“Within the medical field, not all physicians believe in the
condition referred to as Fibromyalgia. However, when I first meet with a patient, if they tell me they hurt … I
believe them! Doctors may look at an
x-ray and just because it looks normal,
they may assume that the patient is not experiencing any pain. Unfortunately, Fibromyalgia has no definitive
way to diagnosis the condition, because there are no lab tests or x-rays that
can determine this insipid disease. Conversely, an abnormal x-ray might not show the real source of the
person’s pain,” said Dr. Crayton.Diagnosis as a process:
“The way I approach the diagnosis of any disease is by
compiling a thorough history of the patient in combination with a good
physical. After reviewing that data, I
listen to what the patient has to say about their symptoms and then ask them
the right questions to finalize the
most accurate assessment. It’s truly a
team effort between me and the patient to reach a definitive conclusion
regarding their health needs.
“Another misconception that people need to realize is that
Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are not
the same thing! People experiencing
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome may not have any pain whatsoever. In addition, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome could
be caused by thyroid problems, medications (like blood pressure prescriptions),
or sleep apnea to name just a few possible culprits.
“As I indicated above, Fibromyalgia has no primary way of
being diagnosed, but we often use lab work to rule out other causes of the patient’s condition so that we can be
absolutely certain there is not another secondary cause of the pain. Prior to coming to our office, the person may
have been seeing a series of doctors for the various symptoms, (Irritable Bowel Syndrome,
Pain Management, Depression, and Sleep Apnea, etc.), but when these signs are combined they may
point to Fibromyalgia.
There IS help!
“My work with patients who have Fibromyalgia has been very
gratifying because I see their lives turn around for the better. People who have been reclusive, withdrawn from
their family and friends, who haven’t been able to do the most common of daily
routines like driving, grocery shopping, or interacting with the outside world
– after therapy – become a part of society again, and have a new lease on life
with a more positive attitude.One woman
said, through her tears, ‘For someone to finally
believe me when I say I have a problem, and that I’m not crazy, gives me hope for the future.’
“While the symptoms of Fibromyalgia may never totally go away, we try to work on the
triggers within the patient’s environment to relieve some of their anxiety and
pain. If you feel you may be a candidate for a consult regarding this “stealth disease”, we’d
like to encourage you to contact
our office so that Fibromyalgia won’t be able to steal any more of your life.”
