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Have you ever been in a crowded room where every voice feels painfully loud? Or found yourself wincing at bright lights, itchy fabrics, or even the lightest touch on your skin? If you’re living with this condition, you’re likely quite familiar with fibromyalgia sensory overload.
While widespread pain and fatigue are often talked about, fibromyalgia sensitivity—especially to sound, light, and touch—is one of the most overwhelming and overlooked parts of the condition. And when you’re already exhausted and trying to function, this added sensory overload can make even normal days feel impossible.
At Source Chiropractic and Wellness in Draper, UT, we want you to know: You’re not imagining it. You’re not “too sensitive.” Your nervous system is working overtime—and there are real, supportive ways to help.
Key Takeaways
- Fibromyalgia is more than just pain and fatigue—it often involves hypersensitivity to sound, light, and touch.
- Fibromyalgia sensory overload happens because the nervous system has trouble filtering and calming incoming sensory information.
- Symptoms like noise sensitivity, light intolerance, and touch discomfort are real neurological responses—not imagined or exaggerated.
- The upper cervical spine (especially the atlas) plays a crucial role in regulating how the nervous system processes sensory signals.
- Gentle, targeted upper cervical care may help reduce fibromyalgia sensitivity symptoms by restoring better communication between the brain and body.
- You don’t have to keep living in constant sensory overwhelm—there are natural ways to feel more at ease and connected again.
Why Fibromyalgia Sensory Overload Happens
Fibromyalgia isn’t just about aching muscles or tired joints. It’s a neurological condition that affects how your brain and body process sensory information.
In people with fibromyalgia, research shows that the brain’s sensory processing system becomes hypersensitive. Things that wouldn’t bother someone else—a background conversation, sunlight through a window, a textured sweater—can feel intense, irritating, or even painful.
Fibromyalgia sensory overload happens because:
- The brain’s filtering system becomes less effective at blocking out “background noise.”
- Nerve signals related to pain, touch, light, and sound get amplified.
- Even safe, harmless sensations get interpreted as threats.
This is why the condition can hit so hard, and why rest alone often isn’t enough to make it better.
Common Sensory Symptoms with Fibromyalgia
If you’re experiencing sensory sensitivity alongside chronic pain and fatigue, you’re not alone. Many people living with fibromyalgia report:
- Noise sensitivity — Everyday sounds (like traffic, conversations, dishes clinking) feel painfully loud or startling.
- Light sensitivity — Bright rooms, computer screens, or fluorescent lights feel harsh, cause headaches, or trigger dizziness.
- Touch sensitivity — Clothes, bedsheets, hugs, or even a slight brush against the skin can feel irritating or painful.
- Temperature sensitivity — Changes in weather or air conditioning can feel extreme, either too hot or too cold.
These symptoms are part of the bigger picture of fibromyalgia—not separate from it.
And when they pile up, they can lead to even more exhaustion, emotional overwhelm, and a feeling that the world is just “too much.”
You’re Not “Overreacting”—Your Body Is Asking for Help
One of the hardest parts of fibromyalgia sensitivity is feeling misunderstood.
You might hear things like:
“It’s not that loud.”
“You’re just tired.”
“You need to toughen up.”
But your body isn’t broken—and you’re not weak. Your nervous system is simply operating on high alert, filtering and amplifying sensations in a way that’s out of your control.
At Source Chiropractic and Wellness, our Draper chiro doctor, Dr. Cheney focuses on bringing that heightened nervous system response back into balance—gently and naturally.
How Upper Cervical Care in Draper UT Supports Sensory Processing
We often explain to our patients that the nervous system is highly organized.
At the very top, the upper cervical spine—specifically the atlas vertebra—plays a key role in how your brain and body communicate.
When the atlas shifts out of proper alignment (even slightly), it can disrupt the flow of information between the brain and the rest of the body. This may cause the nervous system to stay in a heightened, stressed state—leading to issues like:
- Increased pain perception
- Heightened noise sensitivity
- Light sensitivity and migraines
- Poor regulation of sensory input
By focusing on precise, gentle corrections to the upper cervical spine, the goal isn’t just to manage symptoms—it’s to help restore better communication within your body, so it can respond more calmly and clearly to the world around you.
For many people living with fibromyalgia, this kind of care can create a noticeable shift—not just in pain, but in how overwhelming the world feels.
Finding Hope When Sensory Overload Takes Over
If you’re feeling trapped by noise, light, touch, and endless fatigue, it’s easy to lose hope.
It can feel like your world is getting smaller, your choices fewer, and your days harder.
But it doesn’t have to stay that way.
- Your body is capable of recalibrating.
- Your nervous system can find a steadier rhythm.
- You can feel more at home in your own skin again.
The first step is understanding what’s happening—and getting the right kind of support to help your system settle, heal, and rebuild trust with your environment.
Ready to Find Out if Upper Cervical Care Could Help?
If you’re ready to explore a gentle, targeted approach to fibromyalgia sensory overload, we invite you to schedule a consultation with us at Source Chiropractic and Wellness in Draper, UT.
Together, we can uncover whether an atlas misalignment may be contributing to your sensory struggles—and if so, create a plan that helps you move toward greater calm, energy, and connection with your life again.
You deserve a life that feels less overwhelming—and more fully yours. Get in touch with our fibromyalgia chiropractor in Draper UT today to learn more about upper cervical care.
FAQs on Fibromyalgia Sensory Overload and Finding Relief in Draper
Why does it feel like my fibromyalgia sensitivity is getting worse over time?
You’re not imagining it—and it’s not just in your head. When your nervous system stays in a state of high alert for long periods, sensory overload can start happening faster and more intensely. Things like sound, light, and even touch can become harder to filter out.
Many patients who come to our office looking for fibromyalgia relief in Draper, UT, tell us they feel like their world keeps getting smaller.
That’s why we focus on calming the nervous system through Upper Cervical Care in Draper—to help your body step out of defense mode and into healing.
Can a fibromyalgia chiropractor in Draper, UT really help with sensory overload, not just pain?
It’s a very fair question—and the answer is, yes, potentially. Pain and sensory sensitivity are deeply connected through your nervous system. A fibromyalgia chiropractor in Draper, UT who specializes in upper cervical care (like Dr. Cheney) isn’t just addressing muscle tension—they’re helping support how your brain and body communicate.
By improving spinal alignment, especially at the atlas, it may help regulate sensory processing and reduce how intensely you feel noise, light, or touch. It’s not about chasing symptoms—it’s about creating an environment where your body can calm down naturally.
I’ve tried medications, supplements, and therapy. How is Upper Cervical Care different?
You’ve been through a lot already—and that deserves respect. Many patients who explore Upper Cervical Care in Draper have already tried other treatments. What makes this approach different is that it focuses on the foundation of your body’s structure and communication system—your upper spine and brainstem.
Instead of masking symptoms, upper cervical care works gently and precisely to address possible misalignments that could be keeping your nervous system stuck in overdrive. Sometimes, when the body’s internal communication improves, other therapies and self-care strategies start working better too.
Is it normal to feel emotional about my fibromyalgia sensitivity?
Absolutely. When your body feels constantly overwhelmed, it’s natural to feel frustrated, anxious, isolated, or even hopeless at times. Your experiences are valid—and you’re not alone.
At Source Chiropractic and Wellness, we don’t just look at fibromyalgia as a list of symptoms. We see you as a whole person navigating a complicated, exhausting condition. Our goal is to offer gentle, real support that honors both your physical and emotional journey toward healing.
To schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Cheney, call our Draper office at 385-331-7035. You can also click one of the buttons below.
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