When most people think of a chiropractor, they think of a doctor who “adjusts” or manually aligns the spine or joints. While this is true, most chiropractors approach health from a holistic perspective.

James Mixon, a chiropractor in Garland, Tx, understands that health conditions such as Fibromyalgia require a multi-faceted approach. Pain relief or pain management is only one aspect.

Fibromyalgia treatment can be difficult because of its many contributing causes, including those stemming from psychological, neuro-biological, genetic and environmental factors. Some patients also suffer from psychological conditions such as depression.

Admittedly, the main aspect of the condition is pain. Consequently, fibromyalgia treatment is usually centered around pain relief.

Prolonged pain reduces one’s ability to fight diseases, and decreases quality of life by keeping a person from doing the things they love. It can also lead to a feeling of helplessness.

Traditional Treatment—Not a Perfect Solution

However traditional pain management brings its own problems. Generally  the conventional way to treat fibromyalgia is through the use of pharmaceutical pain killers, muscle relaxers and antidepressants. Getting this combination of drugs exactly right can be a long process. In addition, long term use of many of these medications can lead to lead to side effects and the development of medical conditions such as stomach ulcers.

What is worse,  much like depression, conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome are often paired like an ‘evil twin’ with fibromyalgia. Therefore it’s important not to worsen one health condition while treating the other!

While medical science may not understand the cause of fibromyalgia, its effects are better understood. Recently there has been a major shift in treatment. More practitioners are addressing their patients’ conditions holistically. This is because many of the symptoms of fibromyalgia and the depression which is often associated with it, can be aggravated by what one eats and the chemicals they come in contact with at home or work.

Multi-faceted Holistic Pain Management

Dr. Mixon advises his patients towards a more holistic pain management program where standard medications are only part of the solution. In the case of fibromyalgia, treatment begins at home! This is because common food additives such as monosodium glutamate and aspartame have been found to aggravate symptoms of fibromyalgia. So phasing out foods with such additives is an important first step.

There is good news for fibromyalgia patients. Herbal remedies and natural supplements can help patients take charge of their condition.

But, since the world of natural supplements is filled with grandiose claims and worthless remedies, it’s important to choose supplements wisely.

Recently the Texas Spine and Wellness team asked a top manufacturer to produce an an all-natural professional grade supplement to assist in the treatment of painful, inflamed joints.

The result is Frontrunner’s Health Solutions’ InflamEase.

This powerful formulation contains a synergistic blend of three extracts which have been used worldwide for centuries to help with joint pain and inflammation.

The first of these extracts is Boswellia Serrata. Commonly known as Indian frankincense, it’s also called as Salai or Shallaki. The plant is found in India and Pakistan and has been used effectively for generations to reduce joint swelling and pain.

The second is Turmeric root, another plant which comes from India. Turmeric contains curcumin, a natural anti-inflammatory. This ingredient helps slow progressive damage to joints and has antioxidant properties. Studies are currently underway to test its efficacy in treating irritable bowel syndrome as well.

The third ingredient is the extract of the Harpagophytum plant of South Africa. This plant has many names, such as the grapple plant or wood spider, but is best known as the Devil’s Claw. The root extract has several medicinal benefits including the ability to aid digestion, alleviate  pain and reduce fever. The Europeans who brought this plant back to Europe also found it to be a powerful anti-inflammatory.

While the addition of natural supplement can help with pain, Dr Mixon has found it is possible to enhance their benefits by using multiple therapies.

Integrated Medical Clinic Offers Greater Choice

This chiropractor in Garland has a medically supervised clinic which combines the services of an MD, nurse practitioner, exercise physiologist as well as full-time massage therapists.

Dr Mixon recommends that his fibromyalgia patients take advantage of as many of these services as possible to maximize the effect of their pain management treatment.

In particular he has found that trigger point injections, (small injections of safe, plant-based, or homeopathic medicines), can be effective in quickly reducing pain and inflammation. Most of these simple injections are covered by commercial insurance and are available three days per week. As pain is reduced, exercise rehab can be added to improve range of motion and increase flexibility.

As mentioned above, fibromyalgia treatment can be challenging. But a holistic approach of diet, nutritional supplements, decreasing exposure to toxic chemicals, and adding natural pain management therapies will exponentially improve your odds of success over this painful and frustrating condition.

If you would like more information on the many ways that Texas Spine & Wellness can help you with holistic fibromyalgia treatment call (972) 840-2520 today.