Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes widespread musculoskeletal pain, profound fatigue, sleep problems, and a kind of mental fog often called 'fibro fog.' It's not 'in your head' — research now shows it's a real disorder of how the nervous system processes pain signals, with the brain and spinal cord essentially turning the volume up on sensations that shouldn't hurt.

Living with fibromyalgia is exhausting because the pain moves, the fatigue is unpredictable, and well-meaning advice ('just exercise!', 'just rest more!') often makes things worse. But there's real hope: a carefully graded exercise program combined with education, pacing, sleep work, and the right kind of manual therapy is the most consistently effective treatment we have for fibromyalgia — and it's exactly what physical therapy delivers.

• Widespread muscle pain
• Chronic fatigue
• Sleep disturbances
• Cognitive difficulties ('fibro fog')

• Central sensitization — the nervous system amplifies pain signals
• Genetic predisposition (often runs in families)
• Triggered or worsened by physical trauma, surgery, or infection
• Significant emotional stress or PTSD
• Poor sleep and chronic deconditioning feed the cycle

• Women (7x more likely than men)
• Adults age 30-60
• People with a family history of fibromyalgia
• Those with anxiety, depression, or PTSD
• Anyone with another rheumatic disease like lupus or RA

Your PT will spend time really listening to your story before doing anything — fibromyalgia care has to be personalized, paced carefully, and built on trust. We start far below what would feel like a 'workout' — sometimes just 5 minutes of walking, gentle range-of-motion, or pool exercise — and slowly, predictably increase. The goal is to avoid the boom-and-bust cycle of doing too much, crashing for days, and then doing too little.

We blend graded aerobic exercise (the single most effective treatment in the research) with light strength training, mobility work, manual therapy for tight spots, and modalities like heat and dry needling when helpful. Just as important, we teach pain neuroscience — understanding why your nervous system is amplifying signals takes a huge amount of fear out of the experience and is proven to reduce pain on its own. We coordinate with your doctor on sleep, stress, and any medications, and equip you with a long-term self-management plan.

If your symptoms aren't improving in 2-3 weeks, are getting worse, or starting to limit daily activities, call us or schedule an appointment online today — early intervention almost always means a faster, fuller recovery.

Most patients notice better sleep and reduced flare frequency in 4-8 weeks. Meaningful pain reduction and improved function typically come at 3-6 months of consistent, patient work. This is a marathon, not a sprint — and steady wins.

• Move every day, even if it's just a 5-minute walk — consistency beats intensity
• Protect your sleep window like a job — same bedtime, same wake time, cool dark room
• Use gentle heat (warm bath, heating pad) for stiff muscles
• Practice pacing — stop activities before you crash, not after
• Try diaphragmatic breathing 5 minutes a day to calm the nervous system

These tips support recovery but don't replace a professional evaluation. If you're unsure or symptoms worsen, please reach out.