Fibromyalgia is likely on of the most misused and misunderstood diagnosis in medicine. So let’s set it straight today. Fibromyalgia is a group of pain disorders that affect connective tissues, including the muscles, ligaments (tough bands of tissue that connect the ends of bones), and tendons (attach muscles to bones). It is a condition that causes widespread muscle pain (also called a “myalgia”) and extreme tenderness in many areas of the body. Patients often will also experience fatigue (feeling tired), sleep disturbances, headaches, and even mood disturbances which often show up as depression and anxiety. Research is ongoing but we are beginning to understand the cause and improvements have been made in diagnosing fibromyalgia. There are still many things about fibromyalgia that are not clear.
For the United States, fibromyalgia affects approximately 8 percent of people and is the most common cause of musculoskeletal pain in women between 20 and 55 years. Fibromyalgia is more common in women than men.