with any mix of antidepressants, painkillers, anti-seizure medication, depending on the patient’s most significant symptoms. He may also suggest counseling, exercise programs, and relaxation techniques. While exercise and relaxation are recommended and will help your long-term health and wellbeing, prescribing medication often only presents short-term solutions. Even worse, painkillers can be very addictive, especially for long-term conditions like FM. Their prescription in those cases can therefore lead to substance abuse, which should obviously be avoided at any cost. A fibromyalgia upper cervical chiropractor in Hickory presents an alternative treatment option. Using spinal alignments, a chiropractor in Hickory, NC can not only address your immediate areas of back pain but also help by realigning your spine, alleviating pressure on spinal nerves. An upper cervical correction addresses the core issue of FM by realigning the top two bones in your neck. Together with a healthy exercise regimen and active relaxation techniques, it can improve symptoms of FM significantly and presents not only a short-term fix but a long-term solution. Contact Help Today If you are suffering from various body aches or are looking to alleviate your pain, contact our office in Hickory today. Realigning your spine and alleviating certain nerves and your upper vertebrae can do wonders for your overall health. You may even want to consult a chiropractor for migraines in Hickory – the root cause may be FM. A professional can help you with your overall health and improve your life quality.
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How To Manage A Pinched Nerve With A Chiropractor for Migraines In Hickory
Neck pain in Hickory, or soreness in other parts of your body, can come from a variety of different sources. These range from arthritis to tendonitis to torn cartilages in your joints. This also doesn’t include the variety of other conditions that have back pain in Hickory as a common symptom. One common such example is getting a pinched nerve in the upper part of the spine, also known as cervical radiculopathy. This generally occurs when bone spurs start to appear around the discs in the spine. When everything is working well, the discs should absorb the shocks between each individual vertebra. A bone spur is a small bit of bone that is formed as we age and discs get weaker. When things go properly, bone spurs support the vertebrae as they get weaker, However, in some cases, those spurs press on nerve roots, leading to other symptoms.
Symptoms of Pinched Nerves
How do you tell that the soreness you are dealing with stems from a pinched nerve? No matter what area it’s in, you’re going to need to have an in-depth exam of the affected area to be absolutely certain. As an example, a pinched nerve is generally localized in one area. Another thing to note is that these are normally very sharp soreness. By comparison, if you simply overexerted a muscle, the sensation would likely be a duller strain. In some cases, a pinch may never have any other symptoms. Some people feel a sensation of pins and needles in a certain area. Others may feel numbness or weakness when trying to lift something.
Depending on where you feel your symptoms and the exact nature of them, your medical professional may be able to determine if it is a pinched nerve or not quite quickly. Generally, though, an exam will still be administered. These start by testing sensitivity, strength, and reflexes. You may be told to do different stretches and movements to determine what leads to symptoms and what relieves them. You’ll also likely need to provide details about your pain. For example, be sure to have a record of when the pain started, and any activities that you do that cause soreness to flare up. If it is soothed by certain activities, be sure to mention those as well. Your doctor might also ask if you have had other health changes or recently increased your physical activities. If the spinal nerves are impacted, they can manifest in surprising ways, like bladder and bowel issues.
Say that your standard exam isn’t enough to get to the root of these issues. Your doctor may instead decide to do imaging tests to figure out what’s causing the pinched nerve and where it is. This is mostly administered through X-rays or MRI scans. An X-ray can showcase details going on with your bones, but won’t show your discs and nerves. With this said, they can be useful for determining if you have narrow vertebrae or bone spurs. An MRI is able to do more, showing how healthy your nerves and discs are in detail. In some cases, an X-ray may be done to a certain area to check for bone injury. Lastly, if the issue is due to injured ligaments or tendons, an ultrasound may be needed.
Working With Your Fibromyalgia Chiropractor In Hickory
So, if you suspect that a pinched nerve is behind your soreness, or know it for a fact, what can you do? One asset that you have is doing a posture adjustment. To start, try and find a position that helps you feel comfortable with your soreness. After this, you can adapt your lifestyle and living spaces to help you stay in that posture as much as possible. For a lot of people, doing this in the workplace is a major source of problems. One way to get around this is by using a standing workplace. These help prevent pinched nerves, treat existing ones, and just lower overall soreness. You can either ask the HR department to modify your existing space or buy your own.
Another thing to note is that whenever you are dealing with a pinched nerve, you want to make sure that you are as rested as possible, along with lowering any activity that leads to soreness. Try and keep the cycle of rest going until your symptoms subside. After this, you can begin to start testing things together. For certain types of issues, like carpal tunnel syndrome, you may be able to use a splint to protect your wrist.
You have a lot of options that you can do at home to help lower soreness from pinched nerves. For example, a gentle stretch can help provide relief, but you don’t want to overextend yourself. Focus on smaller movements, and if you find yourself getting sore again, try and do something less intensive. Think about applying heat to your muscles in the affected area to help them loosen. Heat also supports healing by promoting blood flow. Generally, you want to apply it for 10-15 minutes at a time. You can also do ice instead if you prefer. Simply get some ice, wrap it in a washcloth, and apply it to the area for 10-15 minutes as well.
If you want additional help, consider looking into NSAIDs. These can help quite a bit with mild soreness and can be brought over the counter. With that said, just make sure that you read and stick to the recommended dosage. These aren’t going to be able to provide total coverage as well. If you find that you’re dealing with consistent, extreme, or repeated soreness, reach out to a medical professional. On top of performing the exams before, they may be able to provide a prescription for more powerful medication. They may also recommend a specialist like a chiropractor in Hickory. This will help you get the treatment you need.
Symptoms of Pinched Nerves
How do you tell that the soreness you are dealing with stems from a pinched nerve? No matter what area it’s in, you’re going to need to have an in-depth exam of the affected area to be absolutely certain. As an example, a pinched nerve is generally localized in one area. Another thing to note is that these are normally very sharp soreness. By comparison, if you simply overexerted a muscle, the sensation would likely be a duller strain. In some cases, a pinch may never have any other symptoms. Some people feel a sensation of pins and needles in a certain area. Others may feel numbness or weakness when trying to lift something.
Depending on where you feel your symptoms and the exact nature of them, your medical professional may be able to determine if it is a pinched nerve or not quite quickly. Generally, though, an exam will still be administered. These start by testing sensitivity, strength, and reflexes. You may be told to do different stretches and movements to determine what leads to symptoms and what relieves them. You’ll also likely need to provide details about your pain. For example, be sure to have a record of when the pain started, and any activities that you do that cause soreness to flare up. If it is soothed by certain activities, be sure to mention those as well. Your doctor might also ask if you have had other health changes or recently increased your physical activities. If the spinal nerves are impacted, they can manifest in surprising ways, like bladder and bowel issues.
Say that your standard exam isn’t enough to get to the root of these issues. Your doctor may instead decide to do imaging tests to figure out what’s causing the pinched nerve and where it is. This is mostly administered through X-rays or MRI scans. An X-ray can showcase details going on with your bones, but won’t show your discs and nerves. With this said, they can be useful for determining if you have narrow vertebrae or bone spurs. An MRI is able to do more, showing how healthy your nerves and discs are in detail. In some cases, an X-ray may be done to a certain area to check for bone injury. Lastly, if the issue is due to injured ligaments or tendons, an ultrasound may be needed.
Working With Your Fibromyalgia Chiropractor In Hickory
So, if you suspect that a pinched nerve is behind your soreness, or know it for a fact, what can you do? One asset that you have is doing a posture adjustment. To start, try and find a position that helps you feel comfortable with your soreness. After this, you can adapt your lifestyle and living spaces to help you stay in that posture as much as possible. For a lot of people, doing this in the workplace is a major source of problems. One way to get around this is by using a standing workplace. These help prevent pinched nerves, treat existing ones, and just lower overall soreness. You can either ask the HR department to modify your existing space or buy your own.
Another thing to note is that whenever you are dealing with a pinched nerve, you want to make sure that you are as rested as possible, along with lowering any activity that leads to soreness. Try and keep the cycle of rest going until your symptoms subside. After this, you can begin to start testing things together. For certain types of issues, like carpal tunnel syndrome, you may be able to use a splint to protect your wrist.
You have a lot of options that you can do at home to help lower soreness from pinched nerves. For example, a gentle stretch can help provide relief, but you don’t want to overextend yourself. Focus on smaller movements, and if you find yourself getting sore again, try and do something less intensive. Think about applying heat to your muscles in the affected area to help them loosen. Heat also supports healing by promoting blood flow. Generally, you want to apply it for 10-15 minutes at a time. You can also do ice instead if you prefer. Simply get some ice, wrap it in a washcloth, and apply it to the area for 10-15 minutes as well.
If you want additional help, consider looking into NSAIDs. These can help quite a bit with mild soreness and can be brought over the counter. With that said, just make sure that you read and stick to the recommended dosage. These aren’t going to be able to provide total coverage as well. If you find that you’re dealing with consistent, extreme, or repeated soreness, reach out to a medical professional. On top of performing the exams before, they may be able to provide a prescription for more powerful medication. They may also recommend a specialist like a chiropractor in Hickory. This will help you get the treatment you need.