Fibromyalgia is a complicated condition that is not fully understood by the medical community. This chronic condition can make you feel pain all over your body and make you feel exhausted at the same time. Symptoms can vary between people. Amazingly, about 2% of Americans have the condition, and its symptoms usually show up after being triggered by an emotional or physical trauma. There are a number of symptoms, but not all people share the same symptoms. While there are many ideas of the cause of fibromyalgia, there is not currently a consensus on its cause, but there is some great information online.

There are several risk factors to having fibromyalgia. These include gender (women are most likely to develop the medical condition), age (usually occurs in early or middle adulthood), rheumatic heart disease, family history, and disturbed sleep patterns. As for the causes of fibromyalgia, many medical experts believe that the interplay of several factors contribute to the disease. It can possibly be caused by genetics, infections, physical trauma, emotional trauma or a combination of these factors.
So why do people who suffer from fibromyalgia experience pain all over the body? One theory states that this might be due to a lower pain threshold caused by the heightened brain sensitivity to pain signals. It is also one theory that the condition may be caused by the brain’s overreaction to pain signals.

While fibromyalgia is actually non-progressive (does not lead to other diseases or conditions), it can lead to other complications and difficulties, such as lack of sleep, depression and added pain. Also, having the condition can affect the normal routine of life, as the pain felt can disrupt normal day to day activities.

So how is fibromyalgia detected? Medical experts use two methods: The first one is by feeling your body’s possible tender points. If you have 11 out of the 18 tender points, then you can be diagnosed with the disease. The second method is the measure of time one experiences extreme and continued pain. If you feel pain that is widespread on the body for a duration of at least three months, then you can be diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

Medication, self-care and therapy can help treat fibromyalgia or, at least, reduce the bothersome symptoms. Analgesics, antidepressants and even anti-seizure drugs have all prescribed by a doctors to treat fibromyalgia. Also, a person diagnosed with the condition can benefit from counseling and physical therapy.