Cervical Spondylosis as a Hidden Contributing Factor to Fibromyalgia: A Case Report
Eric Chun-Pu Chu,1,2,* Linda Yin-King Lee2,* 1New York Chiropractic & Physiotherapy Center, New York Medical Group, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Nursing and Health Studies, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Dove Medical Press
2022-11-01
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| Series: | International Medical Case Reports Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://www.dovepress.com/cervical-spondylosis-as-a-hidden-contributing-factor-to-fibromyalgia-a-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IMCRJ |
| _version_ | 1828198666295312384 |
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| author | Chu ECP Lee LYK |
| author_facet | Chu ECP Lee LYK |
| author_sort | Chu ECP |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Eric Chun-Pu Chu,1,2,* Linda Yin-King Lee2,* 1New York Chiropractic & Physiotherapy Center, New York Medical Group, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Nursing and Health Studies, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Eric Chun-Pu Chu, New York Chiropractic and Physiotherapy Center, 41/F Langham Place Office Tower, 8 Argyle Street, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of China, Tel +852-3594-7844, Fax +852-3594-6193, Email eric@nymg.com.hkAbstract: The present case study describes the long-term symptomatic remission in a patient with fibromyalgia (FM) after multimodal spinal manipulation. A 44-year-old woman presented with a chronic headache, severe neck pain, shoulder pain, and back pain lasting for 2 years after experiencing domestic violence. She had sleep disorders, fatigue, and depressive mood. Her primary care physician diagnosed her with FM and comorbid depression. Despite treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, anti-depressants, anti-epileptics, acupuncture, and aqua-therapy, she experienced no appreciable relief from her symptoms. The patient then sought a chiropractic evaluation and potential treatment for her symptoms. At presentation, widespread tenderness was palpable over the neck, shoulder, back, anterior chest, abdominal wall, and buttock. Radiographs showed loss of cervical lordosis, widespread degenerative spondylosis, and osteitis pubis. Surface electromyography (sEMG) revealed neck and thoracic paraspinal muscular spasms. The patient was diagnosed with FM based on the American College of Rheumatology diagnostic criteria and the associated comorbidities. Multimodal chiropractic approaches, which consisted of spinal manipulation, massage, and intermittent motorized cervical traction, were used twice weekly to relieve soft-tissues and intervertebral joints and stretch core musculatures. The patient’s physical and mental complaints were mostly resolved near the end of 9 months of treatment. Her symptom alleviation was associated with corresponding change in normalized sEMG signal and cervical spine realignment at the 16th- and 26th-month follow-ups. Widespread pain in FM can lead to confused thinking and a lack of awareness of cervical spondylosis. In this example, it is assumed that the noxious cervical inputs triggered an ongoing FM process. Chiropractic treatment blocked noxious inputs coming from pain sources, corrected pain thresholds, and lowered excitability, thereby eradicating FM symptoms.Keywords: chiropractic, degenerative spondylosis, electromyography, fibromyalgia, neck pain |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T10:42:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0dbcb34a376942cba5055fa3c7ec9c68 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1179-142X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T10:42:07Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Dove Medical Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Medical Case Reports Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-0dbcb34a376942cba5055fa3c7ec9c682022-12-22T03:36:33ZengDove Medical PressInternational Medical Case Reports Journal1179-142X2022-11-01Volume 1563964679527Cervical Spondylosis as a Hidden Contributing Factor to Fibromyalgia: A Case ReportChu ECPLee LYKEric Chun-Pu Chu,1,2,* Linda Yin-King Lee2,* 1New York Chiropractic & Physiotherapy Center, New York Medical Group, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Nursing and Health Studies, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Eric Chun-Pu Chu, New York Chiropractic and Physiotherapy Center, 41/F Langham Place Office Tower, 8 Argyle Street, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of China, Tel +852-3594-7844, Fax +852-3594-6193, Email eric@nymg.com.hkAbstract: The present case study describes the long-term symptomatic remission in a patient with fibromyalgia (FM) after multimodal spinal manipulation. A 44-year-old woman presented with a chronic headache, severe neck pain, shoulder pain, and back pain lasting for 2 years after experiencing domestic violence. She had sleep disorders, fatigue, and depressive mood. Her primary care physician diagnosed her with FM and comorbid depression. Despite treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, anti-depressants, anti-epileptics, acupuncture, and aqua-therapy, she experienced no appreciable relief from her symptoms. The patient then sought a chiropractic evaluation and potential treatment for her symptoms. At presentation, widespread tenderness was palpable over the neck, shoulder, back, anterior chest, abdominal wall, and buttock. Radiographs showed loss of cervical lordosis, widespread degenerative spondylosis, and osteitis pubis. Surface electromyography (sEMG) revealed neck and thoracic paraspinal muscular spasms. The patient was diagnosed with FM based on the American College of Rheumatology diagnostic criteria and the associated comorbidities. Multimodal chiropractic approaches, which consisted of spinal manipulation, massage, and intermittent motorized cervical traction, were used twice weekly to relieve soft-tissues and intervertebral joints and stretch core musculatures. The patient’s physical and mental complaints were mostly resolved near the end of 9 months of treatment. Her symptom alleviation was associated with corresponding change in normalized sEMG signal and cervical spine realignment at the 16th- and 26th-month follow-ups. Widespread pain in FM can lead to confused thinking and a lack of awareness of cervical spondylosis. In this example, it is assumed that the noxious cervical inputs triggered an ongoing FM process. Chiropractic treatment blocked noxious inputs coming from pain sources, corrected pain thresholds, and lowered excitability, thereby eradicating FM symptoms.Keywords: chiropractic, degenerative spondylosis, electromyography, fibromyalgia, neck painhttps://www.dovepress.com/cervical-spondylosis-as-a-hidden-contributing-factor-to-fibromyalgia-a-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IMCRJchiropracticdegenerative spondylosiselectromyographyfibromyalgianeck pain |
| spellingShingle | Chu ECP Lee LYK Cervical Spondylosis as a Hidden Contributing Factor to Fibromyalgia: A Case Report International Medical Case Reports Journal chiropractic degenerative spondylosis electromyography fibromyalgia neck pain |
| title | Cervical Spondylosis as a Hidden Contributing Factor to Fibromyalgia: A Case Report |
| title_full | Cervical Spondylosis as a Hidden Contributing Factor to Fibromyalgia: A Case Report |
| title_fullStr | Cervical Spondylosis as a Hidden Contributing Factor to Fibromyalgia: A Case Report |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cervical Spondylosis as a Hidden Contributing Factor to Fibromyalgia: A Case Report |
| title_short | Cervical Spondylosis as a Hidden Contributing Factor to Fibromyalgia: A Case Report |
| title_sort | cervical spondylosis as a hidden contributing factor to fibromyalgia a case report |
| topic | chiropractic degenerative spondylosis electromyography fibromyalgia neck pain |
| url | https://www.dovepress.com/cervical-spondylosis-as-a-hidden-contributing-factor-to-fibromyalgia-a-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IMCRJ |
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