Living with widespread pain, exhaustion, and unexplained symptoms can be confusing, and fibromyalgia is often the hidden cause behind daily struggles. It’s a chronic condition that affects how the body processes pain, leaving even simple tasks feeling overwhelming. Because symptoms vary widely and resemble those of other illnesses, many people spend years seeking clarity. Gaining a clear understanding of fibromyalgia’s signs, risks, and treatment options is an empowering step toward managing health and improving quality of life.
Signs and Symptoms
Fibromyalgia is a syndrome that consists of many signs and symptoms.
These include:
- Persistent (happening consistently for three months or more) widespread pain, which must occur on both sides of your body and above and below your waist;
- Stiffness all over the body;
- Fatigue since sleep is often disrupted by pain;
- Impairment of your ability to focus, pay attention, and concentrate on mental tasks, which is sometimes referred to as “fibro fog”;
- Headaches and migraines;
- Tingling or numbness in the hands and/or feet;
- Pain in the face or jaw, including disorders of the jaw referable to temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ);
- Digestive problems, such as abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and even irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and;
- Multiple other unexplained symptoms, such as anxiety and/or depression, and functional impairment of activities of daily living.
Symptoms of fibromyalgia are commonly confused with those of arthritis. However, unlike arthritis, it causes muscle and soft tissue pain and has not been found to cause muscle or joint inflammation and damage.
In some cases, symptoms may begin after a physical trauma, surgery, infection, or significant psychological stress. In other cases, there is no single triggering event, so symptoms will gradually accumulate over time.
Risk Factors
The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown. However, according to Mayo Clinic, experts “believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals.”
The most common risk factors for fibromyalgia include:
- Gender: Women are twice as likely to have fibromyalgia as men. In fact, 80 to 90 percent of people diagnosed with the condition are female.
- Age: Most people who are diagnosed are middle-aged. Additionally, you are more likely to develop the disease as you get older.
- Family History: You may be more likely to develop fibromyalgia if a relative — especially parents or siblings — also has the condition.
- Certain Medical Conditions: If you have osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or lupus, you may be more likely to develop fibromyalgia.
Other potential risk factors have weak associations with the development of fibromyalgia. These include:
- Stressful or traumatic events, such as car accidents or post-traumatic stress disorder;
- Traumatic injuries;
- Illnesses, such as bacterial or viral infections, and;
- Obesity.
Unfortunately, more research is needed to see if these possible risk factors for fibromyalgia are indeed real.
Screening and Prevention
Because the exact cause of fibromyalgia remains unknown, there are currently no screening tests that can identify the condition early or predict who will develop it. Unlike diseases with clear biological markers, fibromyalgia cannot be detected through routine lab work or imaging, and diagnosis relies primarily on clinical evaluation.
Experts also do not have proven strategies to prevent fibromyalgia. However, maintaining overall well-being may help reduce the severity or frequency of symptoms. This includes managing stress, practicing good sleep habits, and following a healthy diet and exercise routine tailored to your abilities.
When symptoms such as widespread pain, fatigue, or cognitive difficulties emerge, early medical evaluation is important. Your healthcare provider may order bloodwork or imaging tests—not to diagnose fibromyalgia directly, but to rule out other conditions with overlapping symptoms, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or chronic fatigue syndrome.
When to See a Doctor
If you suspect that you may have fibromyalgia, you should make an appointment with your doctor.
Before the said appointment, it would be best to write a list that includes:
- Detailed descriptions of your symptoms;
- Information about your past medical history;
- Information about the medical problems of your parents and/or siblings;
- All the medications and dietary supplements you take, and;
- Questions you want to ask your doctor.
Because many of the signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia can mimic other medical disorders, like arthritis or lupus, you may see several doctors before receiving a definitive diagnosis. As a result, an accurate diagnosis, along with early treatment, is paramount in the case of fibromyalgia. As such, you may receive a referral to a rheumatologist, a doctor who specializes in the treatment of arthritis and other similar conditions.
Diagnosis
Fibromyalgia is a diagnosis of exclusion. As such, a thorough evaluation for the presence of other medical disorders is required before making a definitive diagnosis.
In the case of suspected fibromyalgia, your doctor will ask about your medical history and give you a thorough physical examination. If necessary, they may order certain tests such as X-rays and blood work. These measures allow them to rule out other possible diseases or illnesses.
There is no single blood test to confirm the diagnosis of fibromyalgia. So, doctors may use a combination of the following blood tests:
- Complete blood count;
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate;
- Cyclic citrullinated peptide test;
- Rheumatoid factor;
- Thyroid function tests, and;
- Vitamin D levels.
In addition to X-rays, medical imaging tests such as full-body magnetic resonance imaging and brain computed tomography can be utilized to rule out most of the common causes of chronic pain and point to fibromyalgia. Originally, doctors would check 18 specific points (“trigger points”) on a person’s body to see how many of them were painful when pressed firmly. Revised guidelines no longer require such an examination. Lastly, your doctor may perform an evaluation to calculate your widespread pain index and symptom severity scores.
Complications
Fibromyalgia can cause chronic pain, disability, and decreased quality of life. Many people who have fibromyalgia also have other painful medical conditions, such as tension or migraine headaches, TMJ disorders, IBS, interstitial cystitis, anxiety, and depression.
Those with fibromyalgia may have complications such as:
- Higher Rates of Hospitalization
- Higher Rates of Major Depression
- Higher Rates of Other Medical Conditions
Additionally, one’s ability to function at home or on the job may be impeded by the chronic pain and lack of sleep that comes with fibromyalgia.
Treatments
Although there is no cure for fibromyalgia, many treatment options can help manage symptoms and improve daily functioning. Medications are often used to reduce pain, enhance sleep quality, and address mood-related symptoms. Over-the-counter pain relievers may help ease discomfort and make daily activities more manageable.
Some individuals benefit from certain antidepressant medications, which can reduce pain sensitivity, improve energy levels, and support better sleep. Medications originally developed for seizure disorders are also frequently used, as they can help calm overactive nerves and lessen widespread pain. In some cases, anti-anxiety medications may be added to support relaxation and improve sleep, particularly when stress or tension worsens symptoms. Together, these medication options form a toolkit that healthcare providers can tailor to each patient’s unique needs and symptom patterns.
Therapy
There are plenty of therapies that help reduce the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Some examples include:
- Physical Therapy: Physical therapy will help teach patients exercises that will improve your strength, flexibility, and stamina, such as water-based exercises.
- Occupational Therapy: The focus of occupational therapy is to adjust your environment and the way you perform certain tasks, so you will put less stress on your body.
- Counseling: Talking with a counselor can help you develop strategies for dealing with stressful situations.
Alternative Therapies
Using alternative therapies for pain and stress management are not new developments. In fact, quite a few of them have been practiced for thousands of years. However, their popularity on the rise in recent years — especially among people who have chronic illnesses.
These alternative therapies include:
- Acupuncture: Restores the balance of life forces in the body by inserts needles into the skin. Its effectiveness in relieving the symptoms associated with fibromyalgia is highly debated.
- Massage Therapy: Massage can reduce your heart rate, relax your muscles, improve the range of motion in your joints, and increase the production of your body’s natural painkillers (endorphins). Additionally, it can relieve stress and anxiety.
- Yoga and Tai Chi: Both yoga and tai chi combine meditation, slow movements, deep breathing, and relaxation. Plus, they improve flexibility and the range of motion in your joints.
Living with Fibromyalgia
Self-Care
Self-care is a major component in the management of fibromyalgia. If you have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, the following self-care tips can help:
- Reduce Stress: Allow yourself time each day to relax and try stress management techniques, such as deep-breathing exercises or meditation.
- Get Adequate Sleep: Sufficient sleep can help with fatigue. In order to get enough sleep, make sure to practice good sleep habits. This includes going to bed and waking up at the same time each day and limiting napping during the day.
- Exercise Regularly: Exercises such as walking, swimming, biking, and water aerobics can help decrease the symptoms of fibromyalgia. As such, make sure to exercise for at least 30 minutes for most days of the week.
- Pace Yourself: Moderation is key, so keep your activity on an even level.
- Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle: This can include eating heart-healthy foods, limiting how much caffeine you have, and participating in activities that are enjoyable and fulfilling.
Diet
Diet is an integral aspect of care for fibromyalgia. Therefore, the following may contribute to an improvement in the symptoms of the disease:
- High-Energy Foods That Are Low in Sugar: Almonds, beans, oatmeal, avocado, and tofu are a few examples of foods that contain plenty of fiber but no added sugar.
- Avoiding Foods That Have Gluten: A study suggests that gluten sensitivity can contribute to fibromyalgia. As such, subscribing to a gluten-free diet will help deal with symptoms.
- Avoiding Fermentable Oligo-Di-Mono-Saccharides and Polyols (FODMAP): According to a recent study, a diet low in FODMAP could lead to decreasing pain levels in people with fibromyalgia.
- Not Eating Additives and Excitotoxins: A recent report has shown that excluding additives from one’s diet can significantly reduce pain in patients with fibromyalgia.
- Eating More Seeds and Nuts: There’s not much evidence to support a direct link between the benefits of eating more seeds and nuts and an improvement in fibromyalgia symptoms. Despite that, they contain powerful micronutrients and minerals, which may be helpful for those with the condition.
Outlook
Fibromyalgia affects approximately two percent of the adult population in the U.S.
As fibromyalgia is thought to be mediated by an abnormal amplification of painful sensations, patients diagnosed with the disease tend to be more sensitive to pain than people without fibromyalgia. Although it is not a life-threatening, deforming, or progressive disease, fibromyalgia can significantly decrease functional status and quality of life without proper diagnosis and treatment.