Fibromyalgia means “pain of the muscles and other fibrous tissue”. It is a chronic disorder of the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and other soft tissue. Many people who suffer from fibromyalgia compare it to a persistent flu; the main symptoms are pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and tender points around the body. The symptoms can increase in severity at different times of the day, during weather changes, and during different activities.
Other names for fibromyalgia include: fibromyositis, fibrositis, muscular rheumatism, chronic muscle pain syndrome, and musculoskeletal pain syndrome. Terms that end in -it is (indication inflammation) are inaccurate, as inflammation does not play a significant role in the disorder.
Experts estimate that between three and six million Americans suffer from fibromyalgia. Approximately eighty percent of people who suffer from the disorder are female. Women tend to feel pain throughout the body; men often experience facial pain and pain and/or stiffness in particular areas.
Risk factors for fibromyalgia include:
- Being a woman between the ages of twenty and fifty.
- Having a rheumatic disease like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.
- Having a relative who suffers from fibromyalgia.
- Frequent episodes of emotional or physical distress or trauma.
- Insomnia or another sleep disorder.
- Depression or an anxiety disorder.
Most people develop symptoms between the ages of twenty and forty, but children and older adults can develop fibromyalgia. Experts aren’t sure what causes fibromyalgia, but there are several popular theories. Inadequate sleep may trigger fibromyalgia. An injury, a physical trauma, or an emotional trauma that affects the brain, spine, and nerves may trigger fibromyalgia. Some experts suspect a viral or bacteria infection plays a part.
Researchers have noted abnormal production of pain-chemicals in the nervous systems of people with fibromyalgia; these abnormal pain-chemicals may bring on the disorder in people who are at risk. People with fibromyalgia often have low levels of serotonin in the brain.