Category: Non-Pharmaceutical Treatments

Non-Pharmaceutical Non-Surgical Non-Invasive Treatment Options for TMJ Pain

Posted on by Will Bozeman

We’ve covered a variety of conditions as well as their various nonsurgical treatments, highlighting the pros and cons of each in comparison to treatment with Neuragenex. It is with certainty that we hold the treatments provided by Neuragenex head-and-shoulders above the rest because of their non-pharmaceutical, non-surgical, non-invasive, and non-chiropractic application and lasting effects. That being said, patients weighing treatment options between Neuragenex and other nonsurgical methods, may wonder if Neuragenex is the right fit for them. 

It should be understood that because treatments with Neuragenex directly target pain neurons and pain reporting system, with their high pulse electrical stimulation protocol called Neuralgesia, any musculoskeletal pain condition can and should be considered treatable using the proprietary Neuralgesia protocol by Neuragenex. Patients suffering from these conditions chronic pain conditions often have no safe and effective or long lasting option for treatment. These conditions, several of which have been discussed in previous articles, affect the lives of tens of millions of Americans every day. The prevailing preference of all patients is that they are able to find a treatment that does not produce unfavorable side effects and has lasting results, and avoid the endless medications, surgeries, invasive injections and implants, and endless chiropractic sessions that may or may not bring relief or with questionable successful results. No matter the condition, its duration, or predisposition to cause chronic pain, Neuragenex has a solution. 

With the subject matter of unique pain conditions in mind, we must now turn to a condition whose obscurity and lack of familiarity may preclude some from seeking treatment at all, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain. The two temporomandibular joints connect your jaw to the base of your skull, and you can think of them as the hinges that allow you to open your mouth when speaking or eating. Needless to say, the joints are crucial elements of everyday life. Patients who experience TMJ pain may even experience malnutrition, due to pain from chewing essential foods. The direct cause of TMJ pain is not easily determined and it can be due to multiple factors including injury, arthritis, or even the habitual grinding of teeth. The most common causation for TMJ pain is the arthritis that wears down the disk that lies between the TMJ and the base of your skull. Normally this disk would absorb the impact or shock from the chewing and sliding of the jaw. Much like the disks that lie between the vertebrae in our spines, the disks in our TMJ will wear out over time and due to the risk factors discussed. Regardless of the cause of TMJ pain, the hassle of living with this condition cannot be understated. 

Patients, when asked to explain their experiences with TMJ pain, will often cite their acquaintance with one or both joints increasing in pain. Patients, over time and without treatment, explain how the pain increases to the point where they will not or cannot open their mouths due to the locking of these joints. One unfamiliar with the condition of TMJ pain can only imagine the issues this would cause for patients who wish to eat, drink, and clearly communicate. However, TMJ pain, while painful and frustrating, is not unfamiliar or elusive to the medical community. And fortunately, nonsurgical treatments exist for the condition. However, the most important thing that must be considered by patients seeking treatment for any painful condition is that they consider the ramifications associated with each treatment option, both positive and negative.

 

Nonsurgical Treatment Options

In order to determine and fairly explicate nonsurgical treatment methods for TMJ pain, we must understand and recall the condition’s distinctive nature. A less understood condition such as TMJ pain will undoubtedly have its unique treatments and essential protocols for the application of those treatments. In a 2019 study published in AIMS Public Health, Doctor Ehsan Shoohanizad and peers determined that the “TMJ has unique features that distinguishes it from other human body joints. Cases of TMJ injury and TMD [temporomandibular disorders] require specific treatments. Therefore, early diagnosis of TMD is essential” (2019). Knowing that the early diagnosis of TMJ pain– or “TMD” as it is referred to here– is essential to treatment, we must understand that many go untreated because they may not know there is an available treatment for such an obscure condition. Patients experiencing TMJ pain may not even know they have a problem, much less options to solve that problem. And because of the ignorance surrounding the condition, many do not gain the treatment they need in time for full and lasting recovery. 

Shoohanizad, after pressing the importance of early diagnosis, lists the most notable treatment methods including, “. . . oral steroids, Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, methotrexate 75 mg, and combination therapy with methotrexate”. However, these treatments, being the most widely accepted and understood by the medical community, are not without their side effects. 

We must make it clear that our intention is not to disparage the opinions of the medical community. Rather, our goal is to review treatments with objective reasoning through careful analysis of the efficacy, side effects, and lasting results of each recommended treatment and weigh our analysis of these treatments in contrast with the efficacy, side effects, and lasting results of treatment with Neuragenex. With these parameters in mind, we hope to provide those seeking treatment for pain– particularly TMJ pain– an informed perspective which they can then use to find effective treatment. 

The first treatment for TMJ pain cited by Shoohanizad is the use of oral steroids. It is widely known that steroids have a litany of side effects and are often viewed, perhaps with prejudice, as drugs that should not be considered to treat minor conditions. Needless to say, steroids are a divisive method for treatment. Many patients who have used steroids for treatment, including treatment for TMJ pain, will either experience the numerous side effects, but still appreciate how the treatment with steroids makes them feel, since pain relief is the primary objective of these treatment protocols. Regardless of the opinion of patients and their experience with steroid treatment, side effects are undeniable and sometimes deadly. In a 2019 study conducted by doctors Dara Grennan and Sheila Wang, it was confirmed that steroids “. . . reduce the ability of the immune system to function (immunosuppression). Patients taking steroids are not only more susceptible to infections but more likely to have severe or unusual infections”.  These medical professionals continue to explain the severe side effects of steroids by comparing them to cortisol, your body’s primary stress hormone. Grennan and Wang conclude that, “. . . because steroids are so similar to cortisol, prolonged use of systemic steroids at higher doses can cause the adrenal glands to stop making cortisol. If the systemic steroid is stopped suddenly, this adrenal suppression and resulting lack of steroid can cause a wide range of symptoms, such as dangerously low blood pressure”. Although steroids can act as a powerful anti-inflammatory treatment for TMJ pain and many patients enjoy how they feel while on steroids, patients of TMJ pain must carefully consider these treatment options in relation to their condition.

Disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), including methotrexate, are a specific type of drug that purposely target the conditions that result from arthritis. TMJ pain, commonly a result of arthritis, would likely be a condition that DMARDs seek to ameliorate. DMARDs not only include methotrexate, but drugs like hydroxychloroquine, sulfasalazine, and leflunomide. In a 2018 study conducted by doctors Benjamin Onecia and his associates, it was concluded that DMARDs, while often effective at treating conditions related to arthritis, have a shocking number of side effects. The study concluded that side effects of DMARDs include, “[g]astrointestinal distress (nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea), rash/allergic reaction, bone marrow suppression, hepatotoxicity, and higher incidence of common and sometimes serious infections are common adverse effects of all these agents. Both methotrexate and leflunomide can cause alopecia. Other adverse effects unique to methotrexate include interstitial lung disease, folic acid deficiency, and liver cirrhosis. Leflunomide can cause hypertension, peripheral neuropathy, and weight loss. Sulfasalazine has a very high risk of gastrointestinal distress” (2018). With the wide array and variety of side effects plaguing the otherwise effective treatment for TMJ pain, most patients will likely seek an alternative. The survey continues to list several other side effects of DMARDs, the most concerning of which is, “. . .  an increased risk of common and serious infections, including bacterial, fungal, and viral infections”. And so, we are left with many of the same concerns we had with steroids as an effective treatment. The side effects of these treatments for TMJ pain are simply too numerous and too serious to consider. 

Finally, the third treatment for TMJ pain mentioned by Shoohanizad is the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs. We have spoken at length about the effects, both positive and negative, of NSAIDs when used as a treatment for any pain. In our studies, particularly in relation to the use of NSAIDs as a supplement to other forms of treatment, we found that there are (again) several side effects that should be considered and understood by patients. We will, however, consider some of the pros related to NSAID treatment. 

NSAIDs are predominantly safe and therefore readily available to most of the population and while these drugs can provide temporary relief, there are other effects that should be considered by patients. While not directly addictive to patients who take NSAIDs to deal with pain, the risk of dependency cannot be dismissed. NSAIDs, by their very nature, have a temporary effect. The effects of NSAIDs, while often effective at treating pain, are short lived and do not last long enough for patients to experience relief over a long period of time. One who experiences the effects of TMJ pain for long periods of time will know that NSAIDs are not going to be a lasting treatment for their pain. However, when used in conjunction with other treatment methods, NSAIDs may provide relief long enough for patients to work through those treatment methods. 

For many patients, the minor efficacy of NSAIDs can cause dependency and even overdose. The mild nature of NSAIDs often leads to patients desiring heavier doses outside of the recommendation which is a dangerous step that should not be considered when treating TMJ pain. It must be communicated to those seeking effective treatment that NSAIDs, like all drugs, are not without their side-effects. In a study done in February of 2020, doctors V.K. Sharma and associates concluded that, “[a]lthough NSAIDs are among the most commonly utilized drugs, their use is associated with a broad spectrum of side effects, which may include gastrointestinal and cardiovascular toxicity” (2020). While patients may experience the effects of NSAIDs, both positive and negative, they may also question the efficacy of treatment options that they supplement.

 

Solutions with Neuragenex

Any musculoskeletal pain condition may be effectively treated with our proprietary Neuralgesia treatment protocol, and when it comes to TMJ pain, treatment options with Neuragenex should be your first consideration. 

Along with a solution to many other painful conditions, Neuragenex offers a solution to the pain associated with TMJ pain. Because many chronic pain conditions are a result of the persistent pain neuron firing and nerve function, Neuragenex’s method for diminishing this pain is based on multiple physiologic effects that combine to produce enduring pain relieve. Neuragenex uses a proprietary treatment protocols called Neuralgesia, which is a combination of high pulse electrical stimulation, called electroanalgesia, to send consistent high energy pulses of electrical current deep into the tissue to activate and heal damages tissues, and to depolarize pain neurons, as previously mentioned, and creates a persistent sustained depolarization effect on the pain neurons, which creates a long-term pain relief. Reduced pain signaling results in reduces inflammation response, which results in better fluid dynamics through the affected area, meaning better blood flow and lymphatic flow to provide nutrients and remove waste more effectively from the damaged tissues, which in turn allows the tissues to health as best they can during this reduced pain period. Neuralgesia also involved the addition of specialized hydration therapy with a unique mixture of vitamins and minerals delivered via IV therapy to add fluid volume to the body and help the hydration effect that is needed to relieve the damaged tissues and help reduce pain. These two elements combined create the long-term pain relief that is associated with Neuralgesia therapy and is the hallmark of Neuragenex. 

Many patients report pain relief after only one treatment session, and relief may continue to last for months if a patient completes the entire treatment program. TMJ pain and many other chronic pain conditions are treated with the Neuralgesia treatment protocol created exclusively by Neuragenex. The mission statement for Neuragenex is to relieve pain, restore health, and magnify quality of life without medications, surgery, or invasive procedures. Our vision is to be the first thought, first choice, and first step in the journey of chronic pain treatment.

 

Non-pharmaceutical Non-invasive Treatment Options for Migraine Pain

Posted on by Will Bozeman

Mild to intense throbbing pain that fluctuates for hours and sometimes days, debilitating nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound. Migraines are more than a bad headache, and someone walking around talking about how they have a migraine is likely using migraine as a catchall term for headache and not actually experiencing a real migraine, as any patient who suffer from chronic migraines know the difference. To someone unfamiliar with the condition, let it first be understood that migraines are classified as a neurological disease that manifests from a litany of contributing factors. Luckily, self-diagnosis of a migraine and a patient’s ability to avoid the triggering of a migraine have increased along with our understanding of the condition. However, knowing when and how a migraine is triggered is not enough to treat the condition or reduce the pain. 

Frankly, the treatment of this chronic condition has been poorly executed, as some medical professionals view it as a latent or untreatable condition that will pass with time or the avoidance of triggering factors. For patients seeking lasting relief from migraine pain, hearing that the condition is often a result of their decisions does little to help the pain and in fact will cause understandable frustration. The objective of this article is to inform patients suffering from migraine pain of their treatment options in relation to solutions with Neuragenex. Treatment options outside of Neuragenex have their pros as well as their cons that will be discussed. Whether patients choose to seek pharmaceutical or natural treatment, our argument remains the same; migraine pain may be effectively treated.

We must make it clear that our intention is not to disparage the opinions of the medical community. Rather, our goal is to review migraine pain treatments with objective reasoning through careful analysis of the efficacy, side effects, and lasting results of each recommended treatment and weigh our analysis of these treatments in contrast with the efficacy, side effects, and lasting results of treatment with Neuragenex. With these parameters in mind, we hope to provide those seeking treatment for pain– particularly migraine pain– an informed perspective which they can then use to find effective treatment.

 

Treatment Options for Migraine Pain

As we mentioned previously, the symptoms of a migraine can fluctuate from mild to severe. Patients experience and express feeling pain in their neck and head, sensitivity to light and sounds, and nausea in addition to several other symptoms. It is not enough for medical professionals to put the onus of the condition on the patients and tell them to avoid the triggering factors that cause migraines.

Though, in some cases, migraines can be a result of chemical reactions and hormone irregularities that in some cases can be preventable with effort from the patient. One patient in particular comes to mind who had a sensitivity to sodium nitrite found in cured meats. Anytime she had sodium nitrite she deteriorated into a debilitating migraine that lasted for up to three days and had to be in a room with no light or sound and her family knew to avoid her during these times. This was many years ago, but the fact remains that in her case her migraines were entirely preventable by her diet alone. Once she figured out the culprit foods, she avoided them and never had a problem. 

Regardless of a patient’s ability or willingness to avoid migraine triggers, the fact is that migraines will happen. However, for patients seeking treatment, we recommend along with medical professionals that the migraine triggers should be avoided as a preventative measure. Unfortunately, many of these triggers are simply unavoidable as a result of environmental factors and include loud sounds, strong scents, bright lights, hormone imbalances, and lack of sleep. Medical professionals should understand that while patients are aware of the conditions that can set off a migraine, avoidance of these triggers and the resulting inducement of a migraine are often unavoidable. In many of these unavoidable cases, patients will seek immediate relief. However, as we have found in many treatments for pain conditions, immediate relief does not always mean lasting relief. 

When a migraine strikes patients who are unable to avoid the triggering factors and environments, they often immediately turn to the quickest relief. Some of the fastest pain-relievers are known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) which include ibuprofen, Tylenol, and aspirin. In our studies, particularly in relation to the use of NSAIDs as a supplement to other forms of treatment, we found that there are several side effects that should be considered and understood by patients. We will, however, consider some of the pros related to NSAID treatment in addition to these side effects. 

NSAIDs are predominantly safe for limited short-term use and therefore readily available to most of the population and while these drugs can provide temporary relief, there are other effects that should be considered by patients. The use of NSAIDs is the most common form of “immediate” relief that patients will seek to treat their migraine pain. While NSAIDs are not directly addictive to patients who use them to deal with pain, the risk of dependency cannot be dismissed. NSAIDs, by their very nature, have a temporary effect, temporary enough to not offer sustainable relief over the hours or days of a migraine. The effects of NSAIDs, while often effective at treating pain, are short-lived and do not last long enough for patients to experience relief over a long period of time. One who experiences the effects of migraine pain for long periods of time will know that NSAIDs are not going to be a lasting treatment for their pain. However, when used in conjunction with other treatment methods, NSAIDs may provide relief long enough for patients to work through those treatment methods. They may also provide the relief needed to get through unavoidable migraine-triggering conditions. However, relying on NSAIDs as a staple to counteract the triggering conditions is not recommended.

For many patients, the minor efficacy of NSAIDs can cause dependency and even overdose. The mild nature of NSAIDs often leads to patients desiring heavier doses outside of the recommendation which is a dangerous step that should not be considered when treating migraine pain. Because of the convenience and availability of NSAIDs and a patient’s desire for immediate relief from migraine pain, the risk of overdose (while not always deadly) increases. In addition, it must be communicated to those seeking effective treatment that NSAIDs, like all drugs, are not without their side-effects. In a study done in February of 2020, doctors V.K. Sharma and associates concluded that, “[a]lthough NSAIDs are among the most commonly utilized drugs, their use is associated with a broad spectrum of side effects, which may include gastrointestinal and cardiovascular toxicity” (2020). While patients may experience the effects of NSAIDs, both positive and negative, they may also question the efficacy of treatment options that they supplement.

Another closely associated treatment for migraine pain is the use of analgesics which are an alternative painkiller. The difference between NSAIDs and analgesics is that analgesics stop the pain signals from traveling back and registering in the brain, while NSAIDs primarily target and decrease inflammation. When pain from a condition like chronic migraines increases and gets to a breaking point, stronger analgesics known as opioid analgesics are often prescribed. 

Opioid analgesics, if you haven’t already guessed, are a much more potent painkiller especially in comparison to NSAIDs. However, if we were to analyze the similarities between the two, we would likely find that the side-effects are somewhat homogenous, especially when analyzing the effects of these drugs on the digestive system. According to a 2017 study conducted by Paulin Jirkof of the University of Zurich in Switzerland, it was concluded that the side-effects of opioid analgesics are diverse and, “. . . include constipation, respiratory depression, nausea and urinary retention, as well as addiction, tolerance and hyperalgesia”. In a survey of side-effects related to the use of NSAIDs, we will find that according to a study conducted in 1993 by Dr. Bjarnason, the gastrointestinal effects of NSAID use range from diarrhea to ulcers, holes or perforations, and bleeding in the small intestine. Cardiovascular toxicity as a result of NSAID ingestion can also result in severe and irrevocable damage to the heart. 

In the 2017 study conducted by Jirkof, it was later found that tolerance of analgesic opioids, “. . . is characterized by a progressive lack of response to the drug that can be overcome by increasing the dose”. Patients should be careful and recognize that as opioids could be used to treat severe migraines, it is likely that dependency and addiction will increase, which is why it is considered a last course of action for medication managed migraines. Risk of dependency and addiction to analgesic opioids is much more serious and deadly when compared to the risk associated with NSAID dependency. 

In a recent study that analyzed the effects of opioids overdose in the United States, it was determined that, “[o]f the 70,237 drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2017, approximately two thirds (47,600) involved an opioid” (2020) with the number of opioid-related overdose increasing year after year. With dozens of side-effects and potential for dependency and addiction weighing on the minds of patients with migraine pain, it is no wonder that popularity for the type of treatment that Neuragenex supplies is growing every day. 

 

Solutions with Neuragenex

Migraine pain is likely a result of a patient’s inability to avoid triggering circumstances and unfortunately, is often not solved with a simple head massage or change in routine. Just about any chronic musculoskeletal pain condition can be effectively treated with Neuragenex should be your first consideration. 

Neuragenex offers a proprietary treatment protocol called Neuralgesia as their treatment solution to the pain associated with migraines. Neuralgesia is a combination of high pulse electrical stimulation and specialized hydration therapy that produces an enhanced pain relief effect that can endure for months and months after a course of treatment. It is more commonly understood that migraines are at least in part, a result of muscular tissue inflammation that constricts blood flow and creates excess pressure on vessels and nerves that causes migraines. Many specialty migraine treatment centers actually treat migraines by performing injections or other procedures into the muscle bodies of the occipitoatlantal joint in order to reduce inflamed muscle tissue causing restriction. Other physicians rely on medications, and IV medications and fluids to help relieve pain. 

Neuragenex created and pioneered a next generation pain management category called Neurofunctional Pain Management, which is the concept behind their proprietary Neuralgesia treatment protocol. This means that Neuragenex is creating a new non-pharmaceutical, non-surgical, non-chiropractic, and non-invasive standard in the treatment of chronic migraine pain.

 

Non-Pharmaceutical Treatment Options For Fibromyalgia

Posted on by Will Bozeman

Four-million adults in the United States suffer from the effects of fibromyalgia, a condition that causes widespread pain and irritation in targeted points of the body. These pains can often cause patients to have nightly insomnia and reduced quality of life. However, while this condition affects roughly 2% of the United States adult population, diagnosis of this pain causing condition remains an elusive prospect for physicians who desire to find cause and an effective treatment for their patients.

Although this condition certainly has a psychological component, Fibromyalgia is a legitimate condition and can result in debilitating pain. Those who claim they’ve experienced the pain of fibromyalgia and seek medical attention or treatment are often met with skepticism from their physicians who have no clinical method of diagnosing the condition or finding the cause. 

Nonetheless, non-pharmaceutical treatment options that can efficiently reduce pain, tenderness, and discomfort exist. That is why it is crucial for both patients and healthcare providers to research the causes, symptoms, and therapeutic options available. 

In this guide, we’ll look at what fibromyalgia is, how it manifests itself, and how non-drug treatments such as Neuragenex’s Neurofunctional Pain management programs can help.

What Is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is considered to be an “invisible illness” because its symptoms are not immediately outwardly visible. Nonetheless, for patients affected by this condition, fibromyalgia pain is real and debilitating.

Fibromyalgia is defined as a chronic disorder that causes widespread musculoskeletal pain and tenderness. As a result patients also experience fatigue, muscle weakness, sleep disturbances, and alterations in mood and memory. 

While the causes of fibromyalgia are often unknown, this condition tends to derive from abnormalities in how the brain processes sensory signals. In turn, you may experience pain as a result of stimuli that should normally be painful or feel excessive pain from sensations that should only cause mild discomfort. 

In some cases, fibromyalgia arises as a spontaneous condition without an identifiable trigger.  It often develops after a traumatic event or injury. 

Below, we’ll look at the symptoms and causes of fibromyalgia, as well as the non-pharmaceutical treatment option available to today’s patients. Let’s get started.

Symptoms Of Fibromyalgia

Much like the condition of peripheral neuropathy, the symptoms of fibromyalgia pain may be widespread across the body, but all the pain is referred inward to the central nervous system. This creates an opportunity to treat that pain at a centralized location rather than spot check around the body. 

While peripheral neuropathy often manifests in adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes, we see that fibromyalgia manifests more commonly in patients who may have been diagnosed with anxiety or depression. 

However, these conditions affect the nerves of the body in different places and result in widespread pain that presents as multiple localized pain issues occurring at the same time.

Some of the most common symptoms of fibromyalgia include:

  • Pain that is spread across several areas of the body and lasts at least 3 months. This pain is continuous and may flare up occasionally. Patients describe their pain as dull, aching, burning, or stabbing. 
  • Extreme sensitivity to touch, which manifests itself as hyperalgesia (experiencing severe or long-lasting pain in response to sensations that should be mildly uncomfortable) and allodynia (experiencing pain in response to stimuli that should be painless, i.e.: brushing your hair).
  • Prolonged fatigue, often deriving from the fact that the pain causes sleep disturbances and insomnia. 
  • Impaired cognitive functions, such as memory loss, attention deficit, and problems with thinking, concentration, and reasoning. This symptom is commonly referred to as “fibro-fog” and affects over half of the patients with fibromyalgia.  

Fibromyalgia is likely to coexist with other disorders, including anxiety, depression, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, tension headaches, and irritable bowel syndrome. When this happens, you may experience other symptoms, including:

  • Frequent headaches
  • Mood swings and emotional imbalances
  • Digestive issues like constipation and diarrhea
  • Bladder conditions like interstitial cystitis
  • Pain in the face or in the jaw
  • Poor sleep quality

Where Does Fibromyalgia Hurt?

Fibromyalgia symptoms may vary from one person to another. This, coupled with the “invisible” nature of this illness, has made it a difficult condition to diagnose and treat. 

In an attempt to improve the diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia, in 1990, the American College of Rheumatology identified 18 spots in the body that tend to be painful or tender in people with this condition. 

These spots have been used as part of a diagnostic test for fibromyalgia until 2010. During this time, people who experienced pain in at least 11 of the 18 spots were diagnosed with fibromyalgia. 

These spots are located in the following regions:

  • Upper regions (left or right): arm (near the elbow), back of the shoulders, edge of the upper breast
  • Lower regions (left or right): knee, upper buttock
  • Axial regions: front lower neck, back of the neck, base of the skull, hip bone

Although this may vary from one patient to another, the points above indicate the areas of the body most often affected by fibromyalgia pain.

How It’s Diagnosed

Since the 1990s, the body of research surrounding fibromyalgia has grown considerably. Today, it is well understood that fibromyalgia pain moves around and varies in intensity. 

For example, when using the diagnostic criteria highlighted in 1990, patients were only diagnosed with fibromyalgia if, at the time of the appointment, they experienced pain when the doctor pressed on the different points. 

As the research on this condition expanded, the American College of Rheumatology changed the diagnostic criteria for this condition in 2010.

Today, fibromyalgia is diagnosed through several examinations, which include a thorough assessment of a patient’s medical history. Additionally, a doctor may recommend undergoing several laboratory tests to rule out other conditions or understand whether you are affected by more than one condition at once. 

These tests include:

  • Blood tests or a complete blood count
  • Rheumatoid factor
  • Thyroid function assessments
  • Tests to diagnose celiac disease
  • Tests to check for deficiencies, such as vitamin D

As the research around fibromyalgia grows, more accurate and efficient diagnostic tests emerge. Let’s look at what the research says about this condition.

What The Research Says About The Condition

The enigmatic nature of this disabling condition frustrates physicians across the United States. However, fibromyalgia is recognized and has an entry in the 10th edition of The International Classification of Diseases which is seen as one of the most reputable sources for diagnosis of disability.

The fact that this condition is real, serious, and debilitating does not change the fact that little is known about what causes it or how to treat it. Fortunately, new studies conducted internationally have started to show promising results. Let’s look at these below.

Theories On The Causes Of Fibromyalgia

Research on the causes of fibromyalgia has been carried out since this disease was discovered in the 1970s. However, to this day, many patients deal with an idiopathic condition, or a disorder that has no defined cause. 

So far, studies have shown that fibromyalgia may be connected to disturbances in how the brain processes pain signals. These abnormalities may be due to anomalies in the brain or spinal cord. Additionally, patients with a family history of fibromyalgia are more likely to suffer from this condition, which indicates that fibromyalgia may have genetic components. 

While this theory is generally accepted, new research is looking at other possible causes of fibromyalgia. 

For example, a 2020 study explored the connection between gut microbiome composition and the prevalence of this disease. Additionally, a study conducted in 2021 by the IoPPN at King’s College London has shown that fibromyalgia may be caused by abnormalities in a person’s immune response.

According to this theory, pain may be caused by antibodies that increase the activity of the sensory nerves in charge of delivering pain signals to the brain. This study has profound implications because it shows that the root cause of fibromyalgia is within the immune system and not in the brain as previously believed. 

In most patients, the development of fibromyalgia is triggered by other health events, such as trauma, injury, or mental health problems such as anxiety or depression.

Theories on The Nature of Fibromyalgia

A 2018 review analyzed the myths and facts surrounding fibromyalgia and looked at whether this condition can be considered a pain disease. While this condition certainly causes pain, the review highlights how the painful sensations may be the manifestation of somatic or psychological distress. At the same time, fibromyalgia is more than simply a mask for depression or somatic symptom disorder, and it is not a brain disorder or a form of neuropathy.

Theories on The Prognosis for Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia may cause a range of symptoms, including constant pain, memory problems, sleep disturbances, and digestive issues. This is where obtaining an accurate diagnosis can help patients understand and accept their condition. 

According to guidelines published in 2017, patients may benefit from obtaining certain pieces of information, including:

  • The symptoms of fibromyalgia are based on functional disorders, not by an organic disease
  • Their disease is legitimate and real
  • The symptoms are persistent, and total relief from pain is only rarely achieved
  • It is possible for patients to adapt to their symptoms over time
  • It is possible for patients to manage the intensity of their symptoms with self-management techniques

Above all, patients should be offered an overview of what their prognosis will be like. Although total relief can’t always be achieved, fibromyalgia does not lead to disability and does not shorten life expectancy. Additionally, through treatment, patients can experience a reduction in symptoms and boost their quality of life. Let’s look at these treatment options in more detail below.

Fibromyalgia And Mental Health

Speculation for a psychiatric origin of the disability is not new and mental illness has been determined by some physicians to be the primary cause of this debilitating pain.  

Because the condition cannot be diagnosed by conventional clinical diagnostics, Dr. Bernstein concedes that, “ . . . it is possible that fibromyalgia is more psychiatric than musculoskeletal”, and that perhaps “ . . . patients have been encouraged to anchor their lives around their misery. Yet none of these factors make fibromyalgia any less real”. 

Dr. Bernstein’s claim that perhaps patients are “encouraged” to center their lives around the pain suggests that he may believe that the conditions of fibromyalgia are driven by psychosomatic means– psychosomatic meaning a physical manifestation of symptoms from mental distress. 

Perhaps it is the mental distress– the depression, anxiety, or stress– that is causing a manifestation of widespread pain. Physicians Fatmanur Kocak and Emine Eda Kurt have determined in a 2018 study that “[i]ndividuals with fibromyalgia often have comorbid anxiety, depression, and/or other pain syndromes[.]” 

These determinations suggest that some who suffer from fibromyalgia may wish to seek psychiatric attention. This does not detract from the physical pain that patients experience. While the search for the causes of fibromyalgia continues, doctors and patients look for effective treatment, both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical.

For the patients, the pain is real; and for some doctors, the pain is a physical manifestation of poor mental health. Dr. Bernstein analyzes this relationship between the doctor and their patients and asks the question to his peers:

“Can we say that this illness experience is ‘in your mind’ without infuriating the patient? Not today, not yet, given the social construction of ‘in your mind’ and the social construction of ‘fibromyalgia’” (2016).

These “social constructions” are all too familiar with patients who suffer from the effects of fibromyalgia. They are aware of the stigma that surrounds the disability and will often turn from physicians who seek a scientific approach to treatment outside the medical community. 

Bernstein continues with his analysis of the affected doctor/patient relationship, concluding that this judgment, “ . . . drives these patients toward sectarian practitioners who have no proclivity to challenge them, and little if any success in returning them to their premorbid state[.]” 

But do patients wish to be “challenged” by their physicians, or would they rather have an effective and lasting solution to their pain, regardless of that pain’s origin?

Treating Fibromyalgia Without Pharmaceuticals

Doctors Kocak and Kurt, while discussing the possible causes of fibromyalgia and how they are possibly psychiatric in nature, discuss the nonpharmacologic treatment of the disease and its efficacy. 

One of the major nonpharmacologic treatments of fibromyalgia– which may come as a surprise to those seeking treatment– is simple exercise. Physicians Kocak and Kurt attribute pain, which in patients with fibromyalgia, “ . . . may be associated with the central nervous system . . .” (2018). 

They continue to expound upon the efficacy of exercise and that it will “ . . . contribute to improvements in pain. In addressing conditions experienced by FM [fibromyalgia] patients, exercise training was reported to be used successfully”. 

Many who exercise regularly can attest to its physical as well as mental benefits and will often turn to the use of heat and cold to relieve the muscles that have been overworked and are in pain. 

Because of this, many who suffer from fibromyalgia believe that the application of heat or cold to the affected area will relieve the pain they experience because of their condition. 

However, doctors Kocak and Kurt conclude that, “[a]lthough local cold therapy application with ice cubes or cooling sprays is useful in other muscle pains, they do not have any influence in FM . . . [t]here are no data available about long-term efficacy.” 

For the use of heat as a treatment for pain, the physicians conclude that the “ . . . real efficacy of both superficial and deep heat is still a topic for further studies”.

Can Fibromyalgia Be Treated?

Fibromyalgia may be a lifelong condition for which there is not yet a definitive cure. Nonetheless, as research progresses, patients are now gaining access to a wide range of fibromyalgia treatments that can help them prevent pain flare-ups, reduce the intensity of symptoms, and boost their overall quality of life. 

According to studies, one of the best ways to ease your fibromyalgia pain is to exercise regularly. Leading an active lifestyle can improve your mental health and reduce the symptoms associated with depression and anxiety. Additionally, keeping active will lower the risk of conditions that represent risk factors for fibromyalgia, including obesity. 

However, when the pain becomes too much, exercising may not be desirable. In the event of flare-ups, patients often resort to the application of heat or cold compresses as well as over-the-counter pain relievers. 

While these solutions may seem efficient in the short term, there is a lack of research proving their effectiveness. What’s more, in the case of medications, patients taking pain relievers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for long periods of time may be exposing themselves to risks such as gastrointestinal ulcers, heart problems, strokes, and dependency. 

Naturally, both patients and healthcare providers are likely to feel frustrated at the lack of solutions. However, thanks to today’s advances in regenerative medicine, patients have a greater range of options available to them, which don’t include surgery or medications. 

Let’s look at why pharmaceutical treatments may not be effective enough and what non-pharmaceutical options are available today.

Conservative Pharmaceutical Treatment

Depending on what is believed to cause their fibromyalgia, patients may be prescribed several lines of treatment. Beyond cold therapy, light stretches, strength training, and therapies like sleep therapy, people with fibromyalgia often end up taking medications regularly to manage their pain. 

Two of the most common pharmaceutical treatments prescribed are:

  • Pain relievers – Pain medications and (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and Tylenol may work in the short term to relieve pain, but they come with severe side effects, including an increased risk of stroke, myocardial infarction, peptic ulcers, and dependency. 
  • Antidepressants – If fibromyalgia is related to mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression, patients may be prescribed antidepressants. These medications are also muscle relaxants and promote sleep. Antidepressants can cause changes in personality, mood swings, digestive issues, or headaches.
  • Antiepileptic drugs – One of the first drugs approved for the treatment of fibromyalgia is pregabalin (Lyrica), which is an anti-seizure medication. These drugs may seem to help ease the overactive transmission of pain signals that cause fibromyalgia pain and extreme sensitivity to touch. These medications may lead to severe side effects such as dizziness, sleepiness, mood changes, abdominal pain, or irritability.

While these therapies may seem effective in the short term, many who have learned to manage their pain through the pharmacy, experience dependency and even addiction from these methods and so a more natural, and applicable means of managing pain is all the more desirable. 

It is not surprising that many who experience this pain and wish to relieve it with the use of simple means, such as the application of heat and ice, may feel defeated to learn that these methods are ineffectual. 

Physicians also experience this frustration when there are little to no non-pharmacological solutions to manage the pain and will result in suggesting that their patients improve their mental health, hoping that it will alleviate the pain in time. However, these suggestions to patients often cause a rift between the doctor and their patients.

Available Non-Pharmaceutical Treatment Options

The inconclusive evidence for pain management may frustrate the many millions of adults suffering from fibromyalgia who wish to treat their pain, barring pharmacological means.

Fortunately, the body of research surrounding valid treatment options for fibromyalgia continues to grow and offer patients new, non-pharmaceutical, and non-invasive options. 

Below, we’ll look at the treatment options that patients with fibromyalgia are often offered.

Clinical trials are looking at the effectiveness of biofeedback to ease pain in patients with fibromyalgia. 

Biofeedback refers to a mind-body exercise that can help patients gain control over some of their body’s functions. During a biofeedback therapy session, patients are connected to specialized electrical pads that are used to monitor vital functions such as heart rate, breathing patterns, and blood pressure. A trained professional will then analyze a patient’s physical response to stressors and help the person in therapy control involuntary bodily responses. 

This technique can help you better manage stress and improve your quality of life and perception of pain.

Massage

Massages may help patients deal with painful sensations deriving from fibromyalgia. Massages can lower the levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) and trigger the production of serotonin. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter in charge of promoting feelings of satisfaction, optimism, and happiness. 

In the context of fibromyalgia, massage therapy that helps the release of serotonin may act as an antidepressant, modulate mood, and reduce sensations of pain.

Trigger Point Injections

Another treatment offered by many providers is localized trigger point injections of various pain-relieving ingredients, some natural and some medication based. 

Though these trigger point injections are short-term options, it often is the only option available that isn’t a pain prescription or a more invasive procedure.

How Fibromyalgia Pain Is Managed

Fibromyalgia pain can be effectively managed through several therapies. Below, we’ll look at the options available to patients today.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy plays an essential role in helping patients ease their pain and regain their quality of life. According to a review published in 2000, physical therapy – coupled with regular exercise and cardiovascular fitness training – lowers pain levels, improves energy levels, and boosts work capacity. What’s more, physiotherapy can help reduce the overloading of the muscle system, improve posture, and strengthen weak muscles.

A physical therapist may also help people with fibromyalgia fight stiffness and pain through light stretches and strengthening exercises.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy is an approach to pain management that allows individuals with fibromyalgia to cope with the symptoms of their condition. A 2017 review showed that a multidisciplinary intervention including cognitive-behavioral therapies, stress management, and emotional disclosure could help people with fibromyalgia reduce pain, depressive symptoms, and fatigue.

Stress Management

Stress management techniques work by lowering the levels of cortisol, which can help reduce inflammation, and promote the release of feel-good hormones, such as serotonin. Some relaxation techniques that may help people with fibromyalgia cope with their symptoms include progressive muscle relaxation, massages, acupuncture, autogenic training, breathing exercises, and body-mind activities like yoga or tai chi.

Patient Education

Patient education should be considered the first step to a successful pain-management approach for people with fibromyalgia. According to a 2021 review, patients who were educated about the basics of fibromyalgia, body practices, physical activities, and treatment options were able to better cope with their condition and its symptoms.

Improving Quality Of Sleep

Studies have shown that an estimated 96% of people with fibromyalgia are also problem sleepers. Among the most common sleep disturbances are insomnia, non-restorative sleep, and trouble falling asleep. 

This complication of fibromyalgia is often due to the increased sensitivity to pain and touch, which makes it difficult to relax at nighttime. In turn, a lack of sleep can decrease a patient’s pain threshold and worsen daytime fatigue. 

Some ways for patients to improve their sleep and better cope with the symptoms of fibromyalgia include exercising regularly, using relaxation techniques such as body scans and meditation, taking vitamin D supplements, and sticking to a structured sleep schedule.

Treating Mental Health Conditions

As seen above, fibromyalgia may arise as a symptom of other conditions, such as depression or anxiety. Patients who have received a differential or dual diagnosis for mental health conditions or fibromyalgia may benefit from working with a specialized mental health professional.

A Non-Pharmacological Solution For Fibromyalgia Pain

In the sections below, we’ll look at what patients should expect when choosing Neuragenex’s Neurofunctional Pain Management approach.

The Phases Of The Neuralgesia Pain Protocol

Neurofunctional Pain Management is a proprietary and fully customizable pain management protocol that uses natural therapies to support the body’s natural healing process. Beyond providing pain relief in the long term, this approach helps patients boost their quality of life, regain mobility, and restore their health.

Here is how Neurofunctional Pain Management programs help with fibromyalgia pain:

  • Phase 1: High-Pulse Electrical Stimulation

High-pulse electrical stimulation is an FDA-approved treatment that involves the use of electrical current to ease pain. When applied to the area in need, the electrical current “floods” the nervous system and prevents pain signals from reaching the brain. Additionally, electrical stimulation boosts the supply of blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the pain point, relieves inflammation, and supports the release of feel-good hormones such as endorphins.

  • Phase 2: Hydration Therapy

Through hydration and IV therapies, patients can address nutritional deficiencies that may be worsening their condition. After a thorough initial evaluation, IV therapies are designed around a patient’s unique needs. Hydration therapies may also help lower chronic inflammation, thus easing fibromyalgia pain.

  • Phase 3: Lifestyle And Nutritional Counseling

The team of specialized healthcare providers at Neuragenex will also look at the lifestyle factors that may be worsening your condition, including a sedentary lifestyle, improper conditioning, poor posture, obesity, repeated stress, and nutrition. Based on a thorough evaluation, patients will receive tailored guidelines that aim to reduce these risk factors for fibromyalgia pain.

Find A Solution For Managing Fibromyalgia Pain

Fibromyalgia can have a profound impact on all aspects of your life and cause debilitating chronic pain. Fortunately, painkillers and medications such as antidepressants are no longer the only options to restore your health, ease pain, and return to living your life to the fullest.

Our mission at Neuragenex is to relieve pain, restore health, and magnify quality of life without medications, surgery, or invasive procedures. It is our vision to be the first thought, first choice, and first step in the journey of chronic pain management and health restoration.