Roger Clifford, D.C., D.A.C.N.B.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is now considered a central nervous system (CNS) disorder rather than a musculoskeletal condition. FM is managed best from a balance of different approaches including chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue therapies, modalities, exercise, diet, supplementation, sticking to a schedule, taking naps, stress management, cognitive behavioral therapy, and more. Common symptoms of FM include chronic [..]

Fibromyalgia (FM) is one of the most common types of chronic pain disorders with an estimated five million sufferers in the United States alone. A “hallmark” of FM is the difficulty its sufferers have in describing their symptoms. When asked, “…what type of pain do you feel?,” the response is often delivered with uncertainty such [..]

Fibromyalgia (FM) has been described as being both a “myth” and “real” (and probably everything in between the two). This is a VERY controversial disorder that some doctors push under the rug by saying, “….there is no such thing,” while others stake their reputation on it. So with this wide variance in attitude and beliefs [..]

Fibromyalgia (FM) management must include dietary considerations, just ask ANY FM sufferer! Last month, we concentrated on the types of foods that reduce inflammation, but the question remains, what foods should we go out of our way to avoid? In other words, what should we NOT eat (and why)? Let’s take a look!As we all [..]

Last month, we discussed fibromyalgia (FM) management from a multi-modal approach, which included dietary recommendations to reduce inflammation. We'll cover this topic in more detail this month…Anti-inflammatory foods can be broken down into four categories: 1) fruits and vegetables; 2) protein sources; 3) fats and oils; and 4) beverages.In the fruits and vegetables category, whole [..]

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a very challenging condition to both diagnose and treat since there are different clinical signs and symptoms unique to each patient's case. Therefore, the diagnosis is made by excluding other possibilities. To make matters even more challenging, there are “primary” and “secondary” types of FM, or those who develop FM for no [..]

Fibromyalgia (FM) is truly a challenging condition to manage, as anyone with this condition will attest to! In the past, we’ve discussed many management strategies, including dietary suggestions. Although much of the nutritional information available about FM management is not supported by a lot of “scientific study,” the National Institute of Health through the NCCAM [..]

Confirming the diagnosis of fibromyalgia (FM) is challenging, as there are no blood tests to verify accuracy of the diagnosis like so many other disorders. However, blood tests are needed when FM is suspected to “rule in/out” something else that may be mimicking FM symptoms. Also, FM is often associated with other disorders that are [..]

Fibromyalgia (FM) affects the entire body, which makes the diagnosis challenging! A VERY common issue with patients struggling with FM includes problems related to sleep. This goes beyond the number of hours one “tries to sleep” but rather the quality of sleep and feeling “restored” in the morning. That is, quality is more important than [..]

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a condition with a polarized audience comprised of those who believe it's real and those who don’t. This interesting political-like conflict is, in a large part, centered around the topic we discussed last month concerning the causes of FM. This month's article will focus specifically on the immune system and its relationship [..]