One common practice being seen in the medical community is that of using prednisone to treat fibromyalgia, neck, and back pain. While there is some evidence that this does indeed help fibromyalgia patients, there are some serious side-effects that must be considered. What are these?
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Nausea
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Moodiness
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Allergic reactions, severe in some cases
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Appetite problems (increased or decreased)
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Suppression of the immune system
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Abnormal sleep patterns
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A whirling sensation
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Abnormal sweating
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Feeling nervous or anxious
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Unusual headaches
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Diarrhea or black, tarry stools
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Changes with menstruation
Something More to Consider
These are just a few of the dangerous side-effects associated with prednisone use. Something else to think about is the fact that with extended use the adrenal glands may stop producing cortisol. If this begins to happen, medical doctors usually recommend cutting back, but not stopping, the dosage of prednisone. This is done to give the adrenal glands recuperative time and to keep the person from experiencing adrenal crisis, which is a life-threatening condition. Adrenal crisis has symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, rapid heart rate, low blood pressure, fever, and more.
One other very common side-effect is weight gain. This is due to the above-mentioned symptom of increased appetite. Fibromyalgia patients that gain weight are more prone to becoming depressed. This can lead to a prescription for depression medicine that comes along with another host of unwanted side-effects.
A Better Option for Fibromyalgia Pain
What is a missing component in the above treatment? It does not correct the underlying cause of fibromyalgia. There is a connection between this condition and a misalignment in the upper neck area.
At N8 Upper Cervical Chiropractic, we have been specially trained in the NUCCA technique so as to find these misalignments and then work with our patients to tailor a treatment for each individual. Our focus is to realign the head and the body, making sure the upper spine is healthy and in the proper position. This restores proper communication throughout the body and ensures the central nervous system is working properly. When this is accomplished, the body begins a natural healing process leading to the decrease and possibly even elimination of fibromyalgia symptoms.
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