Fibromyalgia Major Symptoms include: • Chronic, Widespread Body Pain • Moderate to Severe Fatigue • Sleep Disorders & Disturbances • Problems with Cognitive Functioning & Memory Other Symptoms May Include: • Psychological Distress (Anxiety & Depression) • Impaired Functionality • Sensitivity to light, sound, and odors • Stiffness Upon Awakening • Sexual Dysfunction • Stiffness After Waking or Resting for Extended Periods of Time. Causes Can Include: Recent research suggests a genetic component, this disorder is often seen in families among siblings, mothers, and their children. Fibromyalgia often occurs following a physical trauma, acute illness, or injury. Increasing attention is being devoted to the Central Nervous System as the underlying mechanism of Fibromyalgia. Recent studies have suggested that FM patients have generalized disturbance in pain processing and an amplified response to stimuli that would not ordinarily be painful in healthy individuals. Diagnosis: A history of widespread pain in all four quadrants of the body for a minimum duration of three months, and pain (not only tenderness) in at least 11 of the 18 designated tender points when pressure in applied.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Major Symptoms include: • Fatigue • Loss of Memory or Concentration • Sore Throat • Enlarged Lymph Nodes in the Neck or Armpits •Unexplained Muscle or Joint Pain • Headache • Unrefreshing Sleep • Extreme Exhaustion Lasting more than 24 hours after Physical or Mental Exercise Causes Can Include: People who have chronic fatigue syndrome appear to be hypersensitive to even normal amounts of exercise and activity. An exact cause is unknown, but triggers may include Viral Infections, Immune System Problems, Hormonal Imbalances. Risk Factors: Age - Commonly affects people in the 40’s & 50’s. Sex - Women are more often diagnosed more than men. Stress - Difficulty managing stress may contribute to CFS. Diagnosis: There is no single diagnosis to confirm CFS.

How We Can Help: • Acupuncture – Acupuncture can be extremely quick and effective in reducing the symptoms such as migraines, pain, and assists in healthy sleep patterns. • Chiropractic Manipulation – Adjustments can help realign the the spine, restoring optimal nerve function and blood flow. • Diet / Nutritional Supplements – Diet changes are essential to reduce inflammation in the body, cutting out sugar, preservatives, caffeine etc., give the body the best chance to Detox and begin the process of healing. • Neurofeedback - an effective program that allows sufferers to learn how to control body functions that were previously thought to be involuntary. This allows patients to become actively involved in his or her own recovery. Neurofeedback techniques monitor brain wave activity, allowing our doctors to correct the waves that may be out of sync with the body’s natural frequency. Neurofeedback is an all natural, non-invasive way to train the brain more efficiently through operant conditioning. This conditioning is the process by which we learn to behave by the rewards that we receive. Think of the game we played as a child, “hotter or colder”. Someone hid an object from you and when you were looking for it, they would say to you, “You are getting hotter or colder” until you found that object. The “getting hotter” was the reward you received. That is what Neurofeedback Training does. It offers rewards through visual, auditory and tactile training or feedback. That training helps change brainwave activity and connectivity making it stronger, creating optimal functioning. It is personal training for the brain! Creating a pattern of healthy brain function can help control pain, and promote a healthy sleep schedule.