I often see people asking the same question in a particular Facebook group. “What’s the best kind of doctor to see for my fibromyalgia?”
Sometimes, I leave an answer. I say, “Go see a chiropractor.”
Typically, people diagnosed with fibromyalgia have already seen their primary care physician, as well as a neurologist. Eventually, once their illness has a name, they’ll also see a rheumatologist. Various drug regimens are usually the next step.
That’s why I often tell people to see a chiropractor, once serious problems are ruled out by a mainstream doctor. Chiropractors can offer deep and permanent healing. As someone living with widespread body pain, which travels, I’ve had two particularly stubborn flares. One was excruciating upper back pain. The other was hellish TMJ pain. Both of these problems are solved.
Best Doctors for Treating Fibromyalgia
Chiropractic care has been so helpful. I realize some people are much more comfortable seeing conventional doctors. So I want to respect that choice. For me, though, wanted a totally drug-free solution to my chronic pain. I’ve also had good homeopathic care. So I highly recommend alternative medicine, as long as you see a good practitioner. I do believe it’s important to see a chiropractor who comes highly recommended, and uses low-force adjustment techniques.
One problem, though, is that holistic care is generally not covered by insurance. Or coverage is poor. Typically, you pay nearly the entire cost out of pocket, and your insurance plan will reimburse part of the cost if you see a practitioner within your network. At least that’s how my plan worked the last time I checked. However, since it’s really important to choose the right holistic healer, I ended up paying totally out of pocket.
Integrative Medicine for Fibromyalgia
Another option that might appeal to people seeking holistic care is to consult with an an integrative medicine doctor. These specialists have medical degrees. But they’re well-versed in some forms of alternative medicine.
Integrative medicine doctors generally various alternative treatments that are scientifically proven. However, this may exclude some healing modalities, such as homeopathy, that have a long track record of safe use.
Another downside of integrative medicine is that it tends to be costly. Many practitioners operate independently of insurance plans. Or it may be difficult getting your insurance to cover visits.
Alternative Medicine and Fibromyalgia
Unfortunately, one of the biggest barriers to trying alternative medicine is its cost. This is one of the problems I continually see on various online fibromyalgia support groups. There’s no getting around the fact that it does cost more in out-of-pocket expenses to see an holistic healer, if your insurance provider isn’t picking up all or part of the tab.
I realize this barrier to care exists. That’s why I encourage people in my private Facebook group to learn as much as they can about natural healing, and then to work closely with their regular physician.
The Best Doctor To Treat Fibromyalgia
Our current medical system is drug based. Doctors are trained to prescribe drugs. Drug companies fund studies designed to bring more drugs to market. That’s why drugs are typically seen as the treatment of choice for fibromyalgia.
However, I’m convinced that many regular doctors would be more than happy to help patients find drug-free solutions. So if you can’t find the help you need, it may be possible to change to another more open-minded doctor in your network.
Rheumatology for Fibromyalgia
With the mainstream medical model, a rheumatologist will probably handle much of your care. Or, you may be sent to a pain management clinic. There’s a growing understanding that fibromyalgia is a diverse set of symptoms, and may very well have a psychological trigger. That’s why you may see a psychiatrist or a therapist at a pain management clinic. You’ll probably also have access to physical therapy.
Once you know you’re dealing with fibromyalgia, and not a more serious condition, though, pain management is pretty much up to you. You can go with the mainstream medical model. Or you can use natural remedies to control the pain. Although I’m a big fan of the second option, I will warn you. It takes time and commitment. It will probably also require a diet change.
Specialty Doctors for Fibromyalgia
I speak from experience. At one time, I was essentially disabled. Slowly but surely, I regained my health. But it took years, and a number of trips down blind alleyways. I hit various dead ends. But eventually my body responded to a wide range of natural remedies and healing methods. In order to provide a road map for others, I created an easy-to-use online course called Natural Pain Management Strategies.
I’m not a doctor. The course is not designed as medical advice. Instead, It’s a summary of what I’ve done to regain my health. I hope it inspires others to find their own unique healing strategies, which they can implement while working with their own healthcare providers. Anyway, for more information, click on the image below.
Natural Pain Management StrategiesSign Up Here
What’s The Best Type of Doctor For People With Fibromyalgia?
I note and that you quote:
‘Once you know you’re dealing with fibromyalgia, and not a more serious condition, ‘
Fibromyalgia IS A SERIOUS condition.. For those people who have to endure all the symptoms which go with it, this is an extremely serious condition. Comments and referalls as such demine the condition making it something trivial to suffering from.
Believe me and many, many others Fibromyalgia is extremely debilitating, painful and life changing.
Nobody seems to know who to treat it successfully and it’s about time the medical profession and people like you stopped poo pooing it as NOT SERIOUS.
Hi Shirley, I hear your frustration. Perhaps this was a poor choice of words and I should have said “life threatening” instead of serious. It is serious. But I’d much rather have chronic pain than metastatic cancer. The mainstream medical profession doesn’t have a good treatment plan, probably due to a lack of understanding about wellness in general. Drugs, drugs and more drugs are not going to lead to wellness. A good diet and a comprehensive lifestyle approach may make a difference. Here’s the problem though. Insurance typcially only covers conventional care. So that’s what people have more access to. Getting holistic care generally requires going outside the system and paying out of pocket. One way to maybe bridge this is to do your own research into alternative health and then work with your own doctor. I hope this helps. Fibro is very serious. But generally not life threatening in and of itself.
I tried a chiropractor, but noticed no difference in pain levels after a whole series of adjustments. I would be interested to understand what treatment worked to you.
Hi Christy, I’m sorry you didn’t find relief with chiropractic care. I saw a chiropractor when my body was well on the road to better health. I don’t know what would have happened if this is the only thing I did. Getting better for me required an intensive lifestyle overhaul. This included diet changes. You can find all the details of what I did in my online course. It would take forever to explain. The course is designed to tell people what’s available in terms of natural healing, so they can discuss this with their doctor. I did so many things, over the years. I found that’s what it took to get better.
Rheumatologist is a dead end. If you just want drugs to try to cover up the pain instead of treating the sources you will never have relief.
Drugs do not generally lead to greater wellness. It’s the lack of focus on wellness that is so hard to watch. The best practitioners focus on why your sick, try to eliminate the factors making you sick and then recommend things to make you well again. Ironically, insurance rarely covers this type of care. Thanks so much for reading.
Actually fibromyalgia is rated more life threatening, and higher rather on the national pain scale than cancer. Did you know that? Just because something is not understood doesn’t mean it’s not more serious or more painful. That’s the problem and that’s why people and most doctors don’t take it seriously all g with most invisible illnesses and undiagnosed diseases
Hi Sierra, fibromyalgia is serious, there’s no getting around it. But I’m sure most people would choose having this type of chronic condition instead of a fast-moving cancer. Not to minimize the struggle. But I’d like to see some statistics on the five-year death rate from fibromyalgia, compared to metastatic cancer. I could be wrong and I’m willing to listen though.
What are your thoughts on CBD Oil/Hemp Oil?
Hi Sheree, I think CBD oil is great. It is made from hemp and contains only tiny amounts of THC. You do not get high from CBD oil. The issue is whether or not it is legal in your state. Many people report they feel better when taking it. I’ve used it in the past. The reason I’m not taking it now is because I ran out of it, and I’m using some of the other natural remedies I already have in my house before ordering more. I need to rotate my remedies. My pain was so intense that CBD oil alone probably wouldn’t have made that much of a difference. I needed to overhaul my entire lifestyle. Thanks so much for reading. Feel free to join my Facebook group.
Best doctor combo I’ve found and use weekly at vast expense but worth every penny, chiropractor, functional neurologist (they exist and if you’re lucky like me , my chiropractor is my functional neurologist), Acupuncturist. Only the chiropractic portion is covered by my insurance, some insurance covers the other two but for me it is worth the out of pocket cost.
With that combo and a few Chinese Herbs and THC free CBD oil I am functioning and relatively pain free. The trick is finding the right doctor for you. These two work with me and listen to how I’m feeling and what I want to try.
Exactly, the trick is to find the right help and the right remedies that work for you. It is possible to feel better.
I’ve been with my fibromyalgia pain since 2013..I’ve been working at a chiropractor office since 2014..he has worked on me a few times with pain, but it doesn’t work for me..I do holistic treatments for my pain.and I can say some days or better than others
At least you know about natural healing and you can get some good advice. I’m a big fan of seeing a good chiropractor when you’re suffering from chronic pain. My own chiropractor has helped me so much. But we’re all different. What works for one person may not work for the next. We just have to keep moving forward and find the right combination of things that work best for us.
I have had fibromyalgia for 9 yrs. Dr’s pumped me up with meds and I only felt worse. I saw a napropath that helped to start my road to recovery. Today I see a chiropractor twice weekly and it’s done wonders for me. Regular exercise is key as well to produce endorphins. I walk daily. Fibromyalgia is a life changing experience but I firmly believe that you can lead a regularly “normal life.”
Ann, I totally agree. We can live a full and normal life by managing our symptoms. My chiropractor has been invaluable. I don’t know what I’d do without him. It is life changing and doesn’t go away. But it doesn’t have to ruin our lives. Thanks so much for reading my blog. Feel free to join my private Facebook group. Details in the Contact section.
I’ve had fibro for 20 years now I’ve seen chiropractors, rheumatologists, and pain management specialist, now I only see a neurologist. Maybe, because he also he takes care of my epilepsy. But, I get medication SAVELLA, muscle relaxers and gabapentin, and also trigger point injections. Which keeps me off the narcotics. So, I love my neurologist. He’s helped me tremendously.
Hi Juliette, I’m happy to hear you’ve found a really good doctor. Sounds like a keeper.
I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia for 2 years. It has changed my life forever. Prior to this change I was an active woman working full-time with a part time job on the side. I loved my job. I loved my coworkers. I loved my life. I was very active in the church I attended. I loved getting outside in my yard and running and playing hide and seek with my grandkids. Since I have been sick with fibromyalgia my life is no longer recognizable. I am in constant pain 24/7. I am seeing a neurosurgeon/pain management doctor which has help very little. I am grateful for being alive. Fibromyalgia is no joke. It is life changing. I would not wish this awful condition on anyone. I am thankful for the good days which are far and in-between. Praying for a cure.
There’s no easy cure and there may never be. I’m managing my symptoms with diet and natural remedies so I can live a normal life. You are more than welcome to join my private Facebook group. The details are in the Contact Me section. Thanks for reading my blog.
Really once you know your dealing with fibromyalgia and nothing more serious !!! REALLY. Do you have fibromyalgia. Have you felt constant pain through your entire body. The Pain the loneliness the brain fog. The loss of friends. Depression anxiety. Eye pain and burning sinus pain beyond compare. Not being able to eat without throwing up. And the worse nothing works. Exercise one day down for 5. Pain meds don’t work except percecet that only take the edge off and they want to take that away from us. REALLY. Do you even have the foggiest idea what your talking in about. Chiropractor crack you pulling the muscles and causing more pain. I know I tried it. Move on to a different topic you might have some idea about. Boy am I MAD!!!
Fibromyalgia IS less serious than a brain tumor or bone cancer. This is what I meant. Natural remedies have helped a lot of people. If you have this amount of anger over a blog post I suggest you seek help. Anger and negative emotions can also make us sick.
Have had fibro for 35 years, before they had a name for it. Yes, you are trivializing the disease. Try walking in someone else’s shoes who has tried EVERYTHING. Of course, we are not saying it’s the same as cancer and you know that! There are different levels of fibro. I pray yours stays manageable.
I pray mine stays manageable as well. It certainly wasn’t when my children were younger and I was trying to raise them without being able to move. Still, I was grateful it wasn’t life threatening. I hope you do find something that helps you. There’s a lot of remedies out there. Nothing would have helped if I hadn’t radically changed my diet. Thanks for reading my blog.
I have fibromyalgia and was treated by a pain clinic twenty years ago. The worst part of the diagnosis is now what. I had a fentanil patch 75 milograms for 17 years progressing to 75 probably 10 of those years. I had Xanax, ropinorole for restless legs, Vicodin, and muscle relaxers dr decided to take me off drugs I was a mess. Hallucinations for months. Seven long months of withdrawal. Noe these last three years off drugs back to pain. No one cares. Pills were no good for me I know but I want my life back. Greater pain after chiropractor, pretend to be fine for family t jeez there’s got to be answers!
This is such a tough condition that never goes away. People report feeling better with clean eating and natural remedies. It seems as if a number of doctors now advocate that approach too. I hope your doctor is helpful.
Wow, I’m happy for you that YOUR fibromyalgia wasn’t “serious,” but for many of us we have severe and chronic pain and debilitating symptoms. I’m thankful I don’t have a terminal illness, yet a lifetime of pain with a disease most people -even most doctors- don’t understand is certainly a serious condition. In addition to pain that never subsides like some people with FM, my symptoms include fecal incontinence and diarrhea 6-15 times per day, severe chronic migraine that caused brain damage (per my Johns Hopkins MRI, CT and EEG), an inability to walk, move or sit anywhere close to normally, and brain fog so terrible I can no longer work as a teacher, and can no longer live alone. You are no expert in this field. You have done a great disservice for those with severe FM. This disease does not affect everyone in the same ways or to the sane degree. Stop assuming your situation is the “norm” for everyone with FM. You could have changed the wording of the article and yet you have not- wow. Shameful.
I am so sorry you are dealing with and I can see why you are frustrated. My condition was very severe, in terms of pain and very limited mobility. Natural remedies and diet changes helped me a lot. I was fortunate, I realize.
I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia 20 years ago and I have been on SSDI for 20 years. I used to have a very good job and now it is sometimes hard just making it through the day. I have been through severe depression, anxiety, severe pain, every doctor including Rheumatologist, Neurologist, Accupuncture, Chiropractor, Psychiatrist, and a pain clinic for years. I have been on every Fibro medicine and every narcotic from Vicodin to Methadone. I have extreme sensitivity to meds and every one of them made me worse. I recently just found out after 20 years that I actually have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Hypermobility type which is hereditary and causes defective collagen and early arthritis. I believe that a lot of people with Fibromyalgia actually have this as my mother was also dx with Fibro and that is who I got this EDS from. It is supposedly rare but it’s not just rarely dx because doctors don’t know anything about it. I also recently found out that I have Endometriosis, IBS that I’ve had for a long time and recently dx with Epilepsy at age 45. Somehow this is all connected and has to do with nerves and muscles and it a chronic condition. I currently do not take any meds or see any doctors and have just learned to accept this and manage on my own.