"I would recommend Dr. C highly. I may seem cliché to say Dr. C. has been a lifesaver, but it’s true. I was so depressed about my son’s pain, fatigue and he was really struggling in school. I have lived with my FMS for quite a while now, so I deal with my own symptoms, but it killed me to see my son suffering. He SO much better now and it is always a joy to see Dr C. and see her great smile greeting us AND even greater when she examines him and shows us his mapping and how much he has improved."
— Amy Y.
"I was lucky to find Dr. Melissa Congdon. She is just the compassionate, knowledgeable and encouraging doctor I needed to continue my treatment... Dr. Congdon has restored my faith that people suffering from Fibromyalgia can get better!"
—Kristen V.
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 soon.
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.