Ms. Redflower

Rheumatoid Arthritis & Fibromyalgia Cause Headaches, Back and Neck Pain

Ms. Redflower reported to our office in September 2009 with daily constant neck Pain which is rated 9 on a scale of 1 to 10 and a dull to sharp pain in her lower back worse on the right.  She has secondary related symptoms of bilateral upper extremity stiffness, frequent headaches and upper back tension. In addition to her primary complaints her evaluation uncovers a history of RA, and Fibromyalgia. Her demeanor was guarded and she appeared to be a moderately depressed due to the pain.

Listening & Understanding Her Pain

Upon examination the patient had limited pain free range of motion of the cervical and lumbar spine.  Active range of motion was not only limited but painful.  Most activity was painful and made it difficult to perform activities of daily living.  She found little to no relief from prescribed pain and anti-inflammatory medication. Her condition would cycle through episodic flare-ups which would take her pain from a 5 to a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10. The flare-up would incapacitate her and would make it difficult to manage stress and participate in family life. The pain and frustration of her condition often brought her to tears at the office.

Adkore Customized Treatment Plan

The patient was prescribed a combination of Physical Therapy, to loosen the joints and mobilize her range of motion,  Massage Therapy to decrease muscle spasm and reduce inflammation, and  Chiropractic Care to reduce the subluxations associated with her symptoms.  

Immediate Results

After beginning treatment she noticed a dramatic reduction in the number of episodic flare-ups. During flare-ups she would come to the office for acute treatment and would always find relief by the end of her visit. She has shown remarkable improvement in her demeanor, she is less stressed and smiles more often and there are less tears from the pain.

Ongoing Care & Sustained Results

Ms Redflower is a complicated case due to the overlapping symptoms of the dual diagnosis of Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis.  She currently is co-managed by multiple providers for her condition.  She utilizes prescribed medication to manage her symptoms and relies on the Adkore team for her neuromuscular symptoms. Although her results are not profound Ms. Redflower has made a shift from a guarded, moderately depressed patient who allowed her pain to control her into a woman in control of her pain and life.  We continue to see Ms. Redflower on an as needed basis and for the unfortunate episodic flare-up, however each visit her smile is brighter and she reports less distress regarding her pain.  She reports we have helped her in many ways, not only with pain reduction for her neuromuscular conditions but give her hope that she can manage her pain without it incapacitating her life.

Note: patient names have been changed.