Stover Chiropractic, P.C.Fibromyalgia | Stover Chiropractic, P.C.

Fibromyalgia and “the other stuff”

Dr. Tripp Stover — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:53:36 +0000

Mechanicsville, Virginia — At Stover Chiropractic we see many people who have been diagnosed, or could be diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Chiropractic has been shown to very helpful for people seeking relief from fibromyalgia symptoms. In my experience it is not just muscle pain that patients will present with in our office. There is all the “other stuff.” Sleeping problems, fatigue, digestive issues, “fibro fog”, TMJ, and so on. All of the above are related to regulatory problems that have developed in one’s nervous system. In other words, due to the constant pain input into the brain, spinal cord, and nerves, the central nervous system becomes overly senstive to certain stimulus that previously would not have bothered anything in the past for fibromyalgia patients.

This is explained very well in an article on about.com from 12/31/11 called: “Illness Clusters: The Reason Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ‘Bring Friends.’” Adrienne Dellwo explains central sensitisation:

“Usually when we hear about sensitization or sensitivity, it has to do with an allergy. In an allergy, the body becomes sensitive to a particular substance and thereafter reacts inappropriately to it.

The central part of CS refers to the central nervous system, which is made up of the brain and spinal column. The central nervous system, in these conditions, because sensitized to “noxious stimuli,” which is basically any input that’s unpleasant – pain, bright light, certain noises, etc. As with an allergy, the body begins to react inappropriately to that input.

As a result, what should be mild discomfort becomes pain, an obnoxious noise may trigger pain or anxiety, and light pressure from a waistband may cause a burning feeling on the skin and a deep ache in the muscles and connective tissues.

Yunus says evidence supports the theory that CS is a causal factor in these illnesses and the reason that they so often occur together. (Causal factor means that it is one of many causes that come together and not the sole cause.) Having one CSS predisposes you to the others.”

The goal of chiropractic is to remove interference and irritation to the nervous system which is commonly caused by subluxations. If we can break the cycle noxious stimuli (the subluxation) we can usually help fibromyalgia pain.

Please call us at 804-559-1100 if you have any questions.

Stover Chiropractic, P.C.
9097 Atlee Station Road, Suite 118 Mechanicsville, VA, 23116 USA
stoverchiropractic.pc@gmail.com • (804) 559-1100

“Consumer Reports” survey

Dr. Tripp Stover — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 09:45:12 +0000

Mechanicsville, Virginia — Consumer Reports reported on a survey of its readers related to alternative healthcare. They have not been friendly to chiropractic in the past. This time around it had a little different feel but still not written to put chiropractic care in a favorable light. I’ve copied and pasted two reports on the article. The first by the Richmond Times Dispatch and the second by Dynamic Chiropractic. I thought the RTD did a great job of summarizing.

The most interesting part to me was in reference to the folks who used chiropractic for respiratory problems: allergies, flu, and cold. Though only two percent of the respondants tried chiropractic for cold, flu, and allergy, 40 percent said it helped a lot. That isn’t reporting the group that said it helped, some, or a little! If you ask me that seems better than over the counter meds success rate. So as we head into “cold and flu” season, give some thought to trying chiropractic (a non-drug, natural option) to help you get through your symptoms.

Make sure to read the editorial comments, they are very helpful.

Alternative therapies get high marks for some ailments

By: TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF
Published: September 04, 2011

» 0 Comments | Post a Comment

Done anything alternative lately? If so, you have a lot of company.

When Consumer Reports surveyed 45,601 subscribers online, it found that three out of four were using some form of alternative therapy for their general health.

CR readers rated prescription drugs as helping the most for the majority of 12 health problems, butchiropractic, deep-tissue massage and yoga dominated the lists of helpful alternative treatments for discomfort from conditions such as back pain, neck pain and osteoarthritis.

The survey also suggests that meditation, deep-breathing exercises and yoga are being used to treat a range of conditions including anxiety, headaches and migraines, depression and insomnia.

Some highlights from the report:

Prescription drugs helped the most for nine of the 12 conditions Consumer Reports Health asked about:allergies, anxiety, cold and flu, depression, digestive problems, headaches and migraines, insomnia,irritable bowel syndrome and osteoarthritis.

Meditation and yoga proved equally effective for treating anxiety (42 percent and 46 percent respectively said these therapies “helped a lot”) and depression (36 percent and 35 percent respectively).

Yoga did about as well as meditation for insomnia (21 percent and 24 percent) but it significantly outperformed meditation for headaches and migraines and especially for back pain.

For back pain, yoga, deep-tissue massage and Pilates all rated about the same as prescription medication.Chiropractic therapy outperformed all other treatments. Meditation was helpful to almost a third (29 percent) of those few who tried it (5 percent).

For respiratory problems such as cold, flu and allergies, the survey found that very small numbers of readers tried deep-breathing exercises or chiropractic care.

Those who did reported promising results. Although only 2 percent of cold, flu or allergy sufferers soughtchiropractic care, more than 40 percent said it helped a lot. Similarly, 3 percent tried deep breathing forallergies and 32 percent said it helped a lot. Three percent also tried deep breathing for cold and flu and 35 percent said it helped a lot.

Of alternative treatments used for general health, mainstream vitamins and minerals were the most widely used, with 73 percent of respondents taking them. About one in five reported using mind-body therapies such as yoga or hands-on therapies such as massage.

Readers are keeping their doctors in the loop to varying degrees about their use of alternative therapies.

For instance, 57 percent of people who got shiatsu massage, usually for back or neck pain, said their doctors knew about it, and so did 81 percent of those who sought chiropractic care.

Sixty-five percent of those who practiced progressive relaxation said their medical caregivers knew about it, as did 68 percent of readers who meditated.

Smaller numbers of readers said their doctors had pointed them to an alternative therapy in the first place.

Twenty-eight percent of readers who used deep-tissue massage, usually for back or neck pain, said their doctors had recommended it. So did 26 percent of people who used deep-breathing exercises and 21 percent who saw a chiropractor.

People who decide to try alternative treatments should talk to their physician first to set realistic expectations for improvement.

Many insurers cover acupuncture and chiropractic, and some offer discounts for other treatments.

Consumer Reports Surveys Readers on Alternative Health Care Use

Chiropractic use, satisfaction high for back, neck pain; medication still the choice for other common health issues.

By Peter W. Crownfield, Executive Editor

If you’re wondering what consumers – your patients and potential patients – think about chiropractic care, particularly as it relates to its effectiveness managing common health conditions, consider findings from a Consumer Reports online survey of more than 45,000 of its subscribers.

Survey results suggest that with the exception of back and neck pain, consumers – and Consumer Reports itself – continue to buy into the pharmaceutical model Big Pharma and others spend billions annually to promote.

And the Survey Says…

Back pain: Thirty-six percent of survey respondents utilized chiropractic for back pain; 65 percent said it “helped a lot.” Prescription medication use was slightly higher (38 percent), but only a little over half (53 percent) of those who used it said it helped a lot. Over-the counter medication use was much higher (58 percent), but only 28 percent of users said it helped substantially. Other therapies with high utilization and/or perceived benefit: deep-tissue massage (24 percent use, 51 percent said it “helps a lot”).

Some of the other therapies used: glucosamine / chondroitin (14 percent use / 12 percent said it “helps a lot”), fish-oil supplements (10 percent / 7 percent), yoga (9 percent / 49 percent), acupuncture (8 percent / 41 percent), multivitamins (11 percent / 5 percent).

Neck pain: Forty-one percent of CRsubscribers responding to the survey said they’ve utilized chiropractic for neck pain; 64 percent said it “helps a lot.” Deep-tissue massage was second in terms of perceived benefit (58 percent), although a distant third in terms of use (35 percent reported use). Over-the-counter and prescription meds were the second and fourth most utilized treatment methods (56 percent and 33 percent), but only 39 percent and 25 percent of users, respectively, said the medication “helped a lot.”

Other therapies used: yoga (10 percent reported use / 45 percent perceived substantial benefit), acupuncture (10 percent / 44 percent), calcium supplements (11 percent / 6 percent) and multivitamins (13 percent / 4 percent).

Other conditions: For conditions from osteoarthritis to headache/migraine to fibromyalgia, chiropractic utilization was nonexistent or significantly lower than prescription and/or over-the-counter medication use. In fact, with the exception of fibromyalgia, for all remaining conditions surveyed (irritable bowel syndrome, osteoarthritis, digestive problems, depression, anxiety, headache/migraine, insomnia, cold/flu, and allergy), prescription medication was the most utilized and perceived as most beneficial (“helped a lot”). (For fibromyalgia, deep-tissue massage was utilized by 41 percent of those surveyed, compared to 71 percent using prescription meds and 49 percent who used OTC meds; but was perceived as effective by 54 percent, compared to 52 percent of prescription users and only 22 percent of OTC users).

For headache and migraine, chiropractic was utilized by only 11 percent, 46 percent of whom said it helped a lot. For fibromyalgia, 27 percent reported use; 35 percent said it helped. Eleven percent used chiropractic for osteoarthritis; 46 percent said it helped. And 2 percent of survey respondents said they used chiropractic for cold, flu and allergy symptoms, 47 percent of whom said it helped with cold/flu, while 41 percent said it helped with allergies.

CR‘s Consumer Warnings

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention a few of the intriguing (read: typical) editorial notes from the survey article, which appears in the September 2011 issue of Consumer Reports along with comprehensive findings. For example, CR cautions readers: “Chiropractic procedures on the neck have been linked with severe side effects, including stroke, which appears to be very rare.” And in a sidebar titled “Hand-on and Mind-Body Therapies: A User’s Guide,” the chiropractic section states: “Chiropractic is possibly effective for back pain. But there’s insufficient evidence to rate its effectiveness for neck pain and many other conditions. Our medical experts warn that it might be risky for neck pain.” No cautions are given for acupuncture, massage, medication or yoga.

It’s also important to note that while CR tells readers chiropractic and many other therapies, including acupuncture and massage, are only “possibly” effective for limited conditions, no such qualifications are made regarding prescription and over-the-counter medication, nor are any warnings given regarding their potential side effects.

Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in VA

Dr. Tripp Stover — Mon, 16 May 2011 09:24:12 +0000

Mechanicsville, Virginia — There are many different associations that are concerned with health and wellness. I am a member of The Society Of Chiropractic Orthospinology and you can find out more about The Society Of Chiropractic Orthospinology by visiting their website.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is a national agency that is concerned with scientific research on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). CAM describes a branch of alternative health care that some people might not consider or define as ‘conventional medicine.’

Chiropractic care, massage, and acupuncture are all examples of health practices that can fall under the umbrella of CAM and are practiced in VA.

According to the mission statement of NCCAM their three focuses of concern are to explore CAM healing practices in the context of rigorous science, train CAM researchers, and to provide authoritative information to both professionals and the public.

The NCCAM’s focus in regards to VA chiropractic care mirrors these three goals. The agency looks at the overall effectiveness of chiropractic methods, such as spinal manipulations, for back pain, neck pain, headaches, sciatica, etc. They also look at getting more chiropractor’s involved in research, and study the responses and satisfaction levels of people who have received chiropractic care.

We are Stover Chiropractic, P.C. and can perform Grostic technique, which is also known as orthospinology. This procedure, based on the teachings of Dr. John F. Grostic, involves the correction of the Occipito-Atlanto-Axial misalignment, its influence on the central nervous system and its effect on body balance and integrity. Since its inception over 60 years ago, this upper cervical procedure has helped millions of people overcome countless health problems. We are concerned with your health and healing. To find out more about us visit our ‘About’ page at http://www.stoverchiropractic.com/about/ or visit our website at www.stoverchiropractic.com.

Core Exercise Ball Workout

Dr. Tripp Stover — Sat, 07 May 2011 09:00:45 +0000

Mechanicsville, Virginia — At Stover Chiropractic P.C. I’m often trying to find a way for patients to rehab their spine and nervous system. When people seek help for low back pain, injury, sciatica, muscle weakness, or fibromyalgia I try to restore overall function as well as decrease pain. This is done by chiropractic adjustments of subluxations primarily and most importantly. But progress and prevention of future problems can be greatly improved if folks are willing add in some home exercises. I often recommend the use of a gym ball. It is an outstanding way to strengthen the musculature of our core and rehab the nervous system by challenging balance. The following is a simple easy to follow article to use if you would like to start with a simple gym ball routine.

Core Exercise Ball Workout – Life123.

By: Rachel Mork at Life 123.com

Exercise balls, also called fitness balls and swiss balls, have been used by physical therapists for decades. Today, the exercise ball workout is showing up in aerobics and yoga classes, personal training sessions, in homes and even at the office as a replacement for desk chairs. Fitness ball workouts are an effective, affordable way to strengthen the core muscles in your abdominals and lower back.

Choosing an Exercise Ball
Exercise balls go by a variety of names, including fitness balls, stability balls, sports balls and Swiss balls. Constructed of soft flexible plastic, exercise balls range in diameter from 45 to 85 cm in diameter when fully inflated. You’ll choose the best size for your fitness ball workout based on your height.

When you sit on an exercise ball, your hips should be level with or slightly higher than your knees. You’re looking for both proper alignment and what level of firmness for the ball is most comfortable for you. Working out with a firmer ball provides offers more resistance during workouts and challenges your balance. Softer balls generally provide your body with more support, making it easier to maintain your balance which is helpful if you’re a beginner.

Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for inflation and adjust the level of firmness to your needs, taking care not to overinflate.

45 cm balls fit most people under 4’11″
55cm balls fit most people between 4’11″ and 5’4″
65 cm balls fit most people between 5’5″ and 5’11″
75 cm balls fit most people between 5’11″ and 6’7″

Benefits of Exercise Ball Workouts
Exercise balls are versatile and can be used for a variety of workout moves, but are best known for assisting you in strengthening the core muscles in your trunk. These muscle groups are responsible for protecting the spine and your internal organs and keeping your body balanced and stable at all times. A strong core results in better posture, keeps your lower back safe from injury and may help relieve any lower back you experience now.

Quality Moves
The reason exercise balls are so effective when it comes to developing core strength is because they destabilize your body, forcing you to engage your core muscles to remain balanced while you’re exercising. In other words, they make you and your core body do all of the work. Even if you already have a good amount of strength in your core, working out with an exercise ball can up the ante, challenging you to work at a higher intensity in a shorter amount of time.

What attracts most people to exercise ball routines is that the routines themselves favor quality over quantity. Forcing your core muscles to work together rather in isolation, like traditional ab workouts, provides your body with the maximum benefit in the minimum amount of time. Instead of performing high repetitions that target one muscle in your core, you’ll engage several muscles at the same time and work them harder in fewer moves.

Good for Beginners and Experts Alike
Not all fitness ball exercises are suitable for all fitness levels. Always check with your doctor before starting a new workout program, especially if you’re recovering from an injury or are just beginning a fitness program for the first time.

When you first start working out with fitness balls, be sure to choose exercises that meet your current fitness level. If you have poor core strength or significant issues with balance, trying to follow the DVD or video that came with your fitness ball may not just discourage you, it could lead to injury.

Look for exercise ball routines are that targeted for beginners, consult with a personal trainer at your gym or your physical therapist, if you’re working with one. Even trading your chair for a fitness ball when you’re sitting at your desk or watching television has an effect: in order to remain upright, you’ll need to begin engaging those cure muscles. As you continue to build your core strength, you can gradually work up to more challenging ways of using the ball.

Sample Fitness Ball Exercises
Fitness balls are an inexpensive, fun way to build your core strength and bring challenge to your workouts. Some common fitness ball exercises include:

Crunches. Lie on the floor and place your feet on top of the ball so your knees are bent at 90-degree angle. Place your hands behind your head, thumbs pointing down your neck, elbows wide. Engage your abdominals and use them to lift your shoulders and chest off the ground.
Leg lifts. Lie on the floor and place the ball between your ankles or lower legs. Keep your arms flat on the floor and engage your abdominals as you slowly lift the ball with your legs. When you’ve gone as high as you want to, pause; then lower the ball slowly until it reaches the ground.
Assisted squats. Stand tall, with your feet hips’ width apart with your exercise ball placed firmly between your back and the wall. Slowly bend your knees, as though you were going to sit in a chair. When your bent legs form a 90-degree angle, pause and hold the position for up to 30 seconds. Stand slowly, rolling the ball up the wall as you go.

Strengthen Your Core – Hip Clamshell Exercise

Dr. Tripp Stover — Thu, 05 May 2011 09:21:40 +0000

Mechanicsville, Virginia — Most people these days seem to know it is important to strengthen and maintain a strong core. (Though not everyone) Especially when it comes to the health and function of your spine. At Stover Chiropractic, P.C. I’m often asked by patients with low back pain, sciatica, numbness, tingling, or fibromyalgia, “What can I do at home to help strengthen my back?” Well there are many movements, activities, and exercises for strengthening the spine (though different than just 10 or 15 years ago–please see my previous post: Ill-Advised Low Back Rehabilitation Recommendations). But there are some other important muscle groups that are often weak when people have weak spines or cores musculature. The gluts are critical and often ignored by simple at home routines.

Lately I’ve come to appreciate mikereinold.com. He is a therapist that gives great information and video for rehab. In the following video he demonstrates the Hip Clamshell Exercise. It is so simple and effective at strengthening important muscles in the gluts. The glut medius for those who are interested!

For those who are reading and want more to do for the back, generally speaking, I’ve copied the following exercises. The thing I like about these is they pay attention to strengthening the spine through balance and resistance. These days we understand it is important to rehab the nervous system and the muscles of the spine in order to prevent injury or re-injury. This comes from: Chiropractic Wellness Center in South Las Vegas, in a blog post from 2/11/11 titled “Low Back Pain and Balance Exercises.” I hope you find it helpful.

“We’re going to look at ways to improve our balance by learning specific exercises that utilize the parts of our nervous system that regulate balance or, proprioception. Particularly, our cerebellum (back of the brain that regulates coordination), the vestibular system (the inner ear where the semi-circular canals are located), the ascending tracts in our spinal cord (the “highways” that bring information to the brain from our feet and the rest of our body), and the small “mechano-receptors” located in our joints that pick up our movements as we walk and run and sends that information through our nerves, up the spinal cord tracts to the brain. Here are some very practical exercises to do, “…for the rest of our lives.” Start with the easy ones!

1. Easy (Level 1): Standing eyes open/closed – Start with the feet shoulder width apart, look straight ahead to get your balance and then close the eyes and try not to sway counting to 30 by, “…one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three, etc.” Repeat this with your feet closer together until they touch each other. You can make this harder by standing on a pillow or cushion — but don’t start that way!

2. Medium (Level 2): Lunges – from a similar starting position as #1, step forwards with one leg and squat slightly before returning back to the start position. Repeat this 5x with each foot/leg. As you progress, you can take a longer stride and/or squat down further with each repetition. You can even hold onto light dumbbells and/or close your eyes to make it more challenging.

3. Hard (Level 3): Rocker or wobble board exercises – use a platform that rocks back & forth or, wobbles in multiple directions. Rock back and forth, eyes open and then closed, once you get comfortable on the board. You can rotate your body on the board, standing straight ahead (12 o’clock) followed by 45 degree angles as you work your way around in a circle at 45 degree increments (12, 1:30, 3, 4:30, 6, 7:30, 9, 10:30 and back to noon). Repeat these eyes open and closed. The Wii Balance board is a fun way to exercise – check that out as well.”

Don’t be tempted to think these are too easy or that they are not helping the spine. Give them a try.

Dr. Craig Liebenson, from L.A. Sports and Spine, also has wonderful resources for exercises. Check them out.

Chiropractic Adjustments and Low-Level Laser Therapy in the Management of Cervical Facet Dysfunction: A Randomized Controlled Study

Dr. Tripp Stover — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 17:31:47 +0000

Here’s a copy of a post at “The Recovery Blog” by Dr. Rick Rosa. At Stover Chiropractic P.C. I’ve used “cold laser” or “low level laser” for nearly two years now. I’ve found it a wonderful help when treating fibromyalgia, tendinitis, sciatica, bursitis, and low back pain to name a few. It isn’t limited to just those health problems, but those are common. Many People haven’t heard about low level laser therapy, so I thought a study would be helpful to have on the blog Which shows the efficacy of cold laser therapy.

Abstract:
Purpose The aim of this study was to determine the short-term effect of chiropractic joint manipulation therapy (CMT) and low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on pain and range of motion in the management of cervical facet dysfunction. Methods Sixty ambulatory women between the ages of 18 and 40 years with cervical facet joint pain of more than 30-day duration and normal neurologic examination were randomized to receive 1 of 3 treatment options: (1) CMT of the cervical spine, (2) LLLT applied to the cervical facet joints, or (3) a combination of CMT and LLLT. Each participant received 6 treatments in 3 weeks.

The main outcome measures were as follows: the Numerical Pain Rating Scale, Neck Disability Index, Cervical Range of Motion Instrument, and Baseline Digital Inclinometer. Measurements were taken during weeks 1 (baseline), 2, 3, and 4. Results No differences existed between the 3 groups at baseline. A significant difference was seen between groups 1 (CMT) and 2 (LLLT) for cervical flexion, between groups 1 (CMT) and 3 (CMT + LLLT) for cervical flexion and rotation, and between groups 2 (LLLT) and 3 (CMT + LLLT) for pain disability in everyday life, lateral flexion, and rotation.

Conclusion:
All 3 groups showed improvement in the primary and secondary outcomes. A combination of CMT and LLLT was more effective than either of the 2 on their own. Both therapies are indicated as potentially beneficial treatments for cervical facet dysfunction. Further studies are needed to explore optimal treatment procedures for CMT and LLLT and the possible mechanism of interaction between therapies.

What does this mean for Stover Chiropractic and my patients? Simple, the chiropractic adjustment is primary, but at times the addition of laser will be an important help.

Please find the link to the original post below.

http://recoverydoctor.blogspot.com/2011/04/chiropractic-manipulative-therapy-and.html

Mechanicsville Spine Adjustment

Dr. Tripp Stover — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 18:27:53 +0000

Mechanicsville, Virginia — My name is Dr. Tripp Stover. You may have heard the terms “spinal adjustment” and “spinal manipulation” used interchangeably when describing Mechanicsville chiropractors. Both terms refer to a process through which the spine is realigned or readjusted in an effort to improve overall health and wellness.

Most chiropractors prefer the use of the term “spinal adjustment” as it seems to better describe the correct chiropractic process. The objective for a chiropractor is to be very specific when giving an adjustment. A manipulation would imply a non-specific procedure intending to mobilize a joint. Sometimes this is a great help, but when a person has a subluxation which is interfering with nerve function, they need a specific procedure. This is what chiropractic has to offer over the gross manipulations that physical therapists, medical doctors, or osteopaths are trained to do. The result of an adjustment is better mobility, less pain, AND a healthier nervous system.

Lower back pain for people in Mechanicsville is sometimes the result of vertebrae in the spine moving out of their normal position in relation to the overall structure of the back.

The back is a complex system of ligaments, joints, tissues, muscles, and other vertebrae. All must be working in harmony for things to feel good, and a spinal adjustment may be what you need.

A regular spinal adjustment to your spine can help move any misaligned components back into position, and may improve lower back pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia, sciatic, and even headaches.

Spine adjustments are applied gently by a trained and licensed chiropractor. I am a trained and licensed chiropractor working in Mechanicsville at Stover Chiropractic, P.C..

Come and see us: we’ll develop an individual plan to incorporate the techniques best suited to your individual needs, age, and condition. At Stover Chiropractic, P.C. our specialty is the spinal adjustment.

At Stover Chiropractic, P.C., we offer upper cervical spinal adjusting (Grostic/orthospinology). If you are looking for a professional spinal adjustment in the area, give us a call at 804-559-1100.

Fibromyalgia Insights

Dr. Tripp Stover — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 03:43:57 +0000

Mechanicsville, Virginia - Fibromyalgia is condition I often see at Stover Chiropractic. Patients present with widespread pain with multiple tender points on the upper neck, back, shoulders, and hips. Experts say it is misdiagnosed frequently and I can attest, it is complicated. Most patients show up in my office having tried painkillers, antidepressants, muscle relaxants, injectables and varieties of advanced pain intervention. All of the above are rarely effective. The challenge is someone in chronic pain seldom had just one source or cause of their pain. My goal is modest, I want to see if I can find at least one factor that contributes to the pain. Most commonly that is a misalignment of the spine that negatively impacts nervous system function (and therefore, muscle function). You see, a muscle doesn’t hurt until we ask it to do more than it is conditioned to do. This is the reason we get sore after working out or working in the yard all day. Especially if it is the first time we have been that active in months (or years!). With fibromyalgia we need to ask why the muscles might be “over-worked.” It turns out, a mis-aligned spine, subluxations, or abnormal posture, is a common cause of fatigued or sore muscles. If a chiropractor can help restore alignment and function (more efficient musculo-skeletal system and neurology) the muscles will not be as sore and painful.

In my experience, it seems about 20% of my fibromyalgia patients seem to get amazing results with chiropractic care. As if my adjustments (treatments) are the silver bullet. However, most, about 70% respond well, but I don’t feel like I’m the only solution in these cases. In other words, the pain may be 20% or 60% better, but there are other factors that prevent me from getting better results. It is still wonderful to see some one take less medication or be able to play with grandchildren, even if I haven’t help the pain completely. Then the last 10% or so just don’t see any real change under chiropractic care.

Well I was recently directed to NaturalNews, which has an article on fibromyalgia. It was very much focused on dietary options to help. I thought it would be helpful to share the information, because like I said, fibromyalgia is multi-factoral. A close look at diet and supplementation is a great option. This article brought up several items that were new to me.

Some of the highlights are:

-colloidal silver (new to me)

-proteolytic enzymes

-plenty of omega 3′s and essential fatty acids

-cut back on whole grain foods

-avoid sugar, artificial sweeteners, and foods with bleached flour

-curcumin, magnesium, blackseed oil (Nigella stiva) and herbal oleander extract (for immune system – new to me)

-apples (which have malice acid, found to ease pain and inflammation) – 2 per day

-probiotics

- niacin and niacinamide

Lastly the author ends with some good advice on exercise. “Do not give up on exercise. People with fibromyalgia often stop exercising because it is painful. However, inactivity weakens muscles and makes them more sensitive to pain. Low impact aerobics, conditioning exercises, such as swimming, stationary bicycling or stretching, are often helpful for people with fibromyalgia.” Variety is the key.

So hopefully some of this is new to you (like it was for me) and you, or someone you know with fibromyalgia, can benefit. Check out the article for more detail and links to other sources.

Fibromyalgia – Nice Summary Article

Dr. Tripp Stover — Sun, 02 May 2010 18:37:51 +0000

Opinions are always changing about fibromyalgia. I came across this article that says a lot in a short space. I appreciated what it says about vaccines and other observations about causes related to the immune system.

What is Lyme Disease?

Dr. Tripp Stover — Sun, 02 May 2010 17:56:57 +0000

Fibromyalgia is a common reason for people to seek help in my office. For folks just learning about the disease it is stunning to learn the variety of complaints one person can have related to the condition. That is why it is compliated and difficult for doctors to treat and diagnose. Over the years I’ve have patients who have been told they might have Lyme disease instead of fibromyalgia. And visa versa. Lyme disease is also notoriously hard to diagnose and treat. I can understand the confusion.
Well it is that time of year again. Ticks are out and Lyme disease is on the normal yearly rise. As are the warnings and hype. This article is very complete and written for anyone. Check it out. It will arm you with knowledege about Lyme disease, what to look for, and how to avoid it. Maybe even helps folks who wonder–Do I have fibromyalgia or something else?