According to Dr. John Conde, a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist, at The Conde Center in Delray Beach, “Thanks to new, cutting edge research using MRI and PET scans, we now know that PFS is a true disorder taking on epidemic proportions in this country. Current research is pointing towards faulty brain processing as the cause of PFS.”
A study conducted by the National Institutes of Health found that patients with PFS who were given relatively low levels of pressure seemed to experience the same amount of pain and subsequent brain activity as the control group, which were given high levels of pressure.
“Due to this faulty brain processing, the brain becomes very efficient at transmitting pain so that even a soft touch may produce a pounding sensation,” Dr. Conde explains. “Over time, an individual may experience pain even without a pain producing stimulus or injury.”
While there are several new drugs available to treat fibromyalgia, the side effects seem to outweigh the benefits. Dr. Conde references cutting edge research supporting the use of specific brain-based exercises, graded aerobic physical activity, and proper nutrition for the treatment of fibromyalgia which seem to produce more substantial and longer lasting results. Brain cells require oxygen, proper nutrients and stimulation for optimal function. Dr. Conde uses oxygen acquiring techniques, brain enhancing nutrients, and specific forms of stimulation such as light, sound, touch, smell, oculomotor (eye tracking) exercises, and manual therapies targeted to the under-functioning brain regions in order to restore proper function.
A combination of non-drug therapies work just as well as medication when it comes to relieving the pain, depression, and disability associated with fibromyalgia. Researchers reporting in the Clinical Journal of Pain compared a program of exercise sessions, stress management, massage, and diet education with standard medication therapy. They concluded that patients can feel better by using several non-drug therapies.
Graded physical activity has been shown by researchers for decades to be beneficial for patients with fibromyalgia. Each exercise program requires customization for individuals according to their capabilities. Exercise can help promote proper restorative sleep that is so frequently deficient in patients with fibromyalgia. However, Dr. Conde is quick to point out that the graded physical activity has to be complemented with specific brain-based exercises to produce optimal results. “The missing link for dramatic gains seems to be pointing at the brain’s participation in the rehabilitative efforts. Working on brain cells is just as important as working on muscle cells,” states Dr. Conde.
Dr. Conde concludes, “We have found that specific brain-based exercises, graded aerobic physical activity, and supplements of malic acid, magnesium, and melatonin are highly effective at restoring proper brain function.”
For a free copy of “Understanding Fibromyalgia,”
Dr. John Conde is a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist, one of only 1,000 in the country. He holds diplomate status through the American Chiropractic Neurology Board. He provides specialized care for difficult cases of back-neck pain, numbness-tingling, balance disorders, fibromyalgia, migraines, AD/HD, autism, and dyslexia. His office is located at 401 W. Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, Florida. He can be reached at (561) 330-6096 or at info@thecondecenter.com.
