Pain is one way our body’s immune system tells us something is wrong. Patients who suffer from chronic pain in the muscles and joints may get a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, but Bothell’s Dr. Nicole Anderson notes that the catch-all term does not explain the “why” of the problem. Generally, where there is ongoing muscle pain, there is also systemic chronic inflammation, which is a heightened and sustained immune response to a triggering factor.
If you have a fibromyalgia diagnosis, Dr. Anderson can help you to figure out that triggering factor—the source of the inflammation—whether it involves a problem with digestive health, infection, stress, or something else. The goal is to turn a catch-all diagnosis of “muscle pain” into a plan that can improve your health and general well-being. She also uses this holistic approach for arthritis, which is joint-specific pain.