Fibromyalgia Treatment in Greenville, SC
Fibromyalgia treatment in Greenville, SC. Dr. Hendry's integrative approach addresses the root causes of widespread pain, fatigue, and brain fog. Call (864) 365-6156.
What Is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive difficulties ('fibro fog'). It represents a disorder of central pain processing — the nervous system amplifies pain signals in the absence of identifiable tissue damage. Affecting approximately 4 million Americans, it is far more common in women and often coexists with other conditions like IBS, headaches, and mood disorders.
Common Symptoms
Root Causes: A Functional Medicine Perspective
Fibromyalgia is increasingly understood as a disorder of central sensitization — the spinal cord and brain process pain signals abnormally, amplifying normal sensory input into painful experiences. The trigger for this sensitization is often a physical or emotional stressor: trauma, infection, surgery, or prolonged psychological stress.
Functional medicine identifies multiple underlying contributors: mitochondrial dysfunction (reducing energy production at the cellular level), HPA axis dysregulation (disrupted cortisol rhythms), thyroid dysfunction, nutrient deficiencies (particularly vitamin D, magnesium, CoQ10, and B12), and gut dysbiosis generating systemic inflammatory signals that sensitize the central nervous system. Sleep deprivation worsens pain sensitivity in a vicious cycle — poor sleep increases pain, which disrupts sleep further.
Dr. Hendry's comprehensive evaluation identifies which of these biological drivers is most prominent in each patient, allowing a targeted approach rather than symptomatic treatment alone.
How We Treat Fibromyalgia at IHP
Acupuncture for fibromyalgia has demonstrated significant benefit in multiple randomized controlled trials, improving pain scores, fatigue, sleep quality, and quality of life. The mechanisms are multifold: acupuncture reduces substance P and other nociceptive neurotransmitters that drive central sensitization, improves sleep architecture, and regulates the autonomic nervous system.
Electroacupuncture — where a mild electrical current is passed through acupuncture needles — appears especially effective for fibromyalgia, likely because it modulates the same central nervous system pathways disrupted in this condition. Dr. Hendry combines electroacupuncture with a functional medicine protocol targeting the mitochondrial, hormonal, and gut factors driving each patient's fibromyalgia phenotype. Nutritional supplementation, sleep optimization strategies, and dietary modifications work synergistically with acupuncture to gradually recalibrate the sensitized nervous system.
Dr. Hendry's Approach
Dr. Hendry's research background in integrative care — including his publications on heart rate variability biofeedback for cancer-related symptom management — informs his approach to fibromyalgia. He recognizes that fibromyalgia requires a coherent, sustained treatment plan, not episodic symptom management. He works with patients over a defined timeline, reassessing every 4–6 sessions and adjusting the protocol based on response. Patients receive education about their condition alongside clinical treatment — understanding the neuroscience of fibromyalgia improves treatment outcomes.