Fibromyalgia and migraines often go hand in hand. This has to do with the way the body is functioning behind the scenes. Along with migraines, those with fibromyalgia also experience moodiness, sleeplessness, and other similar issues.
Why do migraines and fibromyalgia occur together? Recent research indicates that people with both migraines and fibromyalgia have an increased level of cerebrospinal fluid compared to those without these conditions. This means if you have fibromyalgia and migraines, you have an increase in your pain response due to central sensitization.
Central sensitization is connected to the nervous system and how it responds to stimuli. When central sensitization kicks in, it causes the body to go into hyperdrive and become super sensitive to pain. The signals coming to the brain via the brainstem are relaying the message that the body is experiencing a lot of pain, when, in fact, it is experiencing very little pain or none at all, leading to fibromyalgia.
When central sensitization occurs, it means the brainstem is malfunctioning for some reason. It may have to do with a misalignment in the bones of the upper cervical spine. The atlas and axis bones (the C1 and C2 vertebrae, respectively) are intended to protect the brainstem. However, if they misalign, they may actually put the brainstem under stress, making it not work properly. It only takes a misalignment of ¼ of a millimeter to wreak havoc on the entire body because of its connection to the brainstem.
Upper cervical chiropractors have specific training that helps us to identify where these misalignments are located. Once this is determined, we use a special technique allowing us to encourage the bones to move back into place without the use of force. We do not have to resort to popping or cracking the neck to get positive results. Once the misalignment is corrected, the body can begin healing itself from the damage done by the misaligned bones. This often results in a reduction or elimination of the symptoms of fibromyalgia and migraines.
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