Fibromyalgia is a chronic neurologic pain condition, likely originating in the central nervous system, that is incurable. It has several dedicated medications to treat it, as well as non-medical treatments like physical therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and relaxation techniques. It isn’t a life-threatening disorder, it won’t cause a heart attack or a stroke, for instance, but it can raise your risk of major depression three-fold, so it’s important to get the help you need for this condition.
Cause
The exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but it's thought to be related to abnormal levels of certain chemicals in the brain and changes in the way the central nervous system (the brain, spinal cord and nerves) processes pain messages carried around the body. It's also suggested that some people are more likely to develop fibromyalgia because of genes inherited from their parents. In many cases, the condition appears to be triggered by a physically or emotionally stressful event, such as:
an injury or infection
giving birth
having an operation
the breakdown of a relationship
the death of a loved one
Trigger Points
Doctors used to use the phrase tender points or trigger points to describe sensitive areas on the body that become painful with a standard amount of pressure to the area. In the past, they would diagnose the condition according to a set of criteria that identified 18 tender points on the body. To qualify for a diagnosis of FM, a person had to experience tenderness in 11 of these tender points. The fibromyalgia trigger points included the following areas on both sides of the body:
the upper chest
the back of the head
the outer elbows
the knees
the hips
the tops of the shoulders
However, there were multiple issues with these criteria. For example, using tender points was actually contributing to the overdiagnosis of FM. People with FM may not experience constant pain. The pain may be intermittent, and it can even move to different areas of the body. Other medical conditions, such as polymyalgia rheumatica, can also cause tenderness in these areas.
Many rheumatic diseases such as Lyme disease, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and Sjogren’s syndrome can also cause widespread pain and tender areas. Another issue is that FM is not simply a pain condition. It can also cause cognitive symptoms, including memory problems, anxiety, and depression. FM can also contribute to fatigue and waking up feeling unrefreshed. For this reason, a diagnosis of FM is more complicated than identifying pain at specific points on the body.
Fibromyalgia tender points are areas where you may experience localized pain when they’re pressed. Trigger points cause localized and radiating pain. In order to experience relief from pain associated with both, talk to your doctor about potential therapies that may help.
