Fibromyalgia
Progressive Medical Center Helps Patients Through Fibromyalgia Treatments
Fibromyalgia pain is debilitating, but there are natural solutions that can help you feel better. At Progressive Medical Center, our goal is to look for and address the underlying causes of fibromyalgia so that your body can heal naturally. We give nutrients to reduce pain and inflammation, eliminate food sensitivities that cause joint pain, fine-tune the gastrointestinal environment, and balance hormones to reduce pain. We get the bad stuff out, especially toxins that can damage the nervous system. We also use a variety of natural pain reduction techniques, such as chiropractic and acupuncture.
What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is a common condition that predominantly affects women and is characterized by long-term, widespread pain and tenderness in the joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues. People with this condition may experience a wide variety of related symptoms such as chronic fatigue, cognitive difficulties (e.g., forgetfulness, trouble concentrating, and disorganized thinking), frequent sleep problems, irritable bowel syndrome, and multiple somatic complaints.
Fibromyalgia has also been linked to numbness and tingling in various parts of the body, as well as depression, anxiety and some sexual dysfunction. Although symptoms often come and go spontaneously, they usually impair daily function.
What Causes Fibromyalgia?
The causes of fibromyalgia are unknown. Fibromyalgia is typically associated with other pain syndromes as well as mood and anxiety disorders. Some research suggests that fibromyalgia involves abnormalities of the stress response system.
In addition, fibromyalgia is frequently observed in those with chronic inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus and hepatitis C. Other possible causes include neurotransmitter imbalances, mitochondrial dysfunction (cellular energy), pain hypersensitivity disorders, obesity, toxicity, infections, hormonal imbalance, and nutritional deficiencies.
Progressive Medical Center incorporates an integrative approach that helps to design your personalized treatment plan. Not all people suffer with fibromyalgia for the same reasons. That’s why we run sophisticated diagnostic testing to help us understand your unique biochemistry. Comprehensive laboratory evaluations at the cellular and metabolic level allow us to see inside the body- more so than other common laboratory tests. We believe it is important to rule out other conditions that can be misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia, such as hypothyroidism, Lyme disease, or low vitamin D.
Your test results will help us discover the major blockages that are preventing your healing process. Then we can tailor a treatment plan specifically to what your body needs. The test results, in conjunction with details of your case history, help your practitioner design an effective, customized treatment that will get you feeling good again!
Natural Therapies for Treating Fibromyalgia Symptoms
The causes of fibromyalgia are not understood by most doctors and there is “no cure” for fibromyalgia. With such limited options for help, integrative and functional medicine becomes a natural choice when trying to find solutions for fibromyalgia. At Progressive Medical, we look for the underlying causes of fibromyalgia. Our targets are the gastrointestinal system, detoxification system, nutrition, hormones, sleep and exercise, and natural pain relief techniques. We see this approach help many people who otherwise had no hope.
Natural treatments for fibromyalgia may include:
- Gastrointestinal Health – Your overall health and metabolism are tied to your gut. The gastrointestinal tract is where we break down food into much smaller molecules that are then absorbed and used by the body to make energy, repair tissue, and clear toxins. If there is irritation or inflammation in the gut due to poor diet, this can tell the whole body to go on “red alert,” and malfunction. Food allergies commonly cause joint pain and inflammation in the gut which can harm the whole body. An anti-inflammatory, whole foods diet will help calm down pain and inflammation in the body.
- Detoxification – Toxins damage the nervous system. Many people with fibromyalgia have accumulated toxins in their bodies that cause inflammation and pain. Our team guides you through a safe and effective detoxification program.
- Nutrition – Cells in the body cannot function properly without vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids. Your doctor will prescribe nutritional supplements to correct nutritional deficiencies you have. Proper nutrition allows the nerve cells to work at optimum capacity and can reduce pain.
- Hormones – A healthy body requires balanced hormones. These powerful molecules can overwhelm the body when they are driven too high by stress, toxicity, or poor metabolism. Low levels of hormones make a person listless and fatigued. We will test your hormones and develop a treatment to strike the right balance for you.
- Sleep Support – Natural techniques and supplements for better sleep can often help reduce fibromyalgia symptoms and improve immune function.
- Exercise – The addition of mild daily exercise and gentle stretching can be one of the most effective treatments for fibromyalgia. Our team develops a plan based on your specific needs and abilities.
- Acupuncture – Acupuncture, which is based on ancient Chinese medical practices, is one of the oldest forms of treatment for chronic pain. Several studies support the usefulness of this therapy in fibromyalgia.
- Massage – Massage therapy can be a beneficial part of an integrative treatment plan for those with fibromyalgia and may help relieve a wide variety of symptoms.
- Chiropractic Care – Alignment of the spine is important for a healthy nervous system. All the signals to your muscles and organs travel through the spinal cord. If there are traffic jams in this communication “roadway,” pain, muscle, and joint dysfunction set in. Chiropractic care can provide significant pain relief.
Do You Have Symptoms of Fibromyalgia?
If you believe you may be suffering from fibromyalgia and are interested in working with our team of integrative medical providers for an individualized treatment plan.