Fibromyalgia FAQs
What are some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) for fibromyalgia? Below are the answers to many common FAQs. If you don’t see an answer to one of your questions, email us at: questions@afsafund.org. For frequently submitted questions, we will post answers on this page.
Fibromyalgia runs in families, but not every blood relative in your family will develop this disease.1 Genetics plus a variety of triggering events can precipitate the onset of fibromyalgia. Examples of common triggers include infections, physical trauma (especially involving the spine), the development of another disorder (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, etc.), or prolonged stress. Answers to more FAQs about what causes fibromyalgia symptoms in our section on Possible Causes.
No. Fibromyalgia is primarily diagnosed based on the presence of widespread pain for at least three months. Other associated symptoms may also be used in the diagnosis, such as fatigue, cognitive difficulties, trouble sleeping, frequent headaches, pain/cramps in lower abdomen (irritable bowel), and depressed mood. While there is no blood test to diagnose fibromyalgia, your doctor may order tests to identify other potential causes for your symptoms. However, even if these tests confirm that you have another condition, they do not rule out the possibility that you may also have fibromyalgia.
No. There are a variety of medications, nondrug treatments, and self-help approaches that can ease your symptoms, but response varies from one patient to another. If anyone tells you that they can cure you, run. There are many bogus “cures” for fibromyalgia that are promoted by companies that prey on people with chronic pain who are desperate for relief. If a remedy sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Long term studies show fibromyalgia is chronic, but the symptoms may wax and wane. You may go through periods of time when your symptoms are much worse than normal. These are called flare ups. What causes symptom flares is unknown, but it’s the focus of an AFSA-funded study. The intent of this project is to provide much-needed answers to many FAQs about fibromyalgia. As for the long-term impact of fibromyalgia, every patient is different. However, most patients state it interferes with daily living activities and 25 percent can’t maintain a fulltime job.2 Overall, studies show that fibromyalgia is just as disabling and life-impacting as rheumatoid arthritis.
Exercise is highly touted for the treatment of fibromyalgia, but it may make your symptoms worse before it relieves them.3 So, why is your doctor pushing exercise as though it is the panacea for fibromyalgia? Consider this a sign that the medications for fibromyalgia provide limited effectiveness and no one drug works in most patients. In addition, your doctor doesn’t want you to become deconditioned because that will further impair your function (which may already be impacted by the fibromyalgia).
Exercise is heavily promoted at medical conferences and is widely endorsed in the medical journals. It’s a therapy that is easy to prescribe and it doesn’t cost anything, so it tends to be one of the first things a doctor will recommend for fibromyalgia patients. However, you need to be careful not to overwork your muscles because this will cause more pain, not less. See our sections on Movement Therapies and Muscle Pain Relief for help in this area.
This is one of the most common FAQ posed by fibromyalgia patients. There is no specific medical specialty that “owns” fibromyalgia. Try to find a doctor who has lots of experience with treating fibromyalgia patients or one with an open mind who is empathetic. For advice on finding a doctor (with input from several experts), see our section on Finding Support & Help.
Most fibromyalgia patients have a sleep disorder that causes alpha (awake-like) brain wave intrusions throughout the night.4 Even once you do fall asleep, you will probably have these bursts of awake-like brain activity that prevents you from staying asleep. You may toss and turn all night and feel as though you never reach deep, restorative sleep.
Recurrent migraine and tension-type headaches occur in most fibromyalgia patients and can make coping with this disease even more difficult. For some people, aggressive treatment of the migraines also provides relief of the overall pain of fibromyalgia. Myofascial trigger points, or those knots in your neck and shoulder muscles, are the primary cause of your headaches and moving your head forward or looking down will aggravate them. See our article Treat Your Headaches for help with relieving these trigger points and getting your head pain under control.
Lifestyle modifications may help you conserve energy and minimize pain. Learn what factors aggravate your symptoms and avoid them when possible. Many patients find warm water (hot tub or shower) to be soothing. Hot wraps for particularly painful areas are also beneficial. Maintaining a rigid sleep schedule and ensuring that you receive at least eight hours of sleep per night can help minimize daytime fatigue and reduce nighttime sleep difficulties. See our section on Lifestyle Changes for additional tips.
Possibly. One study showed that reducing flavor-enhancers in your diet produced significant relief of fibromyalgia symptoms.5 Most flavor additives, such as MSG and similar chemicals, increase glutamate in the system and this chemical works to increase pain transmissions. Research shows fibromyalgia patients have elevated levels of glutamate in their central nervous system, their GI tract, and their bloodstream. Ingesting more of this chemical will compound your pain and other symptoms. For help with eliminating glutamate-containing foods, see our section on Diet & Nutrition.