Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes tenderness, stiffness and pain to the sufferer’s joints, tendons and muscles. This condition is also characterized by bowel function disturbance, depression, anxiety and fatigue, waking up feeling tired and restless sleep. Fibromyalgia was formerly known as Fibrositis. It is quite common in occurrence, though its causes are not well known. Patients suffering from this condition do not develop deformity or body damage, either to exterior or interior body parts and organs. The most common form of the condition is Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS), primary FMS and secondary FMS. The primary version is more prevalent.
Patients suffering this condition experience pain when responding to outside stimuli that are typically not considered painful. Substance P, a signal made up of nerve chemicals, along with nerve generation factor are found in elevated levels within the spinal fluid of the sufferer. Serotonin, the brain nerve substance is found to be in less quantity in patients suffering from fibromyalgia. Pain studies have suggested that the brain or Central Nervous System (CNS) can be somewhat super-sensitive. Scientists also note a seemingly pain perception diffuse disturbance in patients. Impaired REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is also a common characteristic of this condition; this is why patients suffering this condition wake up tired. Other common associations of the onset of fibromyalgia are bacterial or viral infection, trauma or injury especially in the upper spinal cord region and psychological distress.
The sympathetic or autonomic nervous system abnormalities could be responsible for causing fibromyalgia. This system serves to control body functions that are not controlled consciously such as; intestinal movements, salivary flow, sweating, contraction of blood vessels and heart rate. Scientists believe that the dysfunction of this system occurs in fibromyalgia sufferers, especially at night. This in turn leads to the sufferer experiencing dizziness, stiffness and fatigue symptoms, which are closely associated to this condition. Muscle metabolism changes are also observed as a potential fibromyalgia cause. For instance decreased and de-conditioning blood flow towards the muscles can contribute to decreased strength as well as fatigue. Hormonal substances abnormalities and metabolism differences that influence nerve activity may also lead to the prevalence of the condition.
Secondary Fibromyalgia appears in combination or after other medical ailments have taken place. Some of the ailments that could lead to the development of this condition are neck injury, spine arthritis, surgery, Lyme disease (even after successful treatment), Hepatitis C and Endometriosis.