Over 10 million people in the United States suffer from fibromyalgia. Those numbers keep rising every single year. Women represent the majority of fibromyalgia sufferers. Characterized by widespread pain accompanied with fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues, fibromyalgia is a devastating condition. Most people suffering with fibromyalgia jump from doctor to doctor looking for solutions to the pain and suffering. The majority receive powerful drugs designed to only treat their symptoms. Medical researchers continue to study the disease and analyze the data to seek a cure. Many fibromyalgia sufferers feel hopeless and see no end in sight.
2014 research from the medical journal called Rehab Research and Practice found a direct link between the severity of fibromyalgia and the health and function of the spine. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of one session of a spinal adjustment on autonomic nervous system function and pain in a group of fibromyalgia sufferers. The research proved very significant.
A spinal adjustment improved the quality of life and the symptoms in patients suffering from fibromyalgia. The manual adjustment effectively improved pain, sleep, depression, mood, and other fibromyalgia-related symptoms. One treatment given per week for 23 straight weeks decreased pain and positively influence components relating to chronic illness and functional health capacity.
Proof that chiropractic improves health and function in areas outside of the spine continues to grow with scientific evidence. This particular study shows the positive influence of a spinal adjustment on patients suffering with a condition that has no cure. The human spine, the brain, and the autonomic nervous system intimately connect with one another. The purpose of chiropractic focuses on maximizing function of the nervous system by improving the health and structure of the spine. Chiropractors do not seek to treat or cure conditions. These scientifically trained experts remove interference between the brain and nervous system by bringing healing and restoration to the body’s operational systems. Research continues to help the public better understand and access the benefits achieved with a healthy spine and nervous system through regular chiropractic care.
Rehabilitation Research and Practice
2014
“Effects of Posteroanterior Thoracic Mobilation on Heart Variability and Pain in Women with Fibromyalgia.”
Michel Silva Reis,* João Luiz Quagliotti Durigan, Ross Arena, Bruno Rafael Orsini Rossi, Renata Gonçalves Mendes, and Audrey Borghi-Silva