Fibromyalgia & Acupuncture
Depression
Shoulder Pain
Neck Pain
Fatigue
Arthritis
Fibromyalgia is a diagnosis for many cases of unexplained pain. Fibromyalgia pain often occurs in the neck and shoulder areas, but can be anywhere in the body. Other very common symptoms of fibromyalgia are brain fog and fatigue. These symptoms can be every bit as debilitating for fibromyalgia sufferers as the pain. Symptoms can also include poor sleep, poor memory, and depression.
Alternative Treatments
Most patients with fibromyalgia seek out alternative treatments due to the limited effectiveness of conventional treatments. Acupuncture is one of the best treatment options because it can treat many of the various symptoms of fibromyalgia. Acupuncture patients report improved emotional health, better sleep, more energy, as well as pain relief.
Acupuncture treatments have none of the potential side effects of conventional medications. The style of Acupuncture used at Orlando Acupuncture is especially good for fibromyalgia patients because it is very gentle, and fibromyalgia may make people more sensitive to all kinds of stimuli.
We also have a specialized herbal program to address the root causes of fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia affects the immune system, nervous system, digestive system, and hormonal system. In many cases, all of these must be systematically addressed to have a lasting change in fibromyalgia cases.
Our customized program works so well that the patients who Consultation Form follow our protocol often describe the experience as “getting their life back”.
Some researchers believe that fibromyalgia is due to changes in the way that the brain processes pain signals. Some believe that it is due to changes in the fascia, the thin layer that surrounds all muscles and organs in the body. While others believe that fibromyalgia symptoms are caused by metabolic changes in the muscles due to long term stress or overuse.
According to the American College of Rheumatology, fibromyalgia is the second most common rheumatic disorder in the United States behind arthritis. While some organizations put the number of Americans suffering from fibromyalgia at three million, other sources believe the number is much higher – perhaps eight or nine million. Symptoms can begin after physical trauma such as surgery, injury, or infection, or after psychological or emotional stress. Fibromyalgia symptoms can come on gradually over time or begin all at once.
A study published in the June 2006 edition of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings shows that acupuncture can relieve not just fibromyalgia pain, but fatigue and anxiety as well. Patients reported that the improvements lasted for up to seven months after the treatment. This study was also presented last year at the 11th World Congress on Pain. The authors’ conclusion was that, ”…acupuncture significantly improved symptoms of fibromyalgia.”
Research published in Clinical Rheumatology also concludes that acupuncture is effective for the treatment of fibromyalgia. And in a study from the University of Maryland School of Medicine (Baltimore), researchers conclude that “real acupuncture is more effective than sham acupuncture for improving symptoms of patients with fibromyalgia.” The 1997 National Institutes of Health Consensus Statement on Acupuncture, cited fibromyalgia as one of dozens of conditions for which acupuncture could be “useful as an adjunct treatment or an acceptable alternative or be included in a comprehensive management program.”
Our Services
Orlando Acupuncture offers a wide selection of therapies and treatments