What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia can impact upon every aspect of a person’s life, with people experiencing guilt, loneliness, self-doubt and isolation. Evidence has shown the effect on employers in terms of absence and loss of productivity costs.

What Causes Fibromyalgia (FMS)?

The causes are unclear and may differ from person to person. It may run in families. There is a likely genetic factor, however, genes alone do not cause FMS, but they may make people more prone to getting it.

Evidence suggests involvement of the nervous system, specifically the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). There is a change in the way the body “talks” with the spinal cord and brain, due to the volume of pain sensation in the brain being turned up too high.

Certain ‘triggering factors’ can set off FMS, such as:

• Injury

• Spinal conditions

• Physical stress

• Underlying rheumatic conditions

Who Does Fibromyalgia Affect

How is Fibromyalgia Diagnosed?

Fibromyalgia can be difficult to diagnose as symptoms can vary from person to person and there is no specific laboratory test, x-ray or scan.

A diagnosis is based on a person’s medical history and symptoms, and by ruling out other diseases with similar symptoms with almost 84% of FM patients have other co-existing medical conditions.

Overlap in Symptoms of ME and Fibromyalgia – Impact on Diagnosis

There is an overlap in symptoms of ME/CFS and FMS, and there are those diagnosed with a combination of both, or with other similar conditions such as: underactive thyroid gland, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or anaemia.

In addition, a recommended treatment using exercise for fibromyalgia, could cause potential harm to patients with a diagnosis of ME/CFS, in the form of Post Exertional Malaise (PEM).

It is vitally important to get an accurate diagnosis of Fibromyalgia, so that other conditions are appropriately and promptly treated, and so that PEM in ME/CFS is not mistaken for a ‘fibro-flare’.

Fibromyalgia Symptoms

ME/CFS Symptoms

Treatment for Fibromyalgia

FMS cannot be cured, but symptoms and flare-ups can be reduced by treatments, therapies and self-management techniques, that can improve quality of life.