Fibromyalgia: It’s Real, and We Understand
Fibromyalgia (F.M.) is a condition marked by widespread pain and a heightened response to pressure. Alongside chronic pain, individuals with F.M. often experience headaches, anxiety, depression, bowel and bladder issues, cognitive difficulties, cold extremities, immune system impairment, and chemical sensitivities.
Over 10 million Americans suffer from fibromyalgia, and the majority are women between the ages of 25 and 45.
Understanding Fibromyalgia
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) first proposed the criteria for diagnosing fibromyalgia in 1990. These criteria include a history of widespread pain lasting more than three months and the presence of at least 11 out of 18 tender points. However, focusing solely on these symptoms often misses the bigger picture—addressing just the symptoms rarely leads to long-term health and wellness improvement.
Fibromyalgia is complex, and treating it requires looking beyond the surface.
What Actually Causes Fibromyalgia?
Research suggests that fibromyalgia often results from a combination of factors, including:
- Immune system dysregulation
- Emotional, mental, or physical stress
- Impaired thyroid function
- Trauma or injury
- Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction – the system that controls hormone-producing glands
- Brain chemistry imbalances – particularly low serotonin levels
- Adrenal gland dysfunction
- Chronic infections – viral, bacterial, or mycoplasma
- Endocrine disorders
- Sleep disorders
As you can see, treating fibromyalgia requires a comprehensive approach. It’s essential to work with a doctor who will listen to your full health history, run the right tests, and offer accurate treatment based on your individual needs. Without these three key steps, fibromyalgia patients often remain trapped in a cycle of chronic pain, overmedication, and worsening symptoms.
Unfortunately, many fibromyalgia patients are prescribed medications that only mask the symptoms, leaving them susceptible to drug side effects that mimic the condition itself. This can create a brutal cycle: sleep deprivation caused by pain leads to further hormone imbalances, which, in turn, worsen other symptoms.
Breaking the Cycle
Human physiology is interconnected, meaning one issue often worsens others. For fibromyalgia patients, this creates a downward spiral that can feel impossible to escape without the right care. That’s why it’s critical for the treating doctor to thoroughly evaluate and test the potential root causes of F.M., such as hormonal imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, immune dysfunction, and brain chemistry irregularities.
Sadly, this level of care is rarely offered in the standard pharmaceutical and insurance-based model, leaving patients to continue suffering. However, there is hope with a holistic, functional medicine approach.
Over the years, Dr. Gorla has helped countless fibromyalgia patients recover their health by addressing key areas such as:
- Hormonal health
- Nutritional support
- Immunological balance
- Neurochemical (brain) function
