Coping With Fibromyalgia
February 8, 2010
Fibromyalgia (FM) is one of the most common conditions associated with chronic pain affecting up to 5% of the population. It is characterized by pain in the muscles and joints and is associated with generalized, whole body muscle stiffness, body aches, sleep disruption, and headache. Stress is often a component of FM. Women are 2-3 times more likely to suffer from FM.
So the question is raised, “what can I do to reduce the pain and suffering that I feel from FM?” The answer is multifactorial as there are many treatment approaches reported to be helpful. Perhaps the most prevalent is exercise. This seems logical as often, the presence of pain is misinterpreted as a reason to rest or reduce activity. This inappropriate thought leads to de-conditioning or weakening of muscles, stiffness in joints, lowered aerobic capacity and a host of negative physical and mental effects that can have negative effects on quality of life. Because many patients with FM are “out of shape,” the worst approach with exercise is jumping into it too quickly. The post-exercise soreness when people first engage in a new activity can be profound if the introduction into exercise is too vigorous, and again, the pain intensity may be misinterpreted as a reason to discontinue any and all future exercise programs.
Therefore, the key to success is realizing pain thresholds are reached faster in the FM patient and hence, a slow but steady introduction into exercising is needed.
For example, start out with a walking program of 5 minutes, 1-3 times a day, and gradually increase it to 10, 15, 20 and eventually, 30 or more minutes per session. Stretching exercises of the overly tight postural muscles like the hamstrings, calf muscles, hip flexors, lower, middle, and upper back muscles are very helpful. Applying light resistance during the stretch using a “slow motion” approach improves results.
In general, low-impact activities like water exercise, swimming, bicycling, and elliptical (low setting) are great options. Using light dumbbells/hand weights emphasizing high rep/low weight is also very effective.
Another highly successful type of exercise are balance stimulating exercises. That is, using a rocker board, wobble board, gym ball, and/or foam pad to incorporate balance challenges into the exercise process is very effective. Consistent exercise is a key to success.
Also, don’t set your goals too high as you may be setting yourself up for disappointment. Rather, make realistic goals and “grow” with the exercise process, changing and modifying goals on a monthly or quarterly basis.
We realize that there are many healthcare options available. If you, a friend or family member require care for fibromyalgia, we would be honored to offer our services.
To learn more about Fibromyalgia, register for a Free, In- Office Evaluation. If you are looking for faster service, feel free to give us a call at one of our two New Jersey locations. For our Bayonne, NJ location, call 201-339-8889, and for our Scotch Plains, NJ location call us at 908-490-1800. Just tell them that you read this article and you will receive our complimentary in-office evaluation (a $245 Value).
Article by Dr. Eric Chludzinski, DC. Dr. Chludzinski is the founder of Hudson Center for Spinal Care located in Bayonne and Scotch Plains, New Jersey. In preparation for his career, Dr. Chludzinski attended St. Peter’s College in Jersey City, NJ graduating in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science in Natural Science. He continued his studies at Life University School of Chiropractic in Marietta, GA graduating in the class of 2002 as a Doctor of Chiropractic. Dr. Chludzinski services all of Union County and Hudson County, including Jersey City, Hoboken, Harrison, Kearny, Newark, Elizabeth, Westfield, Clark, Fanwood, Plainfield, Watchung, Mountainside, Berkeley Heights, and South Plainfield.
Chiropractic Work and Insurance Companies
February 4, 2010
If chiropractic care helps patients get better faster and costs the patient and/or insurance company less, shouldn’t EVERY low back pain patient FIRST see a chiropractor before any other type of doctor? That is in fact, what should be done, based on a recent report!
On October 20, 2009, a report was delivered on the impact on population, health and total health care spending. It was found the addition of chiropractic care for the treatment of neck and low back pain “…will likely increase value-for-dollar in US employer-sponsored health benefit plans.” Authored by an MD and an MD/PhD, and commissioned by the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, the findings are clear; chiropractic care achieves higher satisfaction and superior outcomes for both neck and low back pain in a manner more cost effective than other commonly utilized approaches.
The study reviews the fact that low back and neck pain are extremely common conditions consuming large amounts of health care dollars. In 2002, 26% of surveyed US adults reported having back pain in the prior 3 months, 14% had neck pain and the lifetime prevalence of back pain was estimated at 85%. LBP accounts for 2% of all physician office visits where only routine examinations, hypertension, and diabetes result in more. Annual national spending is estimated at $85 billion in the US with an inflation-adjusted increase of 65% compared to 1997. Treatment options are diverse ranging from rest to surgery, including many various types of medications. Chiropractic care, including spinal manipulation and mobilization, is reportedly also widely utilized with almost half of all patients with persisting back pain seeking chiropractic treatment.
In review of the scientific literature, it is noted that 1) chiropractic care is at least as effective as other widely used therapies for low back pain; 2) Chiropractic care, when combined with other modalities such as exercise, appears to be more effective than other treatments for patients with neck pain. Other studies reviewed reported patients who had chiropractic coverage included in their insurance benefits found lower costs, reduced imaging studies, less hospitalizations, and surgical procedures compared to those with no chiropractic coverage. They then utilized a method to compare medical physician care, chiropractic physician care, physiotherapy-led exercise and, manipulation plus physiotherapy-led exercise for low back pain care. They found adding chiropractic physician care is associated with better outcomes at “…equivalent to an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $1837 per QALY (Quality-adjusted Life Year).”
When combined with exercise, chiropractic physician care was also found to be very cost-effective when compared to exercise alone. This combined approach would achieve improved health outcomes at a cost of $152 per patient, equivalent to an “incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $4591 per QALY.” When comparing the cost effectiveness of chiropractic care with or without exercise even at 5 times the cost of the care they utilized in their analysis, it was still found to be “substantially more cost-effective” compared to the other approaches. It will be interesting given these findings if insurance companies and future treatment guidelines start to MANDATE the use of chiropractic FIRST – it would be in everyone’s best interest!
To learn more about Back Pain Relief, sign up for a free report, or click here to register for a Free, In- Office Evaluation. If you are looking for faster service, feel free to give us a call at one of our two New Jersey locations. For our Bayonne, NJ location, call 201-339-8889, and for our Scotch Plains, NJ location call us at 908-490-1800. Just tell them that you read this article and you will receive our complimentary in-office evaluation (a $245 Value).
Article by Dr. Eric Chludzinski, DC. Dr. Chludzinski is the founder of Hudson Center for Spinal Care located in Bayonne and Scotch Plains, New Jersey. In preparation for his career, Dr. Chludzinski attended St. Peter’s College in Jersey City, NJ graduating in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science in Natural Science. He continued his studies at Life University School of Chiropractic in Marietta, GA graduating in the class of 2002 as a Doctor of Chiropractic. Dr. Chludzinski services all of Union County and Hudson County, including Jersey City, Hoboken, Harrison, Kearny, Newark, Elizabeth, Westfield, Clark, Fanwood, Plainfield, Watchung, Mountainside, Berkeley Heights, South Plainfield
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