Stephen Becker, D.C.

A report presented at the 24th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine in February 2008 suggests that your level of physical fitness can have dramatic effects on pain, both immediately and over the long-term.A lack of physical fitness often goes hand-in-hand with chronic pain, because when you hurt, you may exercise less. [..]

In 2007, Lyrica was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of fibromyalgia symptoms.Lyrica was originally used to treat neuropathic (nerve) pain associated with shingles or diabetes. Since many suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms in the United States alone (at least 3-6 million), it's little wonder that patients may be [..]

Over time, the fibromyalgia sufferer can become used to the pain associated with their condition. Being in pain becomes their new normal. It becomes normal to wake up and have pain, even if after a restful sleep. It becomes normal to go out for a simple stroll in the park and have it prematurely end [..]

Because fibromyalgia patients are often at their wits ends when it comes to finding a solution to their problem, they may be reluctant to consider chiropractic care. Why is that? Maybe it's because they haven't read a good explanation as to how treating joint injuries can result in decreased muscle pain. After all, the pain [..]

Fibromyalgia is a frustrating disease for many patients and physicians since drug treatments seem to provide little benefit. As studies accumulate, hopefully this translates into better treatments for patients.One treatment that has been studied extensively is supervised aerobic exercise and strength training. In 2007, the prestigious scientific review group called Cochrane (Cochrane Database Syst Rev [..]

Dr. Phil often talks to viewers about their concerns this way. Perhaps something can be learned from this approach when it comes to our bodily health. Maybe you've been through the health care maze known as "fibrocare." Many patients start off with one little problem, such as fatigue or a headache, which just seems to [..]

At least 2% of the United States population, or six million people, mostly women, have a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. This is a chronic (long-term) disease, which is characterized by widespread pain of at least three months duration at multiple body sites, including the legs or arms and the spine. For many years, some doctors thought [..]

Most patients with the severe pains of fibromyalgia consult medical doctors for help. Although many patients use chiropractors and other alternative approaches, most continue to use analgesics (pain medications) to get through the day.These drugs come in a wide variety and help with varying degrees of success, but all will have unintended side effects, especially [..]

Disorders such as fibromyalgia, whiplash, and irritable bowel syndrome share the common symptom of muscle hyperalgesia (more sensitive to painful pressures and stimulation). Obviously, more sensitive patients may find it more difficult to stress their bodies with stretching or physical exercise. If you are more sensitive to pain, you may be more likely to consume [..]

When looking at treating fibromyalgia, there is a range of natural alternatives to choose from. Most fibromyalgia patients use a variety of complementary and alternative approaches including vitamins/herbs, chiropractic, and massage. These more natural approaches carry fewer risks of side effects and should be encouraged.Massage treatment can be helpful to many patients. Some common techniques [..]