Functional Improvement and Pain Reduction in a Patient with Fibromyalgia Undergoing Chiropractic Care

The above title comes from the October 21, 2024, issue of the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research. The National Institutes of Health describe this condition by saying, "Fibromyalgia is a chronic (long-lasting) disorder that causes pain and tenderness throughout the body, as well as fatigue and trouble sleeping."

The author of this study began by noting that "Fibromyalgia is a syndrome that presents with chronic widespread pain usually accompanied by stiffness, fatigue, headaches, poor sleep, paresthesia, anxiety, cognitive difficulties and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Fibromyalgia is one of the most common disorders seen by primary care physicians."

The study reports that approximately 5 million adults are diagnosed with fibromyalgia in the United States. Although this condition can occur in children and adolescents, there is an increased prevalence of fibromyalgia with aging with the median age being 56 years old. Fibromyalgia is ten times more likely to be diagnosed in women than in men. When men are afflicted with fibromyalgia, the symptoms are more severe accompanied by higher depression levels, sleep apnea and worse overall health outcomes.

In this case, a 56-year-old man sought chiropractic care for his health concerns. At that time, the man was suffering from back pain and neck pain. He had been medically diagnosed one year previously with severe debilitating fibromyalgia. Additionally, he also complained of pain and tingling in his arms and forearms as well as a tingling sensation in his thighs that got worse with certain movements. His condition had an effect on his sleep and his daily activities. He would occasionally experience blackouts and, because of his pain, was unable to walk more than a few feet without having to stop and rest.

A chiropractic examination and spinal x-rays were taken. During the examination, the man was experiencing significant pain, and he exhibited a significant reduction in his ranges of motion. The conclusion of the examination was that the man had multiple vertebral subluxation complexes with a variety of additional components of subluxations. With this information, a series of specific chiropractic adjustments was started.

As his chiropractic care progressed, the man noticed ongoing improvement in all his symptoms. The study records that, eventually, he no longer needed his cane to get around and had an overall increased mobility. He stated that his adjustments "helped him function from day to day." The study also documented that the man could stand upright without assistance, and he could now stand and sit for longer than thirty minutes at a time. His tingling stopped in his arms and significantly reduced in his thighs. He also no longer had the blackouts he was experiencing before starting chiropractic.

In summing up this case, the author wrote, "This paper describes improvement of function, mobility and decrease in pain in an adult male with fibromyalgia related symptoms that presented for chiropractic care. The findings presented in this case study suggest chiropractic adjustments may benefit patients who suffer from fibromyalgia syndrome."