Fibromyalgia is a seriously severe condition that can cause debilitating pain. Studies estimate that millions of people in the United States live with fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia symptoms include widespread pain, fatigue, anxiety, memory loss, and sleep disturbance. These can come and go depending on certain factors like the how often you trigger a fibromyalgia flareup.

Our Escondido chiropractor for fibromyalgia has encountered several patients who report varying triggers. Some of them are manageable, while others are tricky to avoid. Let’s help you get acquainted with these things so you can make necessary adjustments to your activities and lifestyle choices.

Quick Fibromyalgia Refresher

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that can affect people of any age. Studies note that it causes widespread pain and tenderness in the joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues that support your body. Additionally, fibromyalgia can cause a plethora of other debilitating health concerns such as:

Body malaise
Upset stomach
Lack of sleep
Mood swings
Cognitive challenges
Headaches
Hypersensitivity to pressure and pain

The cause of fibromyalgia isn’t known, but scientific evidence suggests that it can worsen due to certain factors, including stress or sleep deprivation. As an Escondido chiropractor for fibromyalgia, Dr. Rickards pay close attention to these risk factors or triggers. This way, he can provide better advice to patients.

Fibromyalgia triggers

As previously mentioned, fibromyalgia has many triggers, and knowing them is crucial in a patient’s journey towards fewer attacks and more pain-free days. Below are the most common triggers you should clear from, regardless of how intense your flareups and symptoms get:

#1. Stress

Stress is a major trigger for fibromyalgia. When you’re stressed out, your body releases chemicals called corticosteroids which help to reduce inflammation and pain. However, if you have fibromyalgia, these same hormones can increase your symptoms because they slow down the healing process in your muscles and joints.

Supposed you feel overwhelmed by life’s challenges or exhausted by chronic pain patterns like those with fibromyalgia (fibrositis). In that case, consider seeking an integrative health professional such as an acupuncturist or an Escondido chiropractor for fibromyalgia might help you.

#2. Poor Sleep

Poor quality of sleep can be a major cause of fibromyalgia symptoms. Studies have linked lack of restorative sleep to worse fibromyalgia episodes and other chronic conditions like chronic pain syndromes and depression. If you’re not sleeping enough or poorly at night, we suggest trying the following tips:

Make sure your room is dark enough
Minimize exposure to light from electronics
Use dark curtains in the bedroom or resting space
Use earplugs to dampen sounds around you
Avoid caffeinated products before bedtime
Eat small meals throughout the day instead of large meals right before going into bed
Avoid alcohol consumption before going to bed

#3. Sedentary Lifestyle

A sedentary lifestyle is a fibromyalgia risk factor. This means that you should ensure you engage in regular physical activities. A regular physical activity routine can help reduce stress levels, which may be one reason why people with fibromyalgia feel so much better when they finish their workout routine. We suggest sticking with low-impact activities like swimming and walking. Additionally, we recommend increasing the intensity and frequency of your training depending on how well your body responds.

#4. Imbalanced Diet

Eating a well-balanced diet that includes healthy portions of fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, protein sources, fats, and dairy can make a huge difference in your life. It can also help sustain your body to prevent complications that might aggravate your fibromyalgia symptoms. Work closely with your physician, nutritionist, or even an Escondido chiropractor for fibromyalgia to determine what specific diet changes you need to make.

#5. Environmental Factors

The environment and other things around you can significantly impact your physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. Environmental factors such as pollution, dust, and mold are familiar sources of stress that can trigger fibromyalgia symptoms.

How you treat your body determines whether these triggers are harmful or helpful for you—and there are ways to avoid them if possible! Here’s what you need to know:

Avoid exposure to known fibromyalgia triggers like cigarette smoke.
Don’t drink too much coffee, especially during attacks, as caffeine can worsen symptoms by increasing heart rate while reducing your pain threshold.
Check your local weather bulletin before heading out to avoid sudden flareups due to temperature changes and other weather fluctuations.

Natural Fibromyalgia Relief Options

Many people who live with fibromyalgia manage to get by each day with the help of proven remedies and self-care tips. A few notable examples of things you can try include:

Avoid triggers.
Get enough sleep.
Take supplements and eat a healthy diet.
Exercise regularly
Try meditation to help you relax.
Upper cervical chiropractic care

Seasoned Escondido Chiropractor for Fibromyalgia Management

While many factors contribute to the development of fibromyalgia, it’s important to note that upper cervical chiropractic care is a great help in improving your symptoms. Upper cervical chiropractic is a gentle, holistic approach to improving the body’s overall condition. It focuses on the neck and upper back and can work as an effective complementary care option to lifestyle changes and exercise. It can also improve sleep and address many other underlying health problems affecting your fibromyalgia symptoms.

If you are looking for a seasoned Escondido chiropractor for fibromyalgia, visit Rickards Chiropractic today! We are open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10 am to 6 pm, and Saturdays from 10 am to 1 pm. Contact us at (760) 745 1511 or via our online contact form.

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Rickards, call our Escondido office at (760) 274-0564. You can also click the button below.

If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.