“One of my goals is to restore hope to everyone with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Most of us have complicated medical conditions, but with time and the right treatment, there is hope for all of us to more fully realize our dreams. There is hope that you too can feel well enough to go to dinner and a movie or go on a walk with your children/grandchildren without feeling exhausted for the next 1-3 days.”
— Dr. Congdon
"I am one of only 100 physicians in the country trained in administering a unique medical protocol to help you regain your health. Most patients are placed on medications that just mask their symptoms as their illness may be silently progressing. Find out if this protocol is right for you. Allow me to evaluate your specific situation and recommend a personalized treatment plan."
— Dr. Congdon
About the Practice
My Approach
With my training and expertise as a fibromyalgia specialist, I have learned to accurately diagnose the syndrome using a thorough history and physical exam. Using these skills, my goal is to educate you about the syndrome and your options for treatment, and optimize your progress over time. Patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome all have different problems and needs. There is no “one size fits all” approach to treatment, nor is fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome an illness that gets better quickly. I have experience with the different options that may work for specific issues. If a selected treatment proves not beneficial over time, we will work together to find a more effective treatment regimen. In my experience, the key to progress is the steady and objective evaluation of symptoms and their response to treatment.
The Medical Community
There is still some skepticism in the medical community regarding fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syndrome (FM/CFS). Some doctors do not believe FM/CFS actually exist as medical syndromes. Some believe the conditions are psychosomatic (a bodily symptom caused by emotional or mental disturbance). This notion is obviously very distressing to those of us who suffer from the syndrome because we know our symptoms are not caused by mental problems. This attitude often leads to a dismissal of our condition or a lack or appropriate treatment.
Recent Studies
In the past 5 years, more and more results of scientific studies reveal that patients with FM/CFS have altered levels of chemicals in our brains and in our spinal fluid—which is one objective measurement of why we may feel pain more intensely. These results, coupled with recent brain imaging studies (where MRIs show regions of the brain in patients with FM respond to medium pressure as painful) will help skeptical doctors understand that we have biochemical differences in our nervous systems. These differences are a validation that FM/CFS is a true clinical condition. A researcher in Southern California is hopeful that his blood test for fibromyalgia will be available for doctors to order as soon as the end of 2011.
My Mission
My mission is to help you feel better. I want you help you be diagnosed quickly and chose a treatment plan that allows your health to improve. I want to educate your physicians (and the entire medical community) about how common fibromyalgia is, how easily trained professionals can diagnose it, and how our health can improve.