Questions and Answers

Q: I have suffered for two years with this pain in my neck and shoulder (fibromyalgia) and been to every kind of doctor and still no results. Help.

Fibromyalgia can be treated successfully but requires focused, determined, patient participation. Fibromyalgia is often associated with emotional anxiety or depressive states. Periods of inactivity and depressive emotions appear most common in patients I've treated with fibromyalgia. A person with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia must exercise appropriately on a daily basis and often receive psychological counseling to assist in resolving the emotional difficulties. Exercise may initially seem to make you worse, but with perseverance, in 6 to 8 weeks, exercise should become quite tolerable and is ultimately the key to managing fibromyalgia.

Therefore, fibromyalgia appears best treated by a multifaceted approach with exercise, counseling, and especially in acute phases, possibly pain management.

Return to questions