Fibromyalgia is a chronic health disorder, similar to lupus and arthritis, that is characterized by extensive musculoskeletal pain accompanied by mood, memory, sleep, and fatigue issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia magnifies painful sensations by impacting how the spinal cord and brain process pain and non-pain signals, but the exact cause is unknown. Symptoms of fibromyalgia commonly start after a traumatic incident, but they can also develop independently. The following risk factors are associated with fibromyalgia:
1. Family history of fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia appears to run in families, meaning that it likely results from genetic mutations that are passed down from parents to children. In short, you can get the genes that make you more susceptible to pain from your parents. Other genes can also increase your probability of feeling depressed or anxious, which worsens pain.
2. Stressful or traumatic events (PTSD)
Some people develop post-traumatic stress disorder after experiencing a terrible event, such as a violent attack, car crash, or war. For example, a recent study published in Arthritis Care & Research appeared to confirm the link by examining incidences of fibromyalgia among members of the U.S. military. PTSD’s association with fibromyalgia suggests that psychological symptoms can trigger physical ones.
3. Gender
Statistics show that women develop fibromyalgia more than men. At least 75% of people diagnosed with this condition are middle-aged women. While not a definitively proven fact, sex hormones may play a significant role in the disease’s distribution, severity, and frequency of symptoms. Moreover, women with fibromyalgia are more likely to have symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or experience painful menstrual periods. As a result, it is possible that fibromyalgia is not more common in women, but underdiagnosed in men, who may have less obvious symptoms, as suggested by a 2010 Danish study.
4. Repetitive Injuries
Experiencing physical or emotional abuse, especially abuse that causes repeated injury, is also a risk factor for fibromyalgia. Children who are abused are more susceptible to fibromyalgia in their adulthood. This is because abuse alters the way the brain processes stress and pain. Repetitive injuries can also be caused by repetitive stress on a joint, like regular knee bending.
5. Obesity
Apart from affecting more women than men, fibromyalgia is more common among obese patients with a sedentary lifestyle. Gentle, regular exercise is among the best treatments for this condition, as it helps reduce the pain volume.
Fibromyalgia can cause disability and pain. Adults may experience the following complications because of fibromyalgia:
- Increased hospitalizations: Patients with fibromyalgia are twice as likely to be admitted to a hospital than someone without the condition.
- Reduced life quality: Patients who have fibromyalgia may experience reduced quality of life.
- High rates of depression: Adults with fibromyalgia are three times more likely to have depression than adults without the condition.
- More risk of other rheumatic conditions: This condition often accompanies other types of arthritis, such as ankylosing spondylitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis.
