What is fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia (FM)is a disorder that causes aches and pain all over the body. People with FM also are tender throughout the body, which is most pronounced at certain regions termed "tender points". Tender points are specific places on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms, and legs. These points hurt when pressure is put on them.
What are the symptoms of fibromyalgia?
People with FM could have:
- Muscle pain
- Fatigue
- Trouble sleeping
- Joint pain, stiffness (sometimes worse in the morning)
- Headaches
- Restless legs
- Tingling or numbness in hands and feet
- Problems with thinking and memory (sometimes called "fibro fog")
- Leg cramps
- Feeling nervous
- Depression
- Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
- Painful cramping during your period
- Jaw pain
- Upset stomach, cramping, bloating, feeling constipated or diarrhea
- Trouble swallowing
- Frequent or painful urination
How common is fibromyalgia? Who is mainly affected?
- FM affects as many as 1 in 50 Americans. Most people with FM are women (about 80-90%). However, men and children also can have the disorder. Most people are diagnosed during middle age. FM can occur by itself, but people with certain other diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and other types of arthritis, may be more likely to have FM.
- Individuals who have a close relative with FM are more likely to develop FM.
What causes fibromyalgia?
The causes of FM are not known. Researchers think a number of factors might be involved. FM has been linked to:
- Having a family history of fibromyalgia (i.e. genetics)
- Being exposed to stressful or traumatic events, such as
- car accidents
- injuries to the body caused by performing the same action over and over again
- infections or illnesses
- being deployed to war
