Fibromyalgia. A painful condition often diagnosed in Southern New Hampshire women via a telling examination of 18 tender points in varied parts of the body. The diagnosis is periodically controversial. Is fibromyalgia a viable diagnosis? What is the best way to diagnose and treat such a condition of widespread pain? New Hampshire Spine and Sport is beside our Southern New Hampshire fibromyalgia patients as they ask just such questions and seek soothing answers.

What is fibromyalgia? Our Southern New Hampshire fibromyalgia patients know that it’s a chronic disorder characterized by extensive musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and tenderness in certain areas of the body. (1) In many fibromyalgia patients, Vitamin D is found to be low. (2) The perception of chronic pain is widely discussed as being related to calcifediol. Patients with severe pain and fibromyalgia syndrome are low in calcifediol. (2) What is calcifediol?  It is a prehormone made in the liver by the processing of Vitamin D3 (cholecaliferol) by the enzyme choleciferol 23-hydroxylase. (3) (Are you getting all of this? There’s a quiz soon! Just kidding.) Importantly, our Southern New Hampshire chiropractic patients, Vitamin D is needed to help your body absorb calcium and phosphorous to build and keep bones strong.  It’s also used to treat bone disorders like rickets and osteomalacia.

Now, New Hampshire Spine and Sport recognizes that fibromyalgia patients have high pain perception at certain tender points in the musculoskeletal system. (4) Patients reporting non-specific skeletal pain have lower Vitamin D levels, a finding that is greater in women than men. (4) Research shows that Vitamin D levels influence pain perception. Now, chiropractic care at New Hampshire Spine and Sport may diagnosis fibromyalgia and differentiate just where the pain is centered. From there, a treatment plan that incorporates spinal manipulation like the gentle Cox Technic offered at New Hampshire Spine and Sport and nutrition can be designed to help.

So what else does New Hampshire Spine and Sport find helps fibromyalgia and pain perception? Vitamin D just might. Newly published, a study about how a low Vitamin D level is significantly correlated with pain intensity as well as functional status in fibromyalgia patients. (5)  Optimizing the level of calcifediol positively influences fibromyalgia patients’ perceptions of pain. (2)

Contact New Hampshire Spine and Sport for a Southern New Hampshire chiropractic appointment to help manage fibromyalgia. Your tender points will thank you!