Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain: What It Is, Symptoms, Causes & Treatments
Living with fibromyalgia or another chronic pain condition can be overwhelming. The constant discomfort affects not only your body, but your ability to think clearly, manage daily activities, and enjoy life. At Journey to Wellness in Bismarck, North Dakota, we understand how exhausting chronic pain can be, and we offer advanced, noninvasive solutions like Exomind therapy to support both physical comfort and emotional well-being. If pain has taken control of your life, our team is here to help you take the first step toward relief.
Schedule your consultation today to discover how we can help you achieve long-term wellness.
Understanding Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain
Chronic pain refers to pain that lasts longer than three months and may continue for years. Unlike acute pain, which signals an injury or illness and then improves as healing occurs, chronic pain often persists without a clear cause or continues long after the initial injury has healed. It can affect the muscles, joints, nerves, or the entire body.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is one of the most common chronic pain conditions. It is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and issues with memory or concentration often referred to as brain fog or “fibro fog.” People with fibromyalgia may also experience headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, or heightened sensitivity to touch, light, and sound.
Although fibromyalgia isn’t classified as an autoimmune disorder, it may be caused by an overactive immune system.
Other Chronic Pain Conditions
Beyond fibromyalgia, chronic pain can take many forms. Conditions that often bring people to Journey to Wellness include:
Neuropathic pain: Caused by nerve damage or dysfunction, often described as burning, tingling, or shooting pain.
Arthritis-related pain: Ongoing joint inflammation can lead to stiffness and discomfort that interfere with mobility.
Back and neck pain: Persistent spinal pain can limit physical activity and reduce quality of life.
Headaches and migraines: Recurrent head pain can be debilitating and difficult to manage with medication alone.
Post-injury pain: Pain that continues after fractures, surgeries, or soft-tissue injuries, sometimes without an identifiable physical cause.
Symptoms of Chronic Pain
Although every person’s experience is unique, many patients with chronic pain report:
Constant or fluctuating pain that lasts for months or years
Sleep disturbances or non-restorative sleep
Fatigue and low energy
Mood changes, such as irritability, depression, or anxiety
Difficulty concentrating or remembering details
Reduced ability to perform work, exercise, or household tasks
Chronic pain is far more common than many realize. Millions of people in the U.S. live with conditions like fibromyalgia. Knowing that you are not alone—and that help is available—can be the first step toward healing.
What Causes Chronic Pain?
The causes of chronic pain are complex and often involve a mix of physical, emotional, and environmental factors. Understanding these contributors can help reduce feelings of blame or confusion.
Nervous system changes: For some, the nervous system becomes overly sensitive, sending pain signals even when there is no injury.
Inflammation: Autoimmune disorders, arthritis, and other inflammatory conditions may contribute to long-term pain.
Genetics: Research suggests that some people may be more likely to develop fibromyalgia or other chronic pain disorders due to inherited traits.
Trauma or injury: A serious injury, surgery, or repeated strain can sometimes lead to lasting pain even after the body has physically healed.
Emotional stress: Chronic stress, anxiety, or depression can intensify the experience of pain and make symptoms harder to manage.
Sleep problems: Lack of restorative sleep worsens pain and fatigue, creating a cycle that is difficult to break.
Pain is never “all in your head.” But because the brain and body are closely connected, addressing both physical and emotional aspects is key to long-term relief.
How Exomind Addresses Chronic Pain
At Journey to Wellness, we are proud to offer Exomind, an innovative approach that supports both the mind and body in the management of chronic pain. Exomind uses transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a noninvasive technology that delivers gentle magnetic pulses to targeted areas of the brain.
This safe, evidence-based treatment is FDA-cleared for major depressive disorder and approved in other countries for conditions such as anxiety and binge eating disorder. Research also suggests that TMS can help improve the brain’s pain regulation pathways, which may provide relief for patients with fibromyalgia and other chronic pain syndromes.
By improving the brain’s ability to regulate pain signals, Exomind may reduce discomfort, improve sleep, and restore clarity of thought. Many patients also report improvements in mood and overall quality of life.
Benefits of Exomind
Noninvasive, drug-free therapy
No anesthesia or sedation required
Safe and FDA-cleared with minimal side effects
May reduce widespread body pain
Supports improved sleep quality and energy
Can enhance mood and reduce feelings of depression or anxiety related to chronic pain
Helps restore focus, concentration, and cognitive clarity
Sessions are brief, with no downtime afterward
Exomind offers hope for patients who have not found relief through medication alone or who wish to avoid side effects from long-term drug use.
Why Choose Journey to Wellness?
Journey to Wellness is more than a psychiatric clinic—it is a place where compassionate, integrative care helps patients heal from the inside out. Led by Jacqueline Materi, APRN, CRNA, PMHNP-BC, our clinic combines advanced medical expertise with personalized attention in a supportive environment.
Other Solutions to Explore
While Exomind offers a groundbreaking approach, it can also be combined with other strategies for the best results. Patients with fibromyalgia or chronic pain often benefit from:
Psychotherapy: Talking with a mental health professional can help reduce the emotional burden of chronic pain, improve coping skills, and address conditions like depression or anxiety.
Ketamine infusion therapy: Supervised administration of this anesthetic has been shown to treat many mental health conditions, along with complex illness such as chronic pain syndrome.
Medications: Doctors may prescribe pain relievers, antidepressants, or anti-seizure drugs to help manage symptoms.
Lifestyle changes: Regular exercise, stress management, and healthy sleep routines can significantly reduce pain and improve function.
Physical therapy: Gentle movement and stretching can build strength, improve flexibility, and ease discomfort.
Integrative approaches: Practices like yoga, meditation, acupuncture, or massage may complement medical care.
Take the Next Step
Fibromyalgia and chronic pain conditions do not have to define your life. Relief is possible—and at Journey to Wellness in Bismarck, we are here to help you find it. With advanced therapies like Exomind and a compassionate, integrative approach, our team is ready to walk beside you on the journey to healing.
Contact us today to schedule your consultation and begin your path toward a life with less pain, more clarity, and renewed hope.
