If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, then you know that it’s often a long, arduous road to arrive at that diagnosis. There is still a lot we need to understand about fibromyalgia, and more research is being conducted all the time in order to answer many lingering questions.
Research suggests that fibromyalgia is caused by a problem in how the body is able to process pain. People with fibromyalgia are hypersensitive to sensations that are not normally perceived as painful. A lot of the research being conducted on fibromyalgia is looking at the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) and how it responds to pain.
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The Central Nervous System and Your Spine
The central nervous system (CNS) is responsible for sending and receiving signals to and from all other parts of the body in order to govern function. Your skull and the vertebrae of your spine have the critical job of providing a layer of protection for the delicate tissues of the central nervous system. To operate optimally, your brain, spinal cord and nerves need to be free of pressure or interference. Spinal misalignments, particularly at the upper part of the neck, have the ability to impede the normal function of the CNS.
The brainstem is one of the areas of the CNS that is responsible for the processing of pain signals. The atlas (C1) and axis (C2) vertebrae protect the brainstem. They also happen to be the most freely movable bones in the spine, and because of that, some of the most likely to misalign. This can create the conditions where pain signals are being improperly processed and can be a contributing factor in fibromyalgia cases.
Hope with Upper Cervical Chiropractic
Upper Cervical chiropractic seeks to optimize central nervous system function by ensuring that the atlas is properly aligned. When the atlas is in normal alignment, then the brain and body are able to maintain normal communication. At Advanced Spinal Washington, we use the NUCCA technique, which is an extremely precise and gentle way of identifying and correcting atlas misalignments. There is still much to be understood about fibromyalgia, but since research points to a disconnect in brain-body communication, then upper cervical chiropractic is a logical part of any plan of care. Since we are seeking to address the root cause rather than just manage symptoms, upper cervical care is a natural and effective way to start feeling well again.
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