by John Dettmer, D.C.
Often called the invisible disease, fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by sleep, memory, mood and fatigue. Currently there are between seven and ten million Americans suffering from it. And, it affects women more than men in an approximate ratio of 20:1. Yet, it is still seen in all age groups.
Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals.
Symptoms often begin following a physical trauma, surgery, infection or significant psychological stress. For those with severe symptoms, it can be extremely debilitating and interfere with basic daily activities.
Patients with established rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and Sjogren’s syndrome often develop Fibromyalgia during the course of their disease.
Certain medical conditions are commonly associated with this disease. They include: tension headaches, migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, irritable bladder syndrome, premenstrual tension syndrome, cold intolerance, and restless leg syndrome.
Currently, there is no cure for fibromyalgia and no single treatment that addresses all the symptoms of the disease. The musculoskeletal pain and fatigue experienced by patients are chronic problems that tend to have a waxing and waning intensity.
At SpinalCare Physical Medicine we work hard to find the best treatment for you. We offer physical medicine therapy, trigger point injections, massage and nutritional counseling to help you manage your disease.
Fibromyalgia suffers often find that cranial therapy can take pressure off the delicate, tender menigeal coating around the peripheral and central nervous system. This revolutionary treatment is easy and gentle. It stimulates and relaxes the body’s muscles and may unlock the source of pain coming from the cranial pressure after ending a lifetime of fibromyalgia suffering.
Another source of help for pain may be through trigger point injections. This involves the use of a very fine needle and a soothing pre-injection spray to reduce the discomfort of the injection to a barely noticeable level. The medicine is a plant-based, non-toxic, biological anti-inflammatory medicine that is an alternative to corticosteroids and cortisone injections. It does not damage or weaken cartilage, bones or tendons and only takes minutes to perform.
Another type of treatment involves therapeutic massage which manipulates the muscles and soft tissues of the body and can help ease deep muscle pain. It also helps relieve the pain of tender points, muscle spasms and tense muscles. Similarly, physical therapy which works on a broader range of muscles, can gently stretch, soften, lengthen and realign the connective tissue to ease discomfort.
To find out if you can benefit from our pain-relieving procedures call us at 317-272-4100 to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with our team. We will sit down with you, go over your history and tests and explain what they all mean. After examining you, we’ll make some suggestions specific to you. If you have been suffering you owe it to yourself to find some pain relief.
Dr. John Dettmer, D.C.~With over 34 years of experience, Dr. Dettmer is trained in spinal and cranial therapeutic procedures, non-surgical spinal decompression, neuropathy treatment and weight loss. He completed his undergraduate training at Indiana University in 1974 and received his doctorate in chiropractic from Palmer College in 1977. He specializes in combining the best of physical therapy, chiropractic and other physical medicine procedures to help his patients get out of pain fast and effectively. His favorite part of practice is watching the changes that occur in his patients overall health after starting therapeutic treatment. Dr. Dettmer belongs to Palmer Alumni Association, Indiana State Chiropractic Association, Neuropathy Treatment Centers of America and Neurological Relief Centers.