Make Pain a Thing of the Past – fibromyalgia – Physician Partners of America

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Dr. Rodolfo Gari Talks Fibromyalgia: Who Gets It and Treatments

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Interviewer: In some cases, widespread muscle and joint pain can point to fibromyalgia. It will not only affect physical pain, but it can involve mental pain as well. Dr. Rudy Gari from Florida Pain Relief Group joins us now, with some help. Dr. Gari, great to have you here.

Dr. Gari: Thanks a lot.

Interviewer: Let’s talk about what causes fibromyalgia in the first place.

Dr. Gari: Sure. So fibromyalgia, we’re not really sure the exact causes of it, but here’s what we do know. So if you break down the word fibromyalgia, fibro means fibrous, and myalgia means muscle, inflammation of the muscles. What we know is that it tends to affect predominantly women, we’re not really sure why it does, but it does. And it involves a process whereby your fibrous tissues and your muscles combine to cause inflammation, and it can be very debilitating in a lot of people. There’s different things that could be done, we know what can help. For example, we know what makes it worse is usually stress, tension, so the treatment for that is relaxation and techniques to lower that threshold.

Interviewer: Is this really common, among a lot of women in particular, that you see?

Dr. Gari: Yes, it’s very common. We have a lot of patients with fibromyalgia, and the way that we treat them is comprehensively, and that involves relaxation techniques, physical therapy. Sometimes we do these things called trigger point injections, and trigger points are actually like little muscle spasms that can develop in patients with fibromyalgia, throughout your body. It’s a pretty simple technique, we just go in there with a very small needle and break up these little trigger points. We also give them medications to help them relax, and we find that with that comprehensive approach, we can give them their life back.

Interviewer: Yeah, I was going to ask you, what kind of reactions are you getting from patients who you’re helping? Because I’m sure a lot of them, for a long time, they weren’t being diagnosed. And they kept saying, or people might have been saying, “Well, are you depressed?”, and they weren’t getting to the heart of what was wrong with them. So we mentioned physical, how it hurts, but how mentally it can be so hurtful, for so many people. So what are you finding from the people that you’re treating with this?

Dr. Gari: Sure, well one of the things that would happen the last…many years ago, the first thing that we tell them is that this pain is real.

Interviewer: And that’s half the battle for so many people, right?

Dr. Gari: Yes, this pain is real, and sometimes I tell patients that, and they begin to cry.

Interviewer: Yeah, because nobody has listened to them.

Dr. Gari: No, this pain is real, this is real pain. You’re having this pain, it’s not just in your head. You’re feeling this, but the good thing is we can help you with this. And that you’d be…it’s almost as if it’s like tons of weight off their shoulders, that somebody understands what they have and that we can do something about it.

Interviewer: Do you see gentlemen at all with fibromyalgia?

Dr. Gari: We do see men with fibromyalgia, not as common as women, but we treat them the same way. This happens in both, it’s not just unique to women, it also affects men.

Interviewer: So apart from finally having somebody listen to them, and saying “Yes, I’m validating that you’re feeling what you’re feeling,” how quickly can people start to feel some kind of relief?

Dr. Gari: I’ve had patients come into the office with significant pain, mostly from trigger points. We do the trigger point injections right in the office, and they come out a different person. You can just look at their face. I wish I could take a picture of their face before and after. So it can be immediate, but that’s just the immediate treatment of the trigger points. We then go more comprehensive with everything else and make it more long-term.

Interviewer: Well, I know this is really encouraging news for a lot of people that are watching right now because fibromyalgia does affect a lot of people, and they’re looking for help. Dr. Gari, thank you very much for joining us today. Florida Pain Relief Group even schedules same day appointments. Be sure to visit their website, floridapainreliefgroup.com, or give them a call right now 844-KICK-PAIN. Doctor, thank you again. We’ll be right back.

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Fibromyalgia Pain Relief in Dallas

Fibromyalgia is defined as having chronic, widespread musculoskeletal pain. Researchers believe that the root of fibromyalgia could be related to overactive nerves in the central nervous system, which may lead to heightened pain sensations. However, as anyone with the condition can tell you, the disorder goes far beyond isolated episodes of physical pain. The condition can also produce debilitating psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression.

Fibromyalgia can be triggered by physical or psychological trauma, or the condition may develop after major surgery. For many people, fibromyalgia seems to develop gradually with no discernible cause or trigger. This leads to frustration for many people, as they feel that the pain they’re experiencing is unexplained.

Fibromyalgia Symptoms

Fibromyalgia affects everyone differently. In general, women are more likely to experience fibromyalgia. The risk of fibromyalgia pain increases if you have a family history of the condition or if you have an autoimmune disease such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. People who struggle with fibromyalgia often have overlapping conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), jaw pain such as temporomandibular disorder (TMJ), migraine headaches, and restless leg syndrome.

The most common symptoms of fibromyalgia include:

  • Fatigue
  • Insomnia
  • Lower abdomen cramping
  • Muscle spasms
  • Problems with memory and concentration
  • Widespread musculoskeletal pain

Fibromyalgia Treatment in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area

Because fibromyalgia can often develop without a clear cause, some people feel like there can be no clear treatment. Texas Pain Relief Group is here to tell you that treatment is available for this debilitating condition.

Chronic discomfort should not be a way of life, and our team of pain relief specialists is here to offer you a holistic treatment plan that focuses on both the physical and psychological aspects of fibromyalgia. From lifestyle modification and non-pharmacological treatments to pain relief injections, we offer a comprehensive range of fibromyalgia therapies.

Don’t struggle with chronic pain any longer. Get the help you need from pain specialists in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Contact Texas Pain Relief Group today to schedule an appointment

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Study Finds Patients with Fibromyalgia Consider Opioid Treatment First

Patients less likely to follow recommended medications for treatment

A new study into how patients choose to treat their fibromyalgia within the first six months of diagnosis has brought to light some interesting conclusions.

The study by Optum was published in PAIN Practice. It included almost 100,000 patients newly diagnosed with fibromyalgia, over a period from January 2008 to February 2012.

A look at the medication prescriptions for those people during that period revealed that almost 60% of the prescriptions were for short and long-acting opioids, which are not considered guideline-recommended medications for fibromyalgia.

Once a patient starts treating pain from fibromyalgia with opioids, it becomes a challenge to successfully transition them to away from an opioid to a guideline-recommended medication treatment plan.

Nonpharmacologic Treatment of Fibromyalgia is Key

Alternative pain management can be defined as a medical treatment, therapy, or intervention that exists outside the realm of conventional medical practices.

Here at the Physician Partners of America, we strive to avoid the use of prescription drugs when possible and rather focus on finding the best form of alternative pain management for the patient. We offer nearly two dozen drug-free treatment options to help you experience pain relief for chronic pain.

Learn More About Your Chronic Pain Treatment Options

Our staff is happy to answer your questions about our chronic pain relief treatment methods as well as the types of conditions we treat using natural therapies. Please complete this form or contact your nearest office for more information or to schedule an appointment.

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3 Risk Factors for Fibromyalgia

Determining Fibromyalgia Risk Factors

It’s estimated that more than 3 million people suffer from fibromyalgia in the United States. Fibromyalgia can cause chronic fatigue, disrupt sleep patterns, affect the memory, and alter the mood. It is marked by persistent widespread muscle pain in various parts of the body and is often debilitating.

There is no cure, but the chronic pain associated with the disorder can be managed with proper treatments and therapies right here in Tampa, Florida.

3 Risk Factors for Fibromyalgia

  1. If you’re a woman, then your chances of a fibromyalgia onset are greater. This painful disorder is diagnosed in woman far more often that men for physiological reasons (ie. the differences in human male and female bodies.)
  2. If another family member has fibromyalgia, you are more likely to suffer from it at some point as well. Genetic predispositions and inherited traits put some people at a higher risk of the disorder’s onset.
  3. If you have rheumatoid arthritis you may be more likely to develop fibromyalgia due to already being prone to painful nerve disorders.

Get Fibromyalgia Help in Tampa

Fibromyalgia is a tricky health concern. It is believed that repeated nerve stimulation causes the brains of those suffering with fibromyalgia to change, leading to an abnormal increase in levels of neurotransmitters (the chemicals in the brain that signal “pain.”) Over time, it is thought that the brain’s pain receptors seem to develop a “memory” of the pain and become more sensitive, often overreacting to pain signals in the future.

Over-the-counter (OTC) medicine like aspirin can offer a brief respite, but the pain will return and you don’t want to become dependent on painkillers, the OTC or prescription-kind. There are alternatives to managing the chronic pain of fibromyalgia. Non-pharmalogical therapies can be a great way to reduce the pain without surgery or medication.

Our pain management experts at Florida Pain Relief Group can help relieve the awful pain that fibromyalgia causes. Get on board with us today to make fibromyalgia pain walk the plank!

 

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