Many patients who deal with the chronic pain of fibromyalgia also have to cope with a daily cocktail of prescription medications and the side effects that come along with such drugs. These medications fall into 5 different categories. However, what works for one patient may not work for another. Drugs at best can be a good temporary solution, while long term drug use will frequently cause irreparable damage to the body.
Fibromyalgia Medications
While most of these medications are not made specifically for fibromyalgia, the following medications are often prescribed:
- Pain relievers – Pain is the primary symptom of fibromyalgia, and pain medications are often used to try and control pain levels.
- Antidepressants – Not only are many fibromyalgia patients also dealing with depression, but sleep is often an issue as well. These drugs may provide some help for both conditions.
- Anticonvulsants – Usually prescribed for seizures, these medications sometimes provide pain relief. In fact, the FDA has approved Lyrica, an anticonvulsant, as a fibromyalgia pain medication.
- Sleep aids – Sleep is difficult for many fibromyalgia sufferers, but it is necessary for proper pain processing. As a result, doctors often prescribe various sleeping pills.
- Narcolepsy medications – These medications are used to help people get deeper sleep at night.
To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and fibromyalgia download our complimentary e-book.
Drug-Free Help For Fibromyalgia Sufferers
Many people do not like the side effects that come from the powerful drugs noted above. Also, all of these medications only focus on symptoms and not on helping the condition as a whole. Thus, many are turning to natural alternatives. However, not all alternatives are equally effective. For example, aromatherapy is one frequently recommend option. The catch is that many patients become sensitive to strong smells. Therefore, while this approach has helped some, for others it can trigger or worsen symptoms.
Upper cervical chiropractic care is a safe and drug-free alternative that has helped countless fibromyalgia sufferers around the world. Correction of upper cervical misalignment is frequently the key for those who suffer with chronic pain. To date we have not seen a fibromyalgia case that has not had a history of head and neck trauma. For some time it has been suspected that the most common cause of fibromyalgia symptoms is a previous injury to the head and neck.
If you are suffering from fibromyalgia, especially if you have a history of trauma, feel free schedule an appointment to get your neck evaluated.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Blom, call 208-487-8653, or just click the button below
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