Smileband health topics

Fibromyalgia, also known as fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), is a chronic condition that characteristically causes pain all over the body, including muscle and joint pain, and fatigue as well as other symptoms. Fibromyalgia can lead to depression and social isolation.

What is fibromyalgia syndrome?

A syndrome is a set of symptoms. When they exist together, they imply the presence of a specific disease or a greater chance of developing the disease. With FMS, the following symptoms commonly occur together:

• Anxiety or depression
• Decreased pain threshold or tender points
• Incapacitating fatigue
• Widespread pain

Are women more likely to get fibromyalgia than men?

Most fibromyalgia patients are women ranging in age from 25 to 60. The truth is women are 10 times more likely to get this disease than men.

What are fibromyalgia symptoms?  

What causes fibromyalgia?

The exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but it's thought to be related to abnormal levels of certain chemicals in the brain and changes in the way the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves) processes pain messages carried around the body.

It's also suggested that some people are more likely to develop fibromyalgia because of genes inherited from their parents.

In many cases, the condition appears to be triggered by a physically or emotionally stressful event, such as:

• an injury or infection 
• giving birth 
• having an operation 
• the breakdown of a relationship  
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