Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a common chronic condition characterized by widespread pain, tenderness, exhaustion, and cognitive difficulties, influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Overview & Symptoms

Fibromyalgia is a common condition characterized by long-lasting (chronic) pain affecting many areas of the body. This pain is accompanied by tenderness when touch or pressure is applied to the muscles, joints, or skin.

Common signs and symptoms include:

• Sensory issues: Numbness, tingling, or a burning sensation (paresthesia) in the arms and legs.
• Fatigue and sleep problems: Excessive tiredness (exhaustion) and waking up feeling unrefreshed.
• Cognitive difficulties: Problems with memory or thinking clearly.
• Co-occurring pain conditions: Headaches, back and neck pain, sore throat, pain or clicking in the jaw (temporomandibular joint dysfunction), and stomach pain or digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome. These symptoms can occur on their own or alongside other chronic pain conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, or systemic lupus erythematosus.
• Mood and psychiatric disorders: An increased likelihood of developing depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, though many people with fibromyalgia do not have a mental health condition.

Frequency

Fibromyalgia affects an estimated 2 to 8 percent of the general population worldwide. It is more common in women than in men, and its prevalence increases with age. Because its symptoms are nonspecific and overlap with other conditions, it can be challenging to diagnose.

Causes & Risk Factors

The symptoms of fibromyalgia are related to how the brain processes pain signals. People with fibromyalgia experience pain amplification, meaning they feel pain more acutely than others would in response to the same stimulus. This is linked to the brain's "volume" of pain sensations being turned up too high.

Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the risk of developing fibromyalgia:

• Genetic factors: Fibromyalgia runs in families, suggesting a genetic component. It is likely that variations in multiple genes, each having a small effect, combine to increase risk. Research focuses on genes involved in the production and breakdown of chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) that handle pain modulation in the nervous system.
• Environmental factors: The condition can be triggered by infections, illnesses, injuries, or other physical stressors. Psychological and social factors—such as a history of childhood abuse or neglect, exposure to war or catastrophic events, and low job or life satisfaction—are also associated with an increased risk. Physical inactivity, obesity, and sleep disturbances can further elevate risk. However, many individuals develop fibromyalgia without any recognized triggers.

Learn more about the genes associated with Fibromyalgia

• COMT
• ADRB2
• HTR2A
• SLC6A4
• TAAR1

Inheritance

Fibromyalgia does not have a clear pattern of inheritance. However, the risk of developing the condition is about eight times higher for first-degree relatives (such as siblings or children) of affected individuals compared to the general public. Related chronic pain conditions, such as headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, and temporomandibular joint dysfunction, also tend to cluster in these families, potentially due to shared genetic risk factors.

Other Names for This Condition

• Diffuse myofascial pain syndrome
• Fibromyalgia syndrome
• Fibromyalgia-fibromyositis syndrome
• Fibromyositis
• Fibrositis
• FMS
• Myofascial pain syndrome