What is fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a condition characterized by aching and pain in muscles, tendons
and joints all over the body, especially along the spine.
There are measurable changes in body chemistry and function in some people
with fibromyalgia. These changes may be responsible for certain symptoms.
However, fibromyalgia is not associated with muscle, nerve or joint injury;
inadequate muscle repair; or any serious bodily damage or disease. Also, people
who have fibromyalgia are not at greater risk for any other musculoskeletal
disease.
Figure 1. When stress continues without relief, your body doesn’t
have time to relax or prepare for the next challenge. This is called
distress. As you can see above, distress can trigger a number of physical
reactions and lead to the symptoms of fibromyalgia. |
What are the symptoms of fibromyalgia?
The pain in people with fibromyalgia usually seems worse when they are trying to
relax and is less noticeable during busy activities or exercise.
Other symptoms are often associated with the pain, including:
• Sleep disturbance
• Depression
• Daytime tiredness
• Headaches
• Alternating diarrhea and constipation
• Numbness and tingling in the hands and feet
• Feelings of weakness
• Having difficulty remembering
• Dizziness
• Increased sensitivity to light, odors and sound
What causes fibromyalgia?
The exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown. There are, however, many theories
about why people get fibromyalgia.
One theory suggests that stress contributes to the onset of fibromyalgia (see
Figure 1).
When fibromyalgia begins, stresses in a person’s life are prominent. Stress
often results in disturbed sleep patterns and a lack of restful sleep. When you
don’t get enough sleep, your body does not produce the chemicals necessary to
control or regulate pain. A lack of these pain-regulating chemicals results in
tenderness in the upper back and forearms, leading to the symptoms of
fibromyalgia.
Physical and emotional factors may also contribute to the onset of
fibromyalgia. For example, a physical illness (such as an infection) could cause
changes in your body chemistry that lead to pain and sleeplessness.
When you are sick, you may worry about your health and become anxious,
depressed or inactive. These emotional factors could make your symptoms worse
and aggravate fibromyalgia.
Who is affected by fibromyalgia?
Women tend to have fibromyalgia more often than men. In Europe, some studies
suggest that as many as 14% of women may have fibromyalgia symptoms. In the
United States, a much lower estimate – 2 to 4% of women and men – have
fibromyalgia.