Conditions We Treat
Fibromyalgia Treatment in Scottsdale That Looks for the Driver
Widespread pain, exhausted no matter how much you sleep, and doctors who shrug? Fibromyalgia affects roughly 5 million adults in the United States, and it is still commonly misdiagnosed. Dr. Robinson’s approach: rule out what mimics it, test for what fuels it, then treat both.
No cure claims. A plan built around your actual test results, reviewed with you personally.
I remember not knowing how to spell or even pronounce it, let alone knowing what it meant to live with it. Tears rolled down my face for two reasons: the relief that I finally discovered the cause of my excruciating pain, and the fear that I would be in that pain forever.Sara, living with fibromyalgia for 12 years
What fibromyalgia is, and what it feels like
Fibromyalgia is a cluster of symptoms often mistaken for arthritis, but unlike arthritis it does not inflame muscles or joints. It is classed as a rheumatic condition, meaning it causes soft-tissue pain. Because there is no single diagnostic lab test, diagnosis takes time and a careful physical exam plus blood work to rule out look-alikes.
- Fatigue and sleep that never feels restful
- Headaches and morning stiffness
- Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet
- Restless legs, irritable bowel symptoms
- Sensitivity to temperature, noise, or light
- Low mood and brain fog
The American College of Rheumatology criteria most clinicians use: general pain in multiple body parts for more than three months; fatigue, unrefreshed wakefulness and cognitive issues; and no other condition explaining the symptoms.
Conditions that get confused with fibromyalgia
- Myofascial pain syndrome: chronic muscle pain, but without the fatigue and headaches that come with fibromyalgia
- Autoimmune disease: early stages often resemble fibromyalgia before full symptoms appear
- Vitamin deficiencies: low vitamin D or B12 can cause chronic muscle aches on their own
- Celiac disease or gluten intolerance: overlapping symptom sets
- Chronic fatigue syndrome: pain dominates fibromyalgia, fatigue dominates CFS, and tender points point toward fibromyalgia
This is why the first visit at AZMulticare is an exam plus a workup, not a prescription. Blood tests and, when indicated, functional lab panels separate the look-alikes.
What appears to drive it
The exact cause is unclear. Repeated nerve stimulation appears to turn up the brain’s pain volume, and most cases trace to a mix of factors rather than one cause.
- Genetics: fibromyalgia runs in families
- Sex and age: most common in middle-aged women
- Other disorders: spine problems, arthritis or physical stress as triggering events
- Chronic stress: a well-documented link
- Toxicities: heavy metals, pesticides and mold toxins can drive inflammation, immune suppression and hormonal disruption
- Infections: bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections behind or worsening symptoms
- Food sensitivities and leaky gut: inflammation beyond the gut, into the whole body
- Hormone imbalance: low adrenal and steroid hormones deplete energy and raise inflammation
Each driver above has a test. Dr. Robinson is a published researcher on mycotoxins and biofilms, and toxin, infection, gut and hormone panels are ordered and read in-house.
Treatment that stacks what works
There is no cure for fibromyalgia. With the right combination, symptoms shrink and life comes back. The best outcomes come from stacking treatments, which is exactly how the clinic is built.
Acupuncture
Thin sterile needles change blood flow and neurotransmitter levels in the brain and spinal cord, which can reduce pain and stiffness in fibromyalgia. Dr. Robinson has practiced acupuncture since 2006. Acupuncture in Scottsdale.
Exercise and physical therapy
Low-impact movement such as yoga, tai chi and gentle aerobics improves stiffness, fatigue and wellbeing. A 2017 study found regular yoga reduced perceived disability, depression and fear of movement in fibromyalgia patients.
Diet
When testing shows food sensitivities or gut inflammation, targeted diet changes reduce the whole-body load. Food sensitivity and gut panels (GI-MAP, OAT) make this specific instead of guesswork. See testing options.
Chiropractic care
Adjustments address the spine problems and joint dysfunction that often trigger or worsen fibromyalgia, and gentle techniques suit flare-ups. Chiropractic care in Scottsdale.
Start with answers, not prescriptions
Visit us
Scottsdale, Arizona
Fibromyalgia care for patients across the North Valley and beyond.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is fibromyalgia diagnosed?
There is no single diagnostic lab test, so diagnosis takes a careful workup. Most clinicians use the American College of Rheumatology criteria: general pain in multiple body parts for more than three months, fatigue, unrefreshed wakefulness and cognitive issues, with no other condition explaining the symptoms.
Why test for other conditions first?
Because fibromyalgia is still commonly misdiagnosed. The first visit at AZMulticare is an exam plus a workup, not a prescription. Blood tests and, when indicated, functional lab panels separate the conditions that mimic fibromyalgia.
Is there a cure for fibromyalgia?
There is no cure. With the right combination, symptoms shrink and life comes back. The best outcomes come from stacking treatments: acupuncture, low-impact exercise and physical therapy, diet changes guided by testing, and gentle chiropractic care that suits flare-ups.
What testing can look for the drivers?
Toxin, infection, gut and hormone panels are ordered and read in-house, including GI-MAP and OAT. Dr. Robinson is a published researcher on mycotoxins and biofilms, one of the driver areas most often missed.
Same-day appointments when available
Stop living with pain.
Start healing the root cause.
Most insurance accepted • Transparent pricing, no hidden fees • Acute cases seen daily