Why you've tried everything and still don't feel right
The seven-minute visit, and the one question the system was never built to ask.
upper cervical care · ann arbor, michigan
Fibromyalgia, when everything hurts and the blood work is normal
Everything hurts, sleep doesn't restore you, and every blood test is normal. You've been handed a label, and the hint that it might be in your head.
what it often looks like
What people with fibromyalgia often describe
- Pain that moves around the body
- Sleep that doesn't restore you
- Brain fog on the bad days
- Being told the blood work is normal, again
Why it is often missed. Fibromyalgia is diagnosed by what is not found. The blood work is normal, so the answer becomes medication and coping. How hard your nervous system is working, and whether it is stuck in fight or flight, is rarely measured.
Why the upper neck may be involved. Many researchers now describe fibromyalgia as a change in how the nervous system processes pain, rather than damage in the muscles. The brainstem, which the top bone of the neck surrounds, is part of that system. A 2015 trial asked whether adding upper neck care changed the picture.
what the research looked at
One published study on fibromyalgia
Published 2015. The strongest design among them: controlled trial. Each one is summarized in plain words in our research library: who was studied, what was measured, what was found, and where it falls short.
- Fibromyalgia: 120 people, with and without upper neck care added to the same program
One trial, from one research center, with a method that differs from ours. It is the strongest single study in this library on a whole-body condition, and it still needs repeating elsewhere before anyone can lean on it.
The fibromyalgia studies, by design and year
how we measure
The Lazar Method™ measures first
Everyone else told you what might work. We measure before anything is decided. Heart rate variability shows how much reserve your nervous system has and whether it is stuck in fight or flight, and muscle tone and thermal scans show how hard your body is working to keep up.
Before any correction we measure how your nervous system is regulating your body: heart rate variability, thermal and muscle tone scans, PostureIQ™, and digital X-ray of the upper neck. Dr. Jonathan Lazar, D.C., or someone personally trained by him, will go over your scans and images with you. QSM3, the method used at our office, is a progression of NUCCA, and the correction is gentle and specific: no cracking, no twisting.
If we can help, we'll tell you. If we can't, we'll help you find someone who can.
Please note: Upper cervical care sits alongside the care you already have. Never change a medication without the doctor who prescribes it.
This page is educational and is not medical advice. Keep the doctors who know you in the loop.
Your doctor. QSM3 Level M Certified. One of eight doctors in the world. In practice in Ann Arbor, Michigan, since 2008. About Dr. Lazar
the dr. lazar show
Hear how Dr. Lazar thinks before you call
Heard for 17 years on WMUZ 103.5 FM, The Dr. Lazar Show is now on YouTube and as a podcast. There is no episode on fibromyalgia on its own yet. These two are where most people start.
The Lazar Method™: how we actually reset the system
The five steps on air for the first time: measure, identify, clarify, correct, restore, and what gets measured before anything else.
traveling for care
Coming from another state, or hours away?
People drive from across Michigan because nothing closer worked. If you live hours away, or in another state, working out the days, the hotel and the records shouldn't be yours to carry alone. Our office is at 203 S. Zeeb Rd, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Traveling with a child? Families welcome.
- IntensiveIntensive programs
Your assessment, your Report of Findings and a concentrated block of corrections in one stay in Ann Arbor, usually one to two weeks, set at your Report of Findings. We read your records before you travel, so you only make the trip if it makes sense. The prices are itemized on the page.
- StayStaying in Ann Arbor
A negotiated medical rate for patients and their families at the Holiday Inn & Suites Ann Arbor, with breakfast, Wi-Fi and parking included.
- RemoteRemote care
Can't travel to Ann Arbor at all? Dr. Lazar works with a small number of remote patients. The correction itself is hands-on, so when your case needs it, we'll tell you, and help you find a qualified upper cervical provider near you.
questions
Questions people ask about fibromyalgia
Still have a question? Call 734.274.5107, or book a 15-minute Clarity Call, a phone call with our team and no commitment. Cost and insurance are answered plainly on the FAQ page.
Keep reading
Is fibromyalgia related to the nervous system?
Many researchers now think so. Fibromyalgia is increasingly described as a change in how the nervous system processes pain, not damage in the muscles. That is why we measure how your nervous system is regulating your body, including heart rate variability, rather than looking only at where it hurts.
What does research say about upper cervical care for fibromyalgia?
One controlled trial, from one research center: 120 people with fibromyalgia, with and without upper neck care added to the same program. It is the strongest single study in our library on a whole-body condition. It used a method that differs from ours, and it still needs repeating elsewhere before anyone leans on it.
Will the correction hurt if I'm sensitive to touch?
The correction is gentle and specific: no cracking, no twisting, nothing forceful. You lie on your side in a neutral position, and the correction is planned from your own imaging, so nothing is guessed. If touch is hard for you on a bad day, tell us before your visit, and we'll talk it through.
Do I need to stop my fibromyalgia medication?
No. We never ask anyone to change or stop a medication. That decision belongs with the doctor who prescribes it, and upper cervical care sits alongside the care you already have. Keep your doctors in the loop, and bring your medication list to your consultation so the whole picture is on the table.
tried everything
When nothing else has worked, start with clarity.
In about 4 minutes, you'll see whether your symptoms point to nervous system dysfunction, and exactly what to do next. Free. Your answers stay private. No spam, ever.
Prefer to talk first?
or call 734.274.5107 · ready to come in? Book your complimentary consultation
Screening adapted from the autonomic dysfunction screening developed by Bruce Bell, MD.
A member of our team will reach out within one business day.