A fibromyalgia specialist is a doctor who focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of this horrible symptomatic disorder. The most common type of doctor who qualifies as an FMS specialist is a rheumatologist. These doctors specialize in treatments for disorders of the joints, muscles and bones. They also treat such conditions as arthritis, osteoporosis, auto-immune diseases, gout, lupus, tendonitis and general musculoskeletal disorders.
Unfortunately, these doctors usually treat fibromyalgia with a cocktail of addicting and side effect ridden drugs. After all the time a specialist spends learning all the facts about fibromyalgia, the best treatment they can usually offer is symptomatic relief.
This discussion provides guidance on seeking care from a specialist in fibromyalgia care. We also detail why the collective group of specialists has done more damage to individual patients than any benefits they may have provided.
Types of Fibromyalgia Specialist
Specialists in FMS are actually part of the reason for the rampant epidemic of the diagnosis. These doctors have worked so diligently to classify the condition into a neat and easily diagnosed package, but have done almost nothing towards relieving it. Worse still, although ridiculous diagnostic criteria have been invented and implemented, statistics clearly show that over 50% of diagnosed patients do not even fit the guidelines established by the American College of Rheumatology.
What is the point of establishing parameters only to discount them completely? What is the point of establishing any diagnosis if there are no effective treatments? It is akin to pronouncing a terrible punitive sentence on a patient and then simply sending them home without any help at all.
Looking at the history of FMS care, the entire industry seems to revolve exclusively around money. Not that money is not a huge factor in all medical sectors, but seems to be the main driving force explaining the way FMS has evolved as a diagnosis and a treatable condition.
Classification is crucial to provide treatment and therapy is the actual money maker. Rheumatologists have certainly classified their fair share of patients as suffering from FMS, although they never really defined what fibromyalgia truly is, where it comes from, what causes it or how to treat it. All these points must be unimportant to the money making process. Who cares how abyssal curative results are, as long as the money keeps flowing in…
FMS Specialist Controversy
Even though these knowledgeable doctors might be up on all the latest and greatest treatments for FMS, I would not recommend seeing one as an exclusive care provider. The treatments offered typically do little or nothing to cure this terrible pain syndrome.
Eventually, the typical drug treatments may cause more secondary symptoms than they cure. Your best bet would be to give a specialist a try, but also to consider alternative treatment providers, as well. The answer to your particular form of fibromyalgia pain might be a combination of treatments from different care providers.
The best specialist I have ever met for fibromyalgia is Dr. John E. Sarno. Dr. Sarno does not even treat fibromyalgia specifically, but he has enjoyed better treatment results than most fibromyalgia experts. He can be reached at his office at The Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine at The NYU Medical Center in Manhattan. (Update: Dr. Sarno has since passed away and is obviously no longer available for patient consultations).
Back Pain > Relief From Fibromyalgia > Fibromyalgia Specialist
